Catholic bishops in Central Africa have called on regional leaders to take swift action in the implementation of the peace resolutions to end the conflict in the east of the Democratic Republic of Congo.
Death and displacement
Decades of fighting have brought ruin to the region, with millions of people dead. Millions more have been forced from their homes.
A recent surge in violence—particularly the advance of the Rwanda-backed M23 rebels—has resulted in the deaths of over 7,000 people, and about 450,000 others displaced since January 25, worsening an already precarious humanitarian crisis.
Fr.George Kalenga, a Congolese priest, takes great exception to the nefarious influence of external forces “that participate in the perpetuation of violence in DR Congo.”
He cited Rwanda as offering “back-up bases to the armed groups that sow desolation on a recurring basis in certain areas of the DR Congo, from the province of Ituri to that of Tanganyika, passing through the provinces of North and South Kivu.”
“These same countries facilitate the illegal exploitation of the natural resources of the DR Congo by multinationals that have set up their headquarters in the countries neighbouring the DR Congo,” Kalenga told CWR.
Humanitarian agencies say hospitals have been flooded with the wounded and the dead, and there are reports of gross human rights violations, including rape.
The Association of Episcopal Conferences of Central Africa (ACEAC) that brings together bishops from the DRC, Burundi and Rwanda met in the Tanzanian capital, Dar es Salaam to thread a pathway to peace.
In a communiqué sanctioning the end of the meeting, the clerics condemned what they called “the culture of death “in the Great Lakes region and expressed concern that the DRC conflict could extend to engulf neighboring countries.
“For more than three decades, our region has been plagued by the disruption of peace at several levels and between several levels of our societies, culminating in recurrent conflicts between our States. The sub-region is on the brink of implosion, at the risk of creating a generalised outbreak of deadly violence,” the clerics said.
“The whole situation is affecting entire regions, with an exponential increase in the loss of human life: orphans, widows and widowers, displaced persons and refugees. We can only condemn the events that cause these atrocities and the ideologies that pave the way for them.”
The clerics said they were “deeply affected and wounded” by the way the conflicts have turned out, and urged the Heads of State of the East African Community (EAC) and the Southern African Development Community (SADC) “to implement the resolutions of their joint summit in Dar-es-Salaam.”
The proposals of the EAC-SADC Heads of State
The Joint EAC-SADC Summit, held on February 8, 2025, issued several directives aimed at fostering peace and security in the region.
Defense chiefs from both regions were tasked with outlining strategies for an immediate and unconditional ceasefire, cessation of hostilities, and the provision of humanitarian assistance.
This includes repatriating the deceased, evaluating the injured, and devising a securitization plan for Goma and its surrounding areas.
Additionally, they were instructed to reopen key supply routes such as Goma-Sake-Bukavu, Goma-Kibumba-Rumangabo-Karengera-Rushuru-Bunagana, and Goma-Kiwanja-Rwindi-Kanyabayonga-Lubero, as well as to ensure navigation on Lake Kivu between Goma and Bukavu and the immediate reopening of Goma Airport.
The summit also called for the unification of the Nairobi and Luanda processes into a single framework, referred to as the Luanda-Nairobi Process, to strengthen and enhance their complementarity.
It emphasized the need to resume direct negotiations and dialogue with all state and non-state actors, including the M23, under this unified framework.
Furthermore, the summit directed the development and implementation of modalities for the withdrawal of uninvited foreign armed forces from the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). It reaffirmed its commitment to supporting the DRC in safeguarding its independence, sovereignty, territorial integrity, and achieving sustainable peace and security.
The former President of Kenya,Uhuru Kenyatta, Olusegun Obasanjo, former President of Nigeria and Hailemariam Desalegn, former Prime Minister of Ethiopia had been appointed as facilitators of the merged Nairobi and Luanda peace processes, now known as the Luanda-Nairobi Process.
These leaders were appointed to guide the peace efforts in the DRC, focusing on resolving conflicts and fostering stability in the region.
“We welcome in faith and hope the appointment of the facilitators of the Nairobi and Luanda processes, which have now been merged. We assure them of our readiness to make our contribution to the building of peace, of which we are protagonists by virtue of our evangelical mission,” the bishops said.
“We want our countries to transform the swords that kill into ploughshares for the development of the sub-region,” they said.
The ACEAC bishops said they were gladdened at the commitment by the National Episcopal Conference of the Congo (CENCO) and the Church of Christ of the Congo (ECC) to implement the ACEAC Peace plan captured in the directives from their meeting in Dar es Salaam.
“Our hearts go out to the National Episcopal Conference of the Congo (CENCO) and the Church of Christ of the Congo (ECC), which are committed to promoting the Social Pact for Peace and Good Living in the DR Congo and throughout the sub-region, thus contributing to the implementation of the ACEAC peace plan,” the clerics said.
The “Social Pact for Peace and Good Living” in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) is a collaborative initiative led by the Catholic Church (CENCO) and the Church of Christ in Congo (ECC). It aims to address the ongoing conflicts and humanitarian crises in the DRC and the Great Lakes region by fostering peace, reconciliation, and social cohesion.
Its key components include encouraging traditional African conflict resolution methods, such as dialogue under the “palaver tree,” to rebuild trust and resolve disputes; addressing the needs of displaced populations and victims of violence, while promoting harmonious coexistence; emphasizing the principles of Ubuntu (Bumuntu), which advocate for unity, collaboration, and mutual respect; mobilizing communities, religious leaders, and civil society to work together for sustainable peace as well as strengthening ties with neighboring countries to ensure cross-border stability and peaceful coexistence.
Hands off the Congo
The bishops echoed the words of Pope Francis during his apostolic visit to Kinshasa in January-February, 2023: ‘Take your hands off the Congo, take your hands off Africa,’ the Pontiff said then, obviously addressing international multi-lateral companies that have for decades been exploiting the vast mineral resources in the country.
The country’s mineral wealth has an estimated value of about $24 trillion. It is home to some of the most critical minerals required for the global energy transition. For instance, the DRC is the world’s largest producer of cobalt, a critical component in batteries for electric vehicles and electronics.
Despite its immense potential, the country faces challenges such as political instability, infrastructure deficits, and concerns over ethical mining practices, including child labor and environmental impacts.
Some 120 armed groups—some funded by other nations—have turned eastern DRC, which has the largest concentration of minerals, into a war zone. Fighting, experts say, is a convenient cover to steal the minerals.
“Armed groups that sow death abound in our sub-region. We ask them to stop defending their claims with weapons that kill their own brothers and sisters. We ask that each State set up an effective framework for dialogue and listening,” said the ACEAC bishops.
The bishops denounced what they described as “the murderous ideologies propagated here and there and we call for thorough investigations to verify the allegations of crimes of genocide, war crimes and crimes against humanity that have already plunged our sub-region into mourning and to restore the rights and dignity of all victims without discriminaiton.”
“Our region must stop being a place of greed and global interests that clash and impoverish our people,” they emphasized.
Johan Viljoen, the Director of the Denis Hurley Peace Institute in the DRC, told CWR that one way of ensuring lasting peace is that “all foreign forces must disengage from Congo and that includes Rwanda,” he said.
“The people living in eastern DRC must determine their future,” he added.
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Big Elephant in the room not specifically identified in the article is the well-suspected role of the Islamic terrorists known as ADF (“Allied Democratic Forces”), who faithfully follow the teachings of Islam in carrying out their ongoing terrorism. Just recently, 70 beheadings of Christians occurred in the Congo, courtesy of ADF. Beheadings are, of course, a favored practice of Muslims based on the Quran and other teachings of “Muhammad” on how to deal with “infidels” like Christians.
And, as always, due to the ongoing propaganda campaign and meaningless personal interactions with some less fervent Muslims that lead many astray, there is no radical or moderate Islam; there is only Islam, the religion of barbarism.