Communiques – en

Tuesday, January 17, 2012 is the 51st anniversary of the assassination of Patrice Lumumba by the United States and Belgium (Belgium apologized in 2002), in cahoots with select Congolese elites. Congolese people and friends of the Congo throughout the globe commemorate Lumumba's assassination each year to bring attention to the Congolese people's pursuit of freedom and liberation in the heart of Africa. Since the assassination of Lumumba, the foreign multi-national corporations of the 1% profit from the plundering of Congo's abundant mineral resources and are complicit in the super-exploitation of Congolese labor. They are also the underlying engine of the violent conflict in the country. Congolese women have occupied the U.S. Embassy in Congo's capital, Kinshasa, demanding that the United States cease its support of strongmen in Congo and Africa.

Vancouver miner First Quantum Minerals Ltd. (FM-T21.060.190.91%) is selling its mines in Congo and settling legal claims for $1.25-billion (U.S.) after its operations were nationalized by the government of the central African country.

Christian Aid is deeply concerned by brutal attacks on civilians by Congolese security forces in the wake of November 28 presidential elections, and incumbent President Kabila’s recent declaration of victory at the polls for a second five-year term. ‘As part of an international election observation mission, Christian Aid observers witnessed acts of violence during the elections, which were flawed by numerous irregularities,’ says Christian Aid’s DRC country manager, Jacques Miaglia.

The European Union (EU) has taken note of the definitive results of the presidential elections in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) as announced by the Supreme Court of Justice. The EU notes that the Court has confirmed the results announced by the CENI, despite shortcomings identified by the Congolese authorities themselves and by the CENI.

Fact Sheet
Office of the Spokesperson
Washington, DC

The Changing Nature of War and its Impact on Women

We, the undersigned organizations and individuals, are deeply troubled by the lack of critical engagement that the international community has shown throughout the electoral process in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

Following their communiqués of the 1 and 16 December denouncing the high number of irregularities observed during the recent elections and the process for tallying results, AETA and EurAc are concerned by the acts of violence that took place in many voting stations during the elections. The public became the main victim of these acts of violence, which prevented them from voting peacefully.

Press Statement
Hillary Rodham Clinton
Secretary of State
Washington, DC
December 20, 2011

Security forces in Democratic Republic of Congo must halt a series of politically motivated arrests, including arbitrary and unlawful arrests following disputed elections, Amnesty International said today.

Seattle, WA and Washington, D.C. – Eastern Congo Initiative (ECI) and the Enough Project call on President Obama and Secretary of State Clinton to help resolve the growing crisis in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC).