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African meditation on women weeping at the cross, a gift by the churches in Congo. Photo: Nikos Kosmidis/WCC

African meditation on women weeping at the cross, a gift by the churches in Congo. Photo: Nikos Kosmidis/WCC

Citing a litany of horrors in the Democratic Republic of Congo, the central committee of the World Council of Churches (WCC) has called out the “deepening political, human rights and humanitarian crisis” in the DRC, and the risks of further conflict, massive human rights violations and atrocity crimes there.

“The people of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) have already suffered so much for so long at the hands of so many self-interested actors from within and from outside the country. A deepening political, human rights and humanitarian crisis and escalating conflict are again afflicting the country and its people,” the statement read.

Because of recent violence, 4.5 million people have been displaced from their homes, while more than 13 million Congolese are in need of emergency assistance. An estimated 2 million children are in danger of starvation.

The statement specifically cited the role of the government’s own security forces in the violence there and urged it to stop politically-related killings and respect the constitution’s limits on presidential terms.

It strongly urged that planned elections go forward as scheduled and that the government respect and protect the fundamental rights and freedoms of its people.

 

Read the statement about the DRC