A great blog about DRCongo

This blog is by a vet/artist who spent years here, lived through some very dangerous times, and loves bonobos. Her book, Grains of Golden Sand, looks really interesting! Click on the title of this post to go to her blog.

AMICUS and the Accra Speech

This morning I attended the opening of a week-long seminar on the right of citizens to government information, what we in the U.S. call Freedom of Information. This is surely the first time this topic is publicly debated in DR Congo, and there is some hope that it will pave the way to actual legislation. The seminar was created by AMICUS, an association whose full name is AMItie Congo-U.S, which groups alumni of the various International Visitor programs the embassy has sponsored over the years. One of my first experiences upon arriving here in Kinshasa almost 2 years ago was hosting a reception for a group of returning International Visitors, who are chosen among the best and brightest in Congo in all fields. (This reception was where I met Sr. Marie-Bernard, who introduced me to the Franciscans I have often blogged about. It's a small world: a few weeks later I had to go see her about a Self-Help project, creating youth groups all over the country to learn about democracy, using Catholic parishes as the infrastructure - in many areas, the Catholic Church is the ONLY infrastructure. I'll have to find out how this project turned out.) The seminar was held at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The Deputy Chief of Mission (Sam) gave some background history of the U.S. Freedom of Information Act, how it was first passed in 1966, and how Watergate and the Vietnam War spurred tighter and more effective legislation. But as he said, legislation is just one component: civil servants, the courts, the press, and the public have to, not only follow the letter of the law, but believe in its vital importance before it can really happen and make a difference in how we are governed. After him, the Congolese Minister of Information gave his speech, in which he recognized the value of the right to information, noted that it was already guaranteed in the 2006 Constitution, but almost immediately remarked that it had taken other democracies many years to formulate (centuries even), that even in the most advanced democracies it was naturally limited by the right to privacy and for national security reasons, and then went on to explain at length that any legislation of such rights would have to take into account the cultural traditions of the Congo. Beware of writing legislation that would be a thousand leagues from cultural norms, he said; it would be dangerously irresponsible to mimic others, given the inertia of certain cultural traditions. How does all this connect to Obama's speech, you may ask? Well, I've been looking at comments sent to President Obama from the DRC after his Ghana speech at the America.gov website. One of them caught my attention: it was from a Congolese student deploring the lack of freedom of speech in this country. It made me think of the goal of this morning's seminar. Freedom of information is very important, of course, but freedom of speech is so BASIC that we immediately added it to our Constitution, in the Bill of Rights. In this emerging democracy, still struggling just to stop the murderous conflict inside its borders, while trying to create democratic institutions, feed its people, send its children to primary school and build civil society, it's fascinating to observe the push and pull of democratic ideals and modernism elbowing for position between entrenched interests and "cultural traditions" (of secrecy and corruption, for example, or the forced marriages of young girls, a form of gender-based violence). On the one hand, Obama, widely acclaimed by all here, stating self-evident truths about Africans taking responsibility for their own fate; on the other hand, an African minister publicly expressing his reluctance to create legislation that might too effectively create transparency; on the one hand, a group of the best and brightest Congolese spurring society and government to debate and pass laws that the most advanced democracies are still in the process of installing; on the other hand, a student decrying the lack of one of the most basic human rights. This is Congo today: one foot stuck deep in the jungle, the other trying to step into the 21st century. ************* Anuarite Women of Courage Award As Secretary of the International Women's Club, I've been working closely with AMICUS to create an award for Women of Courage in the DRC. It's been a very instructive experience. We had many debates about how to define what makes a Woman of Courage, and then about how we would find such women. We created a nomination form, translated it in Swahili, Tshiluba, Kikongo, and Lingala (from the original French); we're still tweaking it to post it on websites and distribute it through email contacts, even though the project was officially launched and sample forms were distributed to the press last Wednesday; and we're still trying to figure out how we'll proceed after we receive the nominations, whose numbers none of us dares to guess right now. One thing is certain: it will be really exciting to receive and read them. I wish I had time to tell you more about the award and the process of creating it, but I'll have to leave it for another post. And tomorrow, I'll be interviewed by Radio Okapi about this award!

President Obama's speech in Ghana

I am so proud of my president. I think a lot of people here in Kinshasa tuned in. I hope they were encouraged in their hopes and strengthened in their virtues, by the simple and straighforward truths spoken by President Obama. It's not that he says there's no blame, there's enough of it to go round, that's for sure. It's that he simply says, let's do our best starting right now from where we are, and the U.S. is here to help. Some of my favorite lines: "Africa's future is up to Africans." "Just as it is important to emerge from the control of other nations, it is even more important to build one's own nation." "it will not be giants like Nkruma and Kenyatta who will determine Africa's future, instead, it will be you..." "development depends on good governance... that is a responsibility that can only be met by Africans" "...governments that respect the will of their own people, that govern by consent and not coercion are more prosperous, they are more stable and more successful than governments that do not." "No country is going to create wealth if its leaders exploit the economy to enrich themselves..." "That is not democracy, that is tyranny, even if occasionally you sprinkle an election in it." "Strong Parliament, honest police force, independent judges, an independent press, a strong private sector, a civil society: those are the things that give life to democracy." "[The U.S. will help with] ... concrete solutions to corruption..." "Countries thrive when they invest in their people and in their infrastructure." "Aid is not an end in itself." "Wealthy nations must open their doors to goods and services from other countries." "We will invest in public health systems." "We must stand up to inhumanity in our midst." "It is the death sentence of a society to force children to kill in war. It is the ultimate mark of criminality and cowardice to condemn women to relentless and systemic rape. We must bear witness to the value of every child in Darfur and the dignity of every woman in the Congo." "I am particularly speaking to the young people all over Africa... The world will be what you make of it... You can make change from the bottom up. Yes, you can!"

Postcard from Bukavu, part 3: Marie Jeanne's Peace Village

In this letter, Marie Jeanne describes the effects of the war on the women in the group: Here in our country, rape is an odious act. A rape victim feels humiliated and so does her entire family. That's why men, unable to stand this shame, often leave, go far away from the family and become strangers. Meanwhile, the woman suffers alone, trying to support the children by herself. To escape the scorn of people in her village, these women prefer to come live in the city where no one gossips about their situation. Take the case of Justine, who lives with a child born of rape, and forced by maternal love to demonstrate great affection to him. She already had four children so now with this baby they are five. We found a cabin with two rooms and a living room, that's where Justine lives with her little family. We have several such cases. We have a case of two young, inexperienced 14-year-old girls who now have babies. Each one has her story, but it takes nerves of steel to listen to them and hear what they went through during their time as hostages. We have managed to send them to school. But often they have no education, because in the villages boys are sent to school more than girls. That's why we try even harder to give the girls in our program some schooling. Justine has the "Baccalaureat." She is 27. Next year I must register her for classes in university, maybe she'll study Law so that she can defend women's rights. With our modest soap and bead-making business, and sometimes working as household helpers, we are able to help our poor women regain their dignity and personnality in spite of their suffering. We enable them. Sister Georgette lives 2000 km away from our town. But she comes to Bukavu from time to time, she helps sell our products and gives us advice. Your contribution: 1. Prayer, 2. Your advice, 3. See if it is possible to find people willing to sponsor us, especially these young girls. 4. If possible, send us your postal address so we can send you the cards to sell. If you have alternatives you may also suggest them. You ask what my projects are for the future. My husband had found my cardmaking really good, so we had a plan, inspired by a Rwandan brother, to create a Peace Village where every woman will be accepted and welcomed, with their children born of rape and rejected by society, without regard to tribe or race (there are little ones of mixed race here, fathered by U.N. peacekeepers, who are also orphans). About my school: I have 500 students, boys and girls, rich and poor. The rich ones help me send the poor ones to school for free. They live side by side as brothers. I have limited means, so I only have the kindergarten and primary school. I would love to open a high school for girls, with boarding. I am now building another school because we've run out of space. In each classroom we have 40 to 50 children. About me: I have 5 biological and 3 adopted children. My oldest is 20, she is in 2nd year of medical school. The second is in first year of medical school. The third is a boy, in first year of secondary school. 4 and 5 are also boys, one is 10 and the other 8. (This letter was originally written in preparation for an interview by Sunapee, New Hampshire, high school student, Jennifer Coverdale, who interviewed Marie Jeanne in February 09 for a school project. My translation.)

Postcard from Bukavu, part 2: Protect life

Another wonderful piece of banana-leaf art made by the women of "Nikinge". EVEN IF EVIL SEEMS TO BE WINNING, GOD HAS THE LAST WORD:COURAGE. Translation of the letter in the first photo of my last post: Madame Odile, We thank you very much for selling the cards and for the support that you keep giving us. We received the clothes, and on top of that the extra money, the "300$" God bless you. We used to do hard labor in spite of ("operations" crossed out) the scars of the operations we underwent here. But for now we no longer carry sand, dirt and rubble for construction. Our load has been lightened by the work we do now. We are less tired and our health improves. God bless you. We the mamans of Bukavu. Our treasurer will give you a report. In the name of all the mamans, Marie-Jeanne Busingizi When she thanks me for selling the cards, she's referring to cards I sold for them at a bazaar last December(some of you dear readers got them at Christmas). The back of that letter has the report, written by Sr. Georgette: The $300 were used as follows: $200: in the cashbox of the "Nikinge" group of raped women, for: (1) capital for the soap supplies whose after-sale profits are used by each, i.e. self-help income. (2) capital for the materials for making the cards, bead crafts and clothes for the same self-help. $100: Used for the immediate needs of women I met and listened to, when they came to share their stories with me. A total of 14 women were present, so vulnerable and so destroyed. Eleven were absent that day for health reasons (surgery, incontinence... hunger, etc) Thank you, Petite Maman, for being for each of these women, who are physically far away yet so close to you, sister, friend, mother, listener, solidarity, love in Christ, who is the source and meaning of any encounter. Good Feast of Pentecost ! (signed) Georgette FMM In yesterday's post I edited out all the "how great Odile is" parts, but today I'm simply giving you the whole thing, unedited, to show you kind of gratitude always displayed over the least bit of attention and assistance. I also wanted to witness to the extraordinary, selfless, deeply personal work done by thousands upon thousands of religious sisters like Soeur Georgette. It is of them, and the religious brothers and priests, that people should think when they hear the words "Catholic Church" (not of the relatively few priests who have given the Church a bad name. It is because these latter are an exception that the Church was so ill-equipped to deal with them. But that's another topic). The "Nikinge" group chose this name because, as Marie Jeanne tells me in yet another letter, "Our logo shows a woman with a child on her back and a hoe in her hands, and the word NIKINGE, which means 'Protect me', that is, protect women. Women give life and nourish it, so it's in everyone's interest to protect them." Amen. Protect life.

Postcard from Bukavu

We, the raped women...

Got a call two weeks ago from Sr. Georgette FMM (see Oct. 19, Nov. 27, and Dec 5, 2007 posts). She was going to the FMM mission in Bukavu and wanted to fill her suitcases with used clothing for the women under their care. The Embassy CLO, Megan Bard, helped me spread the word and two days later I delivered several boxes and bags. On an impulse I also gave Sr. Georgette the cash I had on hand, $300, for whatever needs she might find there. It's not every day one gets a chance to send hard cash to one of the world's most wretched ongoing humanitarian disasters. Bukavu is a town on the shore of Lake Kivu on the eastern border of Congo. Like its ill-fated sister, Goma, its recent history is bloody, and the violence continues. Google-news it for yourself. The DRC's own military are primary perpetrators, along with Rwandan Hutus still afraid to return to their country after the 1994 genocide, Rwandan and Congolese Tutsis who chased them into Congo, etc. The situation is extremely complex, and there are no good guys. But the genocide goes on in the Kivus. Not at the speed of the Rwanda genocide, but just as ferociously, and the numbers have now added up, over the fifteen years, to five million or more. But it remains unknown to most Westerners. Why? A U.N. human rights expert recently stated that "journalists who report on rights abuses in particular have been 'killed, threatened, tortured or arrested,' if they address issues such as sexual violence, impunity for crimes and the illegal exploitation of natural resources." (AFP) But back to Sr. Georgette: She spent 10 days there, counseling women. The photos she showed me were of a fabulously beautiful region. Green hills, volcanoes, still blue lakes, rushing rivers. And tragic human scenes: women and girls (she saw one 5 years old) raped, mutilated, and infected with HIV. And pregnant. But I'll let them speak for themselves. The first photo above is just the first page of a five-page letter they wrote to me to thank me for the capital injection into their little mutual aid association. $200 went to buy supplies and materials for the soap-making and card-making operations. $100 was distributed by Sr. Georgette to fourteen of the women for their most urgent needs. In DC, $100 wouldn't buy 14 women breakfast, but for these women it was manna from heaven. The woman in the photo is one of the 14 whose horrific stories Sr. Georgette listened to. But let me give it to you straight from their letter (my translation and editing): "We, the raped women, war-wounded and handicapped, we come to you through Maman Georgette, missionary Sister, to thank you for having thought of us... It's a great comfort to know that women from elsewhere think of us... We are very many, thousands of women raped and massacred. But the small group she helps is coming out of their disastrous situation little by little... We are happy today to see Sr. Georgette who listens to us one at a time, counsels us and encourages us to go on. We who have escaped our tormentors (Rwandan rebels and others) . This war looks like it's a war against women. [...] [something in Swahili] You can be our mouthpiece, our feet to take us where we cannot go. We send you. Go tell our sisters and brothers of our immense suffering [something in Swahili]. Let them call out loudly for our cause. In the east of Congo, behind the mountains, in the heart of the forest, women and children scream for help. They are killed, they are raped. They are mutilated with stones and axes. Firearms and sticks are used to rape us. There, behind the hills, life is destroyed. We are so far, no one can hear us. We die of our wounds, of illness, of exposure. Scream for us so that the war will end. We, the kidnapped who have escaped, we have left our sisters over there, and we know what they continue to suffer. There are 12-year-old girls, mothers... There are those who cannot continue to do hard labor any more; sometimes they are buried alive. We told Sr. Georgette everything, she'll tell you everything. We are comforted by your support. We are still strong, despite our handicaps caused by injuries. We will work. We will regain our dignity through work. When we work, we ourselves have noticed, we forget our worries for a while, because we're busy. Especially when we earn something for it. We start thinking less about our past in the forest with our persecutors." "In the morning we make bracelets, we learn to sew, we make cards and rosaries. In the afternoon, we sell the soaps Maman Marie-Jeanne lends us. That way we have a little food for our children. We hope to learn to do more, make progress. "LIVE" again! That's why we say to all men and women: "Nikinge, protect me." They sent me 17 of these exquisite cards, each hand-decorated with tiny slivers of dried banana leaves. Scanned some for you:

Hey, more next time. I've run out of time.

Camp Luka

That's the name of a very poor, densely populated part of town. It's not very far from Gombe, the downtown and residential section of Kinshasa where I live - by the way, Kinshasa is a both a city and a province; Kinshasa-the-city is divided into "communes", and each one has its own Burgermeister (mayor). Kinshasa-the-province is the smallest of all Congolese provinces and includes a sparsely populated rural area around this sprawling city of 8 million. To the east it is the Plateau des Batekes, which was a desert in geological ages past, which explains why it the subsoil is sand for hundreds of meters down.

But back to Camp Luka. One of my last posts was about the "Black & White" Dinner-Dance organized by the International Women's Club to raise funds for two charities: the "Padre Guido" homes for street children, and the Franciscan Missionaries of Mary nutrition center at Camp Luka. Both of the donations were earmarked for food. I don't know about you, but I, personally, LOVE food, can't go without it for a day, and I think everyone should have plenty of healthy and delicious food every day. Food has suddenly become hard to buy for many Kinshasa organizations because the World Food Program is dealing with even greater needs in eastern DRC, the Sudan, Chad, etc.

So today, a group of the Women went to deliver the $$$ to the Sisters.

Here's a few pictures of the neighborhood. Off the paved road, onto a narrow, mucky mockery of a road - more like a river of mud. I took this shot by sticking my arm out the window and straight up (this technique requires repeated shooting before an acceptable photo is obtained - never would have done it using film).

I also took a video of this brain-churning, gut-chucking ride in the wet clay (same camera). But all efforts at uploading it have failed.

In the neighborhood of the nutrition center, like most of Kinshasa, poverty is the norm.

Here's an old man carrying a 25 kilo (55 lbs) bag of flour on his head. This is the most common method for the transportation of goods (the second most common is the "pousse-pousse", a 2-wheeled cart that is pushed by manpower. I'll try to get photos for another post).

Here's a child sitting by a small retail stand. Does she go to school? Probably not. More than half the children her age don't. And many of those who do still can't read and write when they graduate. Teachers are seldom paid their paltry salaries ($30/month) and must work without materials, not even chalk, not a single book. See the website http://www.enclasse.org/ about a project done by my friend Sylvia and other Dutch women to rehabilitate primary schools (including a video narrated in the French and English versions by yours truly).

Finally, we arrive at the center.

Once a trimester, all the retirees in the neighborhood assemble to receive their Social Security pensions. Those are the people sitting on the blue plastic chairs under the tree. This is the preferred method for distributing the money, which is so little it isn't worth going to pick it up at the Social Security Office downtown. In the foreground, children who are collecting water for their families. They'll carry the 20- or 30-liter containers home on their heads (44 to 66 lbs!).

IWC members meet the Sisters. Effie, a speech therapist who doesn't speak French, finds that she and Sister Monique, who teaches deaf children and doesn't speak English, do have a language in common: sign language!

Here is the "outpatient" part of the nutrition center. Fifty to seventy children come in from the neighborhood to get a meal every day. Some of the mothers are fed too, especially if they're pregnant. When you realize the importance of nutrition for brain development, you understand this priority status.

This is one of the outpatients.

In the inpatient section, the children are fed a liquid diet and kept for several weeks until their health is restored. No photos of those, but they're etched indelibly in my inner eye. Just look at this blow-up of this little outpatient and you'll understand. The inpatients don't have the strength to sit up, and their arms are even skinnier.

The FMM center at Camp Luka also has a clinic and a maternity ward. This is the ward for the new mothers and their babies.

On the way back, we pass children coming home from school, as can be seen by the uniforms they wear. This girl even owns a pencil! (Note: Every part of Kinshasa is littered with plastic grocery bags and other non-biodegradable stuff. There is no trash pickup, so it doesn't do people much good to put their trash aside. They just toss it anywhere. )