United World Project

Workshop

A precious mine: the search for peace in Democratic Republic of Congo

The Democratic Republic of Congo has faced a series of internal and external conflicts and tensions for decades; two Congolese, Jöelle Bilé and Jean-Jacques Lumumba, share how there is a space for peace initiatives as well.

When the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) is mentioned, it immediately recalls a South African country, engaged for years in a difficult search for peace, hindered by internal tensions as well as the interests of foreign powers. The country indeed holds mines of precious and strategic materials that everyone aspires to control, primarily coltan, used for the manufacture of cameras, cell phones, and many other electronic devices, thus paying the price of a constant tension and conflict among the West, China, Russia, and the Arab monarchies of the Gulf that are well present on the African continent.

In May 2024, during the “Together for Humanity” conference, Jöelle Bilé, a journalist, entrepreneur, and presidential candidate for the 2023 elections in the Democratic Republic of Congo, and Jean-Jacques Lumumba, the great-grandson of Patrice Lumumba (1925-1961), former prime minister and key figure in Congolese independence; a banker and whistleblower in the fight against corruption, shared their testimonies in the search for peace. Jean-Jacques lives in exile in France and fights for the protection of the rule of law in the DRC. He received the International Anti-Corruption Excellence Award in 2019.

Jean-Jacques Lumumba
Jean-Jacques Lumumba

“The war in the Eastern Democratic Republic of Congo has caused about 10 million deaths over three decades,” Jean-Jacques begins. “Since October 2023, more than 2.5 million people have been displaced. In May 2024, a bomb was dropped by the rebel militias of the ‘March 23 Movement’ (M23) in a camp for displaced persons in Goma, killing and injuring many people. The situation is very tense; there are deaths, rapes, and violence every day. Perhaps not everyone knows that we can use our phones only because of a mineral called coltan, which is used in compact electronics. About 60% of the world’s coltan reserves are found in the Democratic Republic of Congo, and most of the deposits come from the eastern part of the country, particularly the Kivu provinces, an area of great strategic interest”.

A country so rich yet humiliated by war is very convenient for those who prey on its surface and underground wealth because it becomes easier to take control with significant economic gains. There is a “stifled” peace maintained by those who fuel tensions for political or economic interests.

The world knows very little about the tragedy that the country has been living for so many years, just as little is known about the many people who believe in the ideal of universal brotherhood, who are connected by the same drive to work for the common good, and who seek to respond through various activities: civic awareness, fighting corruption, and raising awareness of values. Jöelle Bilé continues: “In doing so, we take risks considering that evil is organized and supported by various people inside and outside the country, and fighting becomes a personal risk as well. But it is this communion among all of us, this bond on a large or small scale, that helps us survive. Recently, we sent a small sum of money to our brothers in the east who are in displacement camps. It was a joy to see at least one group happy to have received love from their brothers. These are small acts that help build brotherhood and peace in the country”.

Jöelle and Jean-Jacques are aware, in their narrative, of how peace is built not only by addressing emergencies but also with long-term prophetic goals that focus on peace education; there is an urgency to work for development that benefits everyone, especially because when the Congolese people can count on adequate means to live, they will not need to enlist or fight.

“Online courses are being conducted at Ecoforleaders, a higher education school for communion leadership, born from a group of African students who asked how to contribute to a new Africa. Now, with the support of the Sophia University Institute and the International Center of the Politics for Unity Movement (MPPU), they are working diligently to realize this dream in various areas: economy, justice, politics, religion, communication, medicine, education, sociology, ecology, engineering, art, and sports”.

Such initiatives are numerous and present throughout the country, supported by the personal testimonies of many ordinary people and professionals who are personally paying the price for their exposure and risk in building brotherhood.

Jean-Jacques, in particular, is one of these, exiled for denouncing the corruption that was depriving the population of its wealth. Yet he continues to believe in a possible peace, also thinking of his grandfather, his principles, and his fight for the good of the country. Jöelle concludes: “A new humanity is possible if we put into practice the values of the common good. In the face of great collective suffering, we have decided to refuse to die, because we are used to walking with death. The unity and brotherhood we strive to live in our environments help us maintain the hope that peace is truly possible”.


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