Friday November 6, 2009, 2:44 pm
Here's the situation, and why action is needed right now:

"A Congolese military operation has been sent in, with the aim of disarming the FDLR rebel militia by force. But this is doing more harm than good. Not only are the rebels attacking civilians, so too are the poorly disciplined Congolese army who are looting villages and raping women.

For every FDLR combatant disarmed, roughly:

•one Congolese civilian has been killed,
•seven women and girls raped,
•six houses burned and destroyed, and
•1,000 people forced to flee their homes.
This counterproductive strategy is being supported by the international community, and it puts UN peacekeepers in the preposterous situation where they are supporting an army that is attacking its own population, attacks which are contributing to a massive humanitarian catastrophe.

We want the international community to stop backing a strategy which is devastating ordinary people's lives.
This month, the UN Security Council will meet to discuss the peacekeeping force in DR Congo ahead of decisions on the peacekeepers’ role in December. This meeting is an opportunity for the international community to move to a less damaging, more integrated approach.

You can help by signing an e-petition which we will give to the UN showing that ordinary people from around the world don’t want UN peacekeepers to be part of escalating the humanitarian crisis.

We're calling on the international community to stop supporting the Kimia II operation in East Congo. The UN Security Council needs to work with the government of Congo to pursue a political as well as a military solution and to ensure that the FARDC are disciplined, accountable and complying with their obligation to protect civilians."

Please SIGN!
[Namaste!]