Wars and conflicts are happening all over the world. The news is covering all these countries and their heartbreaking conditions. But the one thing they are not covering is the conflicts in Africa especially the on and off conflicts in Democratic Republic of Congo. It is disappointing and upsetting that there isn't much awareness about these African wars. Over 7 million people have been displaced during this devastating Congo conflict. I believe more people should know about this ongoing conflict, the history of it and be aware of the effects that civilians, immigrants and refugees face.
The Democratic Republic of Congo is a country with a population around 112 million, and is located in central Africa. It is the highest producing country of cobalt in the world. DRC is known for its popular Congolese rumba music. Their official language is French and were formerly colonised by Portugal and Belgium. Congo is known for their second Congolese war being reported as the second deadliest war after WWII with an emistated 5.8 million casualties.
“I have known Congo as an African. Back then it was called Zaire. It was part of the Southern Developmental Community which is called SADC. We have known Congo at the time being led by a President called Mobutu Sesse Seko. At that time, there were quite many stories about him. His flamboyant lifestyle and being a dictator in the sense that there were no other strong political opponents. So, it was just like there was only Mobutu Sesse Seko for Zaire (DRC).”
“There was no Zimbabwean wedding I knew in the nineties without Congolese Music.”
It was just part of life. Just to mention a few musicians there were; Kanda Bongo Man, Kofi Olomide, Pepe Kalle and a few others. I think there was also a group of Zairean musicians who moved to Zimbabwe and were playing as a Congolese band there. “Congo is part of the African community and especially Southern Africa community,”- Blessing Shadaya
Blessing Shadaya is a man born and raised in Zimbabwe. He left Zimbabwe when he was in his early thirties and he works as a Medical Lab Scientist. Blessing Shadaya is someone very passionate in Current Affairs.
I interviewed him about his knowledge of the earlier ongoing Congo wars while in Zimbabwe.
“In the mid to late 90’s around 1996 thereabouts. We started hearing of a war in Congo and it was happening in Eastern Congo. There were some names that were coming in from the war. The rebel leaders were quite popular in Zimbabwe. People who got vans that they put seats in and converted it to the passenger vans. We called them Makombi or Kombi’s but they have so many nicknames. People would put names of their heroes, or names of whoever was trending. Banyamulenge and Laurent-Desire Kabila were featured a lot on the Kombi’s. Some people started nicknaming themselves after Kabila and his big body. That’s how impactful and the first war in Congo was in Zimbabwe.”-Blessing Shadaya
“There weren't any international calls against the war from fellow africans countries. In the end, we got to know that Mubutu had to flee from Zaire, and these rebel guys led by Kabila took over. Laurent-Desire Kabila became the president”- Blessing Shadaya
“It didn’t take long before another war started again. Kabila was supported by Rwandan groups as well as some Ugandan groups but once he established himself as a president, Kabila started dismissing these guys who were his past comrades. The second war happened within two years of Kabila 's ascension to power. The people of DRC suffered in another war because of the rebels. The second war was more deadlier than the first, and many congolese people fled or seeked refuge. The president drummed asking for support and military assistance from SADC and a meeting that was held in Zimbabwe. Several Nations agreed to go and help Kabila fight these rebels. A few days later or in the night, some countries started saying ‘No we won’t take part in military assistance.”
“In the end Zimbabwe, Namibia and other countries went and joined forces to help Congo, a fellow African country who was under attack by rebels. Who were the same people (rebels) who had earlier helped Kabila to be in power.”
That’s my understanding of the war that brought Kabila in and the war that took place after Kabila tried to fire and disassociate himself with the Rwandan backed and Ugandan backed rebels that had earlier supported him- Blessing Shadaya
Moving on to the present, what is going on with Congo?
7 million people have been displaced all over DRC. This is because of the recent ongoing conflicts and invasion between M23 and Congolese military happening in the North Eastern Congo Province. The North Eastern Province is home to a mineral rich area, and borders Rwanda And Uganda. M23 (March) is a rebel group supported by Rwanda, which the country has denied multiple times. This current conflict worsened the humanitarian crisis with more whanau suffering, getting abused and poverty increasing throughout the country.
To understand the effect it has and to learn more about Congolese war and vibrant culture. I interviewed Vira Paky, who was born in DRC and raised in Aotearoa.
Vira is passionate about telling stories from diverse young people and doing the mahi that is required to make Aotearoa a better place for future generations.
For Vira, being Congolese is the best thing she has been blessed with. Her parents made it very clear that she was Congolese before she even knew her own name. Vira captured the memories of Congolese Rumba music and lots of tasty Congolese food. Despite her move to Auckland, she was surrounded by a ‘small tight knit’ Congolese Community. The community was like a family where her aunties, uncles and cousins stuck by each other. Vira had young children the same age as her when she arrived in Auckland. Allowing her to grow up, feeling well connected to her Congolese culture.
My memories that I have from back home really exist in the stories from my mother. She has been really kind to give those to me because I know from the time that I was born there has been conflict. But she has always shared the stories of us growing up close to a volcano. Being able to kind of see it.
“We grew up close to Virunga National Park and were really close to the wildlife population there. It was covered, covered, with bushes and greenery. I know for my mum now that we were able to get ourselves based in West Auckland, she always reflects on the fact that how the bush reminds her so much of home. So, I always like to see that in the space we get to occupy now. Plus the fact that where we were living in Goma was right by Lake Kivu. ‘It helps being on an island again having that connection to water the landscapes. Even though you think it would be so different, it can be so similar”- Vira.
Vira was born in 1999, and that marks the beginning of the Second Congolese War.
“Congo has never really known a significant era of peace or security. That comes from being enslaved by the Kingdom of Belgium and then kind of getting into a collapse after our independence with the assassination of our first president,”
Now, what Congo faces regularly are military attacks from the rebels and occupation in different areas but mainly Eastern Congo, that is where Vira is from. The armed conflict that was used against the residents sadly was the violence aimed toward women and girls. This was the predominant reason why Vira’s whanau left Congo. Vira’s mother believed that; “She couldn’t really imagine her children getting to an adult age,’
She sacrificed everything, leaving her husband behind and fled for refuge. All of this happened when Vira was 3 years old. Vira always credits her mother for making that difficult decision. Her dad arrived in New Zealand in 2009-2010, “At that point, we had been by ourselves for like 6 or 7 years”
“I think when I was around 8 or 9 years old that’s when we had really explicit conversations about why we were here. Our community came together to try to educate those of us who were quite young about what was going on back home.”
"It's not really recent but ongoing.”
“I have always had a knowledge of what’s going on and whether it is armed military conflict, whether it’s child exploitation, whether it is the ongoing sexual violence.”
At this point, I don’t really have any extended family that’s permanently residing where we are from in Goma. Everyone has made their very strong efforts to remove themselves and now we are in the South Pacific.
“It is difficult because I find myself even though like I said before the joy in my life is being Congolese but having to constantly wrestle with the tragedy and the struggles and grief is also being Congolese.”
"So many people have lost their lives over greed over the type of conflict that feels unimaginable because of the length it has been going on.”
Vira believes that; “As a Congolese person I think for me it has been difficult my entire life to kind of hold both of those things and hold them well,’
When Vira presents herself as Congolese she wants to show it’s a pride and it’s a joy and balance as well. She doesn’t want to “unauthentically not show the grief and hardship”. Vira hopes to spread awareness and discuss about the ongoing conflict back home but also not allow it to “cloud all the beautiful things that come with the identity as well.”
Vira is deeply customised from people not being aware of what's happening in Congo. She found it really interesting recently, there is growing awareness of what’s happening in Gaza, Ukraine, Sudan. This has bought more awareness about ongoing conflict in Congo.
She tends to find herself in this odd exchange where people go,’Where are you from?’
She answers; ‘I’m like I’m Congolese, I’m from the DRC.,’
People go like; ‘I am so sorry,’
“That has never happened to me in my life because it's like almost offering me a condolence,’
Vira knows she can’t put those thoughts against anyone because she doesn't know what mindset or intention that person is coming from. But it sure has rubbed her the wrong way.
Vira doesn’t have any animosity as she strongly states it “Deeply Interlinked”
“It is watching how big global colonial pallets will absolutely ravage vulnerable marginalised groups in order to take what they want.”
“You know for us it’s cobalt, it’s coltan, it is our labour, it is our women, it is so many different things. In Gaza there is oil and land being stolen. If you’re looking across South Sudan, it's gold.”
Vira believes that it is all these different things that are all deeply interconnected. So she doesn’t necessarily see it as it should be talking about. That’s why Vira does not have any anger or animosity because she thinks it’s all about “whatever comes across people’s plate that allows them to start being more aware.”
How can we spread more awareness about the war?
Blessing: If we can focus on the impact the war causes on people. Show that people are suffering, people are displaced, people are dying from diseases that could otherwise not have affected them in a normally governed country.
Just use social media, or any international opportunity to highlight the plait; “Don’t forget us.”
The Congolese football team during the Africa Cup of Nations were making gestures to show that the Congolese are suffering and they need help. The community is silent when they need help.
What also needs to be done is to raise these issues at African Union meetings, UN (united nations) or even use social media platforms like Tiktok, Instagram, Facebook and Youtube. These things really bring attention and they are done in the community. It's no longer the international media that should be controlling the media so to speak. Anyone with a phone can post a video. That's what needs to be done.
Vira: I think about engaging with Congolese communities in Aotearoa. I know that there is a huge Congolese population in Palmerston North.There are a bunch of us in Auckland. I’m starting to see a few more people in Wellington. I think it’s about connecting with the communities around us. “It’s about talking, creating spaces for open dialogue where people can ask questions and for us to share our own stories.”
It’s deeply important for us to be able to show all the dimensions like I have right now. Taking that time well for other people who don’t have our lived experience to sit and to listen. I know that it would be really tough, like I think that's what I'm grappling with right now the fact that people are only seeing the war. They are going to see the turmoil, they are only seeing the struggle and I want to be able to showcase the beauty too.
This is particularly awful, but this is also what we are losing. It's not just you know the suffering but there is music, there is a vibrancy, there is a culture, there is a language, there is food.
I also think that’s what plays into how a lot of these big advocacy issues get successfully campaigned and resolved because people see all what is at risk, all is what is at stake. It’s not just you know like oh there are making recharge batteries and this is bad because of ‘X,’
If you are holding this lived experience to be if you are comfortable to share it then share. It is so important for people to hear what it's like to have lived this experience to those who have lived this journey. It could offer something really valuable for people who are ready to advocate. Who are ready to educate themselves and to inspire them to do better. To know better in their own everyday lives