On August 30, 2023, a deliberate attack by the Congolese army against unarmed, peaceful assembly of protesters left at least 56 people dead in Goma, the capital of the North Kivu. Victims and their families still wait for true justice. Send a message to President Félix Tshisekedi demanding justice and reparations for them.
What’s the problem?
The religious group “Wazalendo” or “Messiatha,” informed Goma’s mayor about their protest organized to demand the departure the UN Mission for the Stabilization of the DRC (MONUSCO) and other foreign forces, accusing them of occupying the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) against the will of Congolese ancestors.
Although the provincial authorities banned the protest, members of the group gathered at the church that morning. The response to this was a deliberate and widespread attack on protesters starting with a raid to the Wazalendo radio station where they arbitrarily arrested 12 people, including Wazalendo’s leader.
Soldiers tied up the detainees and took them to the street near some army pickups and opened fire on the group and others who had gathered. They killed six people and injured at least 10.
The repression quickly evolved into a killing spree against women, children, and men in the residential area. Eyewitnesses described a horrific scene with the whistle of bullets, soldiers following victims into houses, dozens of dead bodies on the street and pools of blood.
The victims’ families deserve dignity and justice. It’s time to stop years of impunity which has perpetuated the cycle of violence in the DRC.
What can you do to help?
Send a message to President Félix Tshisekedi demanding justice and reparations for the victims, and their families.