War and Peace

Since last May our province of North Kivu and the province of Ituri directly to the north, have been placed by under a state of siege by the president of DRC. This has meant replacing the local civilian government with direct military rule, and more recently inviting in the Ugandan army to help end the bloody conflict that has plagued the east of Congo for almost 30 years. There is a myriad of local rebel groups, linked to ethnic, land and mining interests, many with ties to local politicians and neighbouring countries. The most brutal of the rebel groups is the ADF who have links with Islamic State.

Earlier this week we heard of the father of an Anglican theology student who had been attacked, killed and cut up by rebels further north. In another of our dioceses, most of the population have fled over the border to Uganda. The clergy fear that if they flee too they will end up in a refugee camp. Churches have not met for a number of weeks now. Schools and health centers are closed. People are killed every day. Those who remain struggle to find food and are too afraid to go to their fields. The hope is that the situation is getting worse before it gets better as the army closes in on the rebels, but no one is sure.

Life and Death

Even within `Goma there is a regular pattern of violence and trauma faced by the Congolese. Last Sunday a 4-year-old was kidnapped from a local Baptist church run by a neighbor and friend of ours. He was in Sunday school and had gone to the toilet when he was taken. The kidnappers are demanding $20,000 ransom. The parents know that if they don’t pay their son will be killed. Our housekeeper’s 19-year-old nephew was killed a couple of months ago. He was 21, he bled to death after his legs were hacked off and he was left by the side of the road. And a good friend to the diocese of Goma, who helped establish us in the early days, was also killed recently whilst on an evaluation mission, again in the north. The driver locked him in the car and fled leaving the assailants to spray the car with bullets to prevent him bringing to light what was going on.

Where we live in Goma we are largely sheltered and protected from both the rebel atrocities and the individual violence, but numerous colleagues have had their homes broken into, or know relatives who have been attacked. And we hear frequent reports from bishops further north of how those under their care live in constant fear of their lives.

The Anglican Church

The Anglican Church has a unique role in eastern Congo in being able to bring all of the faith groups, and other parties, together around the same table to work for peace. Different dioceses have been at the forefront of peace-building efforts in the region and this was one of the key priorities of the previous bishop of Goma, Bishop Désiré. 

We have been able to keep this work going after his death as we continue to do what we can with what little we have. Last month we launched an inter-denominational peace project in Goma with all of the local faith leaders: Catholic, Anglican, Baptist, Pentecostal, Kimbanguist, Muslim and others (above photo). We are all standing together to promote peace, to mobilise the local population, and to engage and train local church leaders to make peace-building and conflict resolution a priority in their communities. Each faith community has committed to praying for peace in their churches every week. 

The vision is that as church leaders are transformed by the love and forgiveness of God, that they in turn seek to transform their own communities as ministers of peace and reconciliation. And that through this, longer-term foundations are laid to prevent future conflicts from flaring up. It is one of the first truly ecumenical projects of its kind here, so please do pray for its success.

How can you pray?

• For those mentioned above and their families affected by the violence, especially the 4-year-old boy who is still missing

• For the Congolese and Ugandan armies as well as MONUSCO, the UN peace-keeping force, for wisdom and courage to truly be peacekeepers

• For the success and continuation of our inter-denominational peace project

• For wisdom and courage particularly for the bishops leading the diocese further north

• That God in his grace would miraculously bring peace in eastern DRC

From Martin, Anthea, Silas, Zachary and Imogen