We've arrived safe and sound in Goma for part 2 of our visit. We spent last night having dinner and saying goodbye to many new friends. While Bukavu captured our hearts we're excited to see how the journey unfolds from here. Before we share about our day we just wanted to pause and thank our dear friend Janny for being an amazing host, a brilliant colleague, and a wonderful friend.
The day started at 5:45am when we woke up early to head out and catch our ferry. It was not as chaotic as we had thought it would be and the $25 first class tickets were WELL worth it. It was a very nice seating area and the free breakfast didn't hurt either! The ride was about 6 hours long and the views as we sailed by were extraordinary. We've said it many times before but we just can't say enough about the beauty of this country.
Unfortunately, the water was choppy near the end of our trip and as Liz was sick at the back of the boat I was chatting with a young man named Janvier (January in French, which is when he was born). He shared with me about how horrible the security situation is now in the Congo. I told him a little about our mission and that is when he opened up to me. He shared that he had been on the run from the military for months now. They were trying to bribe him and he refused to pay. As a result they harass and stalk him and his family wherever he goes. He is never safe and is hoping to get to Kinshasa where their hold is minimal. But he has three children who were not even able to finish their schooling this year because of their erratic movements. His story is not uncommon and he is just one of hundreds of thousands that are living in fear on a daily basis. He told me that he was sharing his story so that I would share it with you. Janvier said that America is the leader and whatever America decides to do the rest of the world will follow suit. I hope we will hear his words and take them to heart.
We've settled in at Esther and Camille's. We can already tell that they are so wise and they are doing such great work. They've got a packed week planned for us, with back to back meetings. We are excited to see how the week unfolds as we know we are going to learn a lot. Hope is alive here.
Two thoughts come to mind after reading this post:
ReplyDelete1) Can you tell me more about Janvier? Why did the FARDC try to bribe him? What do you mean he would not pay? If they are looking for money from him, that is protection reackettering or extortion, but if he is paying out money to them, then it is a bribe. I was wondering if there could be more clarity to this matter?
2)This underscore why the rule of law is critical to everything in statebuilding. It subordinates security forces to the a rule set and prevents them from setting a political agenda. If security forces do not operate under the rule of law, what is to seperate them from warlords or criminal organizations? Congo is clearly a state where the rule of law is pretty weak, but that is where a strong civil society must come into play. It is also a situation where a strong sense of congolese nationalism and that service to the domestic peace is more important than extracting tribute or accepting bribes.
Hey Matt! Honestly I don't have any answers to your questions on Janvier. All I know is the little he told me and he was pretty nervous as it was. My sense was that it was more protection racketeering, that he and his family would be left alone if he paid.
ReplyDeleteThe rule of law issue is a tough culture to change especially when the elites profit from it. They work hard to keep things the way they are. There are however many people that want change and a better future for their country. The younger generation is no longer restricted to the type of education brought from Europe. This type of education expected them to only repeat and/or regurgitate but did not require them to analyze. Today's generation is being encouraged by the few who care, to ask important questions. To challenge the status quo and to not be happy with, for example: the generator given to them by the governor to keep them happy. To ask themselves whether the costs of gas and upkeep for a generator make more sense than rebuilding the country's infrastructure so that they can have continual electricity. They have begun to demand that their government be accountable and focus on long-term solutions rather than quick fixes.