DR Congo: The trap of February 17

The outgoing rulers are jogging along quite happily no matter its costs in our country with the help of their sponsors as if nothing had happened. After exploiting the Independent National Electoral Commission, they want to win the ‘upcoming majority of seats in the Parliament’ in order to challenge the majority of citizens who have chosen to put an end to the culture of cheating, lying, fraud and terror. There are people who would like to question several ‘badly elected’ or ‘co-opted Members of Parliament’ during a plenary assembly on February 17, 2012.The choice of this date does not seem to be made random, because it delivers a message to them.

February 17, 2012 might be a day of responding to Christians, to willing persons (men and women) who are planning to protest on the 16 February to demand ‘legitimacy and legality of the regime’, according to the slogan of the church leadership in Kinshasa. This response would be: ‘Let the world say what it will’. We must go on our way without excessively upsetting so many people across the world, such as ‘the advocates of democracy and human rights’.

Where is the trap? Salary, desire for power and honour can lure into a trap the ‘badly elected’ or ‘co-opted Members of Parliament’ from the forces of change as others did so. The purpose of this ‘co-optation’ would end up in the enforcement of a principle of ‘divide and rule’. A valuable principle for ‘the masters of the world’ and for those who are obeying them.

Atomising the forces of change by proposing them financial benefits which are part of a policy of merchandising our way of ‘living together’ and valuable for the ‘the conglomerate of adventurers’ who initiated the war inherited from the Alliance of Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Congo, any involvement in this policy is synonymous with renewal of the deadly system they established. Having a seat on the ‘co-opted’ National Assembly after a chaotic and masquerade election will symbolise a death sentence given to our beautiful and big country.

At this point, members of the forces of change should think about strategies likely to help them to minimise the iniquitous order resulting from an electoral masquerade in order to build up institutions and organisations close to the people. The construction of business premises for the people will really contribute to building up another Congo. Organized minority groups working within the forces of change should do more to prevent further stealing of votes in this last ‘popular elections’ by adopting or elaborating various action plans in the medium and long term.

Let’s give a quick look at the events of recent years which remind us that by working together, we have been able to establish patriotic ties that helped prevent the war of attrition that occurred before. For many people, streets are places for learning the recent history of our country marred by transnational predation orchestrated by financial oligarchies and satellite states as well as African and Congolese elites. We have been able to express our indignation through street demonstration by waving pictures of killed people and all victims of cynicism, rapacity and cupidity of ‘the masters of the world’.

The involvement of children in the street protest was a guarantee for the next generation and a medium of expression of our discontent by holding sit-ins. Prayers at churches and other rallies sustained the efforts of people who decided to be mobilised whatever it cost, but they do not have enough capabilities to implement the methods and strategies advocated by ‘experts’ of resistance against tyrannical, dictatorial regime, and other death forces in order to achieve success, whether some people like it or not.

In principle, we should combine all methods, means, tactics and strategies with a view of putting theories into practice. The actions which have been undertaken are meant for achieving concrete results immediately, but a large number of people failed to learn from mistakes and do more to achieve our purpose. It would be risky to resort again to the same conventional methods, tactics and strategies and finally fall in shortness of breath when it takes long to achieve tangible results. The current situation in the DR Congo should prompt organised minorities to engage in a long term struggle of resistance both against visible and invisible forces.

Let’s talk again about the trap of February 17, 2012. How can we support the forces of change who would refuse to obey the iniquitous order of a co-opted National Assembly with a view of reestablishing a ‘fair’ political and legal order? How Congolese living abroad who are in favour of change could become a reliable partner of their people and take actions instead of words? What resources can they make available so that citizens cannot be corrupted and can be determined to resist? A large number of people have been asking themselves these questions and have been urging their fellow countrymen and women to continuously work in synergy. We have to wait and see!

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* Translated from French by freelance journalist and translator Amadou Timbine for Pambazuka News.
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