MEMBERS OF the Congolese community in Ireland held a demonstration in Dublin city centre at the weekend to raise awareness of the worsening humanitarian situation in the Democratic Republic of Congo.
More than 200 people marched from O'Connell Street to Dáil Éireann on Saturday afternoon to highlight conditions in DRC following weeks of intense fighting between rebels and government forces.
"Hundreds of thousands of Congolese civilians are being internally displaced, fleeing their homes and moving from place to place to avoid being savagely massacred, raped or persecuted," said Justin Pambi, president of the Congolese Community in Ireland association. Mr Pambi added that the conflict in DRC had become a "forgotten war" for many people.
"Everybody needs to realise that the vicious war which is unfolding in the eastern part of the Congo is now worse than the Rwandan genocide," he said.
"The situation is appalling and horrendous. This must stop now."
Jean-Pierre Eyanga complained that the conflict was one in which "a war was exported from Rwanda to Congo".
A number of placards at the demonstration carried slogans attacking Rwandan president Paul Kagame. One banner also criticised Uganda and Burundi for their role in DRC.