Faced with young people, the church plants a seed in the non-violent claim of conflicts in the DRC.

“In countries like the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), it is encouraging to bring young people together and explain non-violence to them so that they act humanely in the face of conflict…. Our history is characterized by many agonies that affect young people in their ways”. This sentence is from John Anibal, activist of Lucha, an internationally renowned pro-democracy group. He spoke on September 24, 2020, after his participation in a day of reflection on active non-violence in Goma in the east of the country.

Organized by the Commission for Justice, Peace and Safeguarding the Creation of the Baptist Community in Central Africa (CJPSC/CBCA) ; on the sidelines of the celebration of the International Day of Peace, on September 21 of each year.

This day of reflection saw the participation of young people from associative movements as well as citizen movements (Lucha, Filimbi, Positive Generation, etc.), and young people from all religious communities (Catholic, Protestant, Church of awakening, Muslim, …).  

The DRC has had a history of war for almost 20 years. The consequences are enormous on the psychological state of the Congolese.  According to the Head of Works Marthe Tumaini, one of the speakers of the day:  “We see circulating images of people in a state of vulnerability on social networks, cases of popular justice… and that seems normal for some “. This is not normal, she concludes, and encourages the CJPSC/CBCA to have brought together these young leaders and discussed the violence.

Some methods of nonviolence; drawn from Mahatma Gandhi, Martin Luther King and Nelson Mandela, … were reminded to young people. But faced with the fears of some young participants who believe that active non-violence is a form of passivity that risks letting the problem persist; the speakers replied: “ Active non-violence is not a passivity but a way of being and acting that aims to settle conflicts, fight against injustice, build lasting peace< /em> »

Me Jacques Nzanzu, Program Officer at CJPSC, believes in “seed” that they have just planted in the community through these young people, in the advocacy and non-violent conflict resolution; his words illustrate his conviction: “They these young people are leaders, and their actions influence their peers. »

At the end of the day of reflection, the young people promised to capitalize on the achievements of this day and above all to strengthen respect for non-violent intervention methods in the various advocacy actions.