Report on the Commemoration of the GenoCost in the Democratic Republic of Congo this August 2nd,2024 in Goma
Report of the second commemoration of the GenoCost in the Democratic Republic of Congo during our activities held this August 2nd, 2024 co-organized by COJESKI and NDSCI.
Some of the participants during the commemoration at the office
As planned nine (9) organizations including the New Dynamic of the Civil Society in Goma, North Kivu in the Democratic Republic of Congo held the commemoration of the GenoCost today August 2nd, 2014. The participants in black shirts came together in a four hours activity which started at 9:00 am and ended at 12h45 pm. The event was spearheaded by Kulihoshi Musikami Pecos, the Coordinator of COJESKI North Kivu.
Activity One: The National Anthem
Participants stood up and sung the National Anthem and then observed one minute of silence in honor of those who were massacred, those who are passing difficult situations and those who are living in camps.
Activity Two: Presentation of the participants
Kulihoshi Musikami Pecos leading the discussions and asking each participant to introduce to others
Each participants introduced him/herself and also the organization where he or she works for, among the audience we also had the representative from the Movement of the Civil Society in DRC (MSCO), representatives from the Media and guests from the International Conference in the Great Lakes Region.
Activity Three: History and the objectives
Kulihoshi Musikami Pecos shared the background and helped the participants to know that since August 2nd, 1998 when the RDC Goma Rebel group backed by Rwanda launched the second war of liberation which was characterized by massive violations of human rights and which continues up to now, this date of August 2nd was then chose by the colleagues from the Diaspora as the date to commemorate the GenoCost. The idea came from the Congolese Diaspora in the United Kingdom and later on the campaign was called GenoCost, which is a campaign seeking at waking up people at all levels about brutality in DRC. Geno which means Genocide and Cost which means the price people are paying for that genocide especially the economic gain which is at the center of that genocide.
While the GenoCost focuses on six thematic which are as following: Awareness about the situation in DRC and the recognition of the genocide in DRC at all levels, Justice towards the survivors, truth telling, reparation, pardon and commitment for no-repetition we were mostly looking at the awareness and justice towards the survivors.
The meeting observed that as per now many people are not aware even at local level and recommendations were made to make this part of the daily activities of various organizations. As we commemorate the GenoCost the perpetrators are still alive and some are highly placed in the Government while others are just there enjoying life, we should advocate so that they are held accountable especially those holding power should resign, as we commemorate civilians are being killed and they are not protected, and the DRC Government is not clear on how to ensure the security and protection of its people especially those under the zones controlled by M23 backed by Rwanda, and not even those who are in government zones in North Kivu are safe, we observed the failure of the Government to ensure security in IDP Camps, and even in affected areas like here in Goma, today as we are here commemorating other people are being killed and others are being buried. The Commemoration of the GenoCost may not have much meaning unless the Government is fully responsible for the security and the well-being of its citizens and of all people who are on the Congolese territory.
Activity Four: Presentation of Germain Mirhonyo, the President of the New Dynamic of the Civil Society in North Kivu (NDSCI),
Here is the presentation of Germain Mirhonyi : https://www.cojeskinordkivu.org/presentation-of-germain-mirhonyi-the-president-of-ndsci-north-kivu-during-the-commemoration-of-the-genocost/
Reactions from the participants
The following were brought forward and shall need to be addressed fairly in our various activities.
Awareness activities at all levels, to advocate for the recognition of the GenoCost and criminalize the negationism, to advocate to the Government to ensure the security and protection of people and take also courageous measures to remove all those who participated in these barbaric activities, and to seek for strong commitment from various actors that this will never happen again, and lastly to end this war so that people can go back to their homes and oppose the word “war in eastern DRC” and replace it by the word “war in DRCongo”.
All these ideas will constitute our areas of focus during the various campaigns we shall be involved in from now.
Thanks
Kulihoshi Musikami Pecos
Coordinator
