“We are wounded, we are killed, Congolese blood is flowing. Our entire humanity is in a situation where we are denied our rights. We want the history of the DRC to be written not only by the Congolese but by everyone.”
—Madame Solange, BUCOP
We are following the developments in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) with deep concern. On Monday night, the rebel group M23 took control of the city of Goma, home to over a million people. Goma and its surrounding areas are already a refuge for more than 700,000 internally displaced people who have fled previous clashes between armed rebel groups and Congolese government forces.
The troops are now advancing south toward South Kivu province, where PMU, together with local partners, runs critical operations—providing healthcare and rehabilitation for survivors of sexual violence at Panzi Hospital in Bukavu.
M23 is an armed rebel group active in eastern DRC. It receives military support from neighbouring Rwanda, according to the UN and the EU. This significantly raises the risk of the conflict escalating into a large-scale war involving multiple countries. Such an escalation would be catastrophic for the people of eastern Congo, who are already suffering in one of the world’s most severe and prolonged humanitarian crises.
The UN has strongly condemned the ongoing developments and urges all parties to do everything in their power to protect civilians and the infrastructure they depend on.
The European Council calls on M23 to immediately withdraw to prevent further deterioration of the humanitarian situation. The Council stresses the importance of respecting international law, the UN Charter, and DRC’s territorial integrity.
PMU CALLS FOR IMMEDIATE ACTION
PMU urges the Swedish government and EU institutions to act swiftly, using all available tools to prevent further human suffering. Sweden and the EU must pressure all relevant actors to stop the escalation. The exploitation of minerals and the systematic abuse of people in this process must end. Human lives must be protected at all costs.
We also call on all who believe in the power of prayer to pray and contribute to the emergency fundraiser we have launched. Our partners in the Kivu region needs support to respond to the growing humanitarian needs caused by this conflict.
“It is deeply troubling to follow the developments of recent days and to hear the testimonies from representatives of our partner Church. We fear that the humanitarian situation will deteriorate further.”
—Niclas Lindgren, Director PMU
