Pages

Tuesday 18 June 2013

DRC: We Got the Envoy

We Got the Envoy.

image

When JFK wanted to stave off the Cold War, he sent his brother Bobby to Moscow as a Special Envoy.

When the American revolutionaries needed more troops, they sent Benjamin Franklin to France as a Special Envoy.

Two years ago, 24,000 whistleblowers, 77 Congolese organizations, 35 Congressmen, and 16 Senators rallied together demanding that President Obama send a Special Envoy to Congo and make an explicit, all-out effort to settle this crisis.

WATCHFree + Fair: The Power of a Petition


At the time, Congo's elections were fast-approaching, and every sign pointed to disaster. 

The State Department brushed off our demands and reassured the public thateverything would be A-OK. But it wasn't. In November 2011, President Joseph Kabila won a second term in office through rigged elections. Congo's democracy began to collapse, setting the stage for the M23 rebel movement.

In response, the State Department appointed Ambassador Barrie Walkley as a "Special Advisor" for Congo. We met with Walkley last summer at the start of the M23 rebellion, demanding that the U.S. cut funding to M23's backers in the Rwandan government,and that the leader of M23, Bosco Ntaganda, be arrested. Ten days later,the aid cuts began, eventually totaling over $400 million and forcing M23 to finally retreat from Goma and attend peace talks.

Two months later, Bosco Ntaganda, M23's leader, surrendered.

When M23 took up arms again, the UN appointed former Irish President Mary Robinson 
as the UN Special Envoy. She was immediately dispatched to the war region.

Last month, we told you about rumorsthat Russ Feingold would soon partner with Robinson and fill a U.S. Envoy spot.

Today we can finally celebrate, as former Senator Russ Feingold begins his first day as the U.S. Special Envoy to Congo and the Great Lakes Region of Africa.

Congo deserves diplomacy at the highest level, led by a talented statesman who will reverse the West's historic relationship with the Congolese people, moving from exploitation to partnership.

100,000 whistleblowers worldwide aredemanding it, and our government has responded.

Well done.

In celebration of five years of tireless work, we proudly re-introduce the Bronze Whistle available no
w for a limited time only.

Wear your protest. Get yours onStore.FallingWhistles.com.

Be a whistleblower for peace.

No comments:

Post a Comment

-“The root cause of the Rwandan tragedy of 1994 is the long and past historical ethnic dominance of one minority ethnic group to the other majority ethnic group. Ignoring this reality is giving a black cheque for the Rwandan people’s future and deepening resentment, hostility and hatred between the two groups.”

-« Ce dont j’ai le plus peur, c’est des gens qui croient que, du jour au lendemain, on peut prendre une société, lui tordre le cou et en faire une autre ».

-“The hate of men will pass, and dictators die, and the power they took from the people will return to the people. And so long as men die, liberty will never perish.”

-“I have loved justice and hated iniquity: therefore I die in exile.

-“The price good men pay for indifference to public affairs is to be ruled by evil men.”

READ MORE RECENT NEWS AND OPINIONS

Popular Posts

WebMD Health Channel - Sex & Relationships

Love Lectures

How We Made It In Africa – Insight into business in Africa

David DeAngelo - Dating Questions For Men

Christian Carter - Dating Questions For Women

Women - The Huffington Post

Recent Articles About Effective Communication Skills and Self Development