Last Tuesday, December 10th, we united across the world on Human Rights Day for peace in Congo. For a full 24 hours we celebrated. A global coalition hosted 25 events in nine countries with tens of thousands of guests worldwide. Visitors from more than 40 countries tuned in to watch it on PeaceInCongo.com In each city, we shared our proudest work to date, the Free World Reader. Tomorrow, we release it to the world. Get yours first, and a few extra for loved ones during the holidays. Click here to get your copy of the Free World Reader, Issue 0. From all of us at FW, thank you. It is an honor to stand by your side. Shoulder to shoulder, toward #peaceincongo.
DECEMBER 10th in BOWLING GREEN, OH
Boy oh boy are the students at Bowling Green State University in for a real treat.
Ever since Chelsea Burbridge and Justin Gramely joined us for our first Whistler Society gathering, they've been really stirring it up over there. They've turned their society into an official organization, held conversation dinners, and reached out to countless students during their campus festival.
And now on December 10th, in the middle of finals week, Chelsea, Justin and their crew will be holding court at the Bowen-Thompson Student Union Ballroom. They will have snacks. They will have music. They will have: A BOUNCE HOUSE.
All day, kids on campus are invited to drop in and jump their stress away, check out some works of art, have a bite to eat, and take a look at the Human Rights Day streams from around the world. Throughout the day there will be live performances and DJs to go with all the bouncy-madness, and they'll be able to stop by tables from Tom's Shoes and Stop Traffic Fashion.
Admittedly, we cannot wait to see some bounce house moves popping up on HD projection screens all over the country.
Want it? Click HERE to register for December 10th.
DECEMBER 10th in PORTLAND, OR
Up in Oregon, the FW gang will be celebrating Human Rights Day in true Portland fashion, with craft beers and good food at the neighborhood gastro-pub Eastburn.
Eastburn claims to have Portland's coolest patio, and that may be true, because they have swinging chairs. For this event, they'll be cooking up a special menu-item in the restaurant space upstairs, while downstairs a DJ will provide the soundtrack to all your ski-ball games. Tuesday means $2.50 microbrews, and on December 10th proceeds from one of those pours will benefit FW.
The team in Portland, led by Alexander Gonzalez, just wrapped a good time at Migration Brewery and is kind of on a roll. Be sure to follow them on Twitter to get the word on all their events.
Join us. Click HERE to register for December 10th.
DECEMBER 10th in BERLIN
Known for its phenomenal street-art scene and large Turkish population, Kreuzberg-Friedrichshain is famously one of Berlin's most interesting neighborhoods. It also happens to be where the newly-formed Berlin Whistler Society is hosting Human Rights Day this year.
On December 10th, the crew brings you a Tuesday evening at central Berlin's Schau Fenster. Literally meaning "Show Window" in German, this sleek corner art gallery has windows for days. The spot opened a few years ago ago under the wing of well-established art/music event specialists Party-Arty.
The night starts at 7 pm with complimentary drinks, a live-art show by a local street artists TBA, and tunes from long-time FW friend Stimulus, the multi-talented MC/producer/DJ whose most recent mixtape we blogged about just a few months ago. Later on, a live performer will take the stage, followed by Stim's return to the turntables.
With Human Rights Day fast approaching, we're beyond excited to see amazing events like this one popping up every day in incredible cities all over the world.
Join us. Click HERE to register for December 10th.
DECEMBER 10th in AUSTIN
This Human Rights Day, the Austin Whistler Society is doing it huge for their first major event. On December 10th, the crew is throwing down at The Belmont, an amazing indoor-outdoor venue in downtown Austin.
The Belmont is known for hosting a wide variety of acts, from dance to experimental to hip-hop. The Pharcyde, A-Trak, Neon Indian, Coco Rosie and Del the Funky Homosapien have all recently shared its stage.
For this year's Human Rights Day celebration, progressive hip-hop duo Riders Against the Storm headline the night in Austin. Support includes beats from DJ Chorizo Funk, poetry by multi-platform artist Da'Shade Moonbeam, and more TBA.
The event is totally free, and you can claim your tickets now on ticketbud. Use the facebook event page to invite all your friends and keep your eye on what else the Austin crew comes up with.
Join us. Click HERE to register for December 10th.
DECEMBER 10th in GOMA
Last December, when the M23 rebels left the city of Goma, our partners at Mutaani—Congo's fastest growing radio station—threw together a concert to celebrate. They put out an invitation on the airwaves, and with only three days' notice, 2000 Gomatreciens came out to hear their favorite musicians and party the night away. This year, they're doing it again, and we're doing it with them. On Human Rights Day, December 10, 2013, we will gather in 5 cities around the world —Goma, Stockholm, New York, Los Angeles, Phoenix, and Miami—for a Global Moment of Unity for Peace in Congo. Together, we will celebrate the progress made toward growing human freedom. The night will begin in Goma at the main stage of the Ihusi Hotel, where Mutaani will unveil its new record label, showcase musicians from across the African continent, and begin building the path to lasting peace. At the same time in Stockholm, all-day festivities at the Bruno Gallerian Mall culminate in live performances and DJ sets at nightclub Lljunggren. Later in Miami, it all goes down in the Rec Room, an underground old-school spot at South Beach's Gale Hotel. In Phoenix, the crew takes over one of the city's best music venues for a concert/art show/dance party. Along with New York and LA, all of these cities will be connected through an interactive hub: a large HD projection that lets everyone see each-other through social media, photos, videos and more. Guests can send their content to the hub by using the hash-tag #freeworld.
Not in one of those cities? Good news. This year the global moment will also be in Austin, Portland, Berlin, Seoul, Seattle, Bowling Green, Orlando, Edmonton, Las Vegas, and any other city where you're ready to host something. Keep your eyes on this blog as we continue to announce new events daily.
Join us. Click HERE To register for December 10th.
DECEMBER 10th in MIAMI
More like a friend's basement kick-back than a glossy nightclub affair, the Rec Room is a rare spot for South Beach. Tucked underneath the Gale Hotel, this no-cover joint is all about old school funk, soul and hip-hop jams with a comfortable retro vibe.
On December 10th, the Miami Whistler Society invites you here to celebrate a global moment of unity for peace in Congo.
Festivities kick-off at 7 pm with an intimate, ticketed benefit dinner at the Gale. At 9 pm the whole party moves downstairs to the Rec Room, along with the adjacent Regent Cocktail Club. Expect to hear the room's signature funk records evolving into of-the-moment house and electro, and to see musicians adding live drums and percussion to the mix. Entry is free, and you can look forward to a two-hour open bar at the top of the night, followed by a cash bar with proceeds benefiting Falling Whistles.
To host or attend a Human Rights Day event in your city, don't forget to RSVP.
Meet Aidan Kwon.
Last summer, FW was planning a gathering. Fifty leaders from around the world were to join us for three days in Venice, California. Our plan became real the day Aidan Kwon became the first person to book a plane ticket. All the way from Seoul, South Korea.
A buyer in the global currencies trade, Aidan frequently works twelve-plus hour days. He had moved up quickly and become a leader at his company when he picked up a book by TOM’s founder Blake Mycoskie, and his life changed. He was instantly fascinated by the world of innovative cause-brands and companies, and began researching all the organizations Blake mentioned, sharing them in Korean on his blog. This was how he found Falling Whistles.
“I fell in love with the FW story and everyone's passion there. And I also realized that Congo has some similarities with South Korea. Like Congo, we've experienced war. We've had other countries govern or colonize us, we've been under the control of dictators, and we’ve also had coups led by soldiers.”
Aidan understands the power of standing in solidarity with those across borders and oceans. In a country with plenty of problems of its own, it wasn't easy to find others who felt the same. But he continued to speak up for peace, and today in South Korea we can say the coalition is growing. He’s recruited Erin Macdonald and Junghee Kim to help lead the Whistler Society in Seoul. Together, they’ve amassed a significant following online and reached out to activists across the country, making some incredible connections.
On December 10th in Seoul, Aidan and his team will be hosting an event in the city's trendy Hongdae neighborhood. The night will be emceed by a major television journalist, with speeches by a handful of authors and activists. Stay tuned for more details.
Visit Falling Whistles - Korea to see what else the gang in Seoul is up to.
Interested in hosting or attending a Human Rights Day event in your city? Register here.
DECEMBER 10th in PHOENIX, AZ
Just steps from the light rail station in the heart of downtown Phoenix, you’ll find the Crescent Ballroom.
Formerly a commercial garage built in 1917, today Crescent is easily one of the best spots in town. Over the past few months, this unique lounge, restaurant and stage has held performances by James Blake, Kate Nash, Tycho, and Cults.
And on December 10th at Crescent, the Phoenix Whistler Society is hosting Human Rights Day.
Led by pro-skater Natalie Das, the Phoenix crew has thrown three events since September. And Natalie expects December 10th to be the best one yet. “We want to let people know that this movement is much larger than a small group of activists from Phoenix. It's a global coalition which they are now a part of."
Starting at 8pm, the night kicks off with two fashion shows, two spoken word artists, and two live artists, while entire venue is decked out with visuals curated by Arbitrary Arts. Local shoegaze-electronica band The Holy Coast headlines before DJ 2ToneDisco takes over and turns things into a dance party.
All the while, Phoenix will be plugged into a streaming display connecting all the FW December 10th events around the world
Interested in hosting or attending a Human Rights Day event in your city? Register now: http://www.fallingwhistles.com/rsvp
DECEMBER 10th in STOCKHOLM
Stockholm is at it again.
Last year on December 10th, the Whistler Society took over Ljunggren, an Asian-Fusion restaurant by day and club by night in one of the city’s most interesting central neighborhoods.
Ljunggren is inside the boutique shopping mall Bruno Gallerian, home to both independent local designers and major international retailers. This year on Human Rights Day, the Stockholm crew is going even bigger.
They’re taking over the entire mall. For the entire day.
From noon to midnight, the event will include an art gallery with original commissioned works, a pop-up whistle shop and customization station, live performances, DJs, and a live stream of Mutaani’s festival in Goma.
“We want to fill the mall with energy, conversation, messages and music,” explains Whistler Society leader Sacha Jean-Baptiste. “And to show that we are many in Sweden who believe in peace and human rights, and that we are many all over the world speaking out for the same thing. People should leave the party with a feeling that this is only the beginning and there is a way to make a change.”
Visit Falling Whistles - Sweden for more details on what's going down in Stockholm this Human Rights Day.
To host or attend a December 10th event in your city, register here.
"I know and I feel in my heart that sooner or later my people will rid themselves of all their enemies, both internal and external, and that they will rise as one man to say no to the degradation and shame of colonialism, and regain their dignity in the clear light of the sun.”
– Patrice Lumumba, Congo’s first democratically elected leader, shortly before his assassination
No one understands the devastation of Congo’s rebellion industry better than the Congolese people. Today, a growing and committed group of Congolese activists stand at the forefront of a peaceful resistance movement. Justine is one of them.
Just before Bosco Ntaganda launched the M23 rebellion, Justine Masika Bihamba took to the airwaves to demand accountability for his crimes. As the founder of Synergie des Femmes, an acclaimed women’s rights organization in eastern Congo, Justine has a reputation for telling the unvarnished truth, no matter the consequence. [Check out our profile of her work with Synergie here.]
On March 14, 2012, during an interview on BBC radio, Justine called for the arrest of Bosco Ntaganda, a war criminal serving as a general in Congo’s army:
“The BBC interviewed me after the conviction of Thomas Lubanga last March [a Congolese found guilty of war crimes by the International Criminal Court]. The journalist asked me what I thought of the verdict. I of course praised it as a landmark decision in the fight against impunity, but I insisted that Lubanga’s accomplices should also be arrested and transferred to The Hague [where the international court is based]. I openly named Bosco Ntaganda as one of them.”
A few weeks later on April 10th, Justine joined dozens of Congolese civil society leaders in a rare face-to-face meeting with Congo’s President Kabila. In that meeting, they repeated Justine’s clarion call for Bosco’s arrest. That meeting was the first time that Kabila indicated that he might be open to the idea, and the word spread quickly.
Bosco answered Justine’s activism with death threats:
“On April 16, Bosco and the members of his group organized a meeting about me in a hotel in Goma [the capital of North Kivu Province]. The purpose was to gather all possible information about me — my past, my activities and my schedule. On April 27, I received death threats by SMS text message. I started to hide from them; first in hotels, then within my family. Unfortunately, Bosco managed to locate me and his men surrounded my youngest brother’s house. So I had to leave Goma.”
Generous family members, friends, and fellow activists stepped in to assist Justine and Synergie during her time in exile.
Exactly 1 year and 4 days after Justine’s fateful BBC radio interview, Bosco turned himself in. His rebels were forced to retreat from Goma due to intense international and diplomatic pressure on his backers in the Rwandan government, and his control over the M23 movement faltered as a result. Fearing for his life, he showed up at the doorstep of the American Embassy in Rwanda and asked to be flown to the Hague to face prosecution for war crimes.
With Bosco locked up in the Hague, Justine gave a triumphant interview to Human Rights Watch:
“It is a feeling of happiness. Truly, it’s a strong signal in the struggle against impunity. I think all the warlords now know that one day they will be tried for the acts that they committed. During the reign of Bosco I suffered a lot, and couldn’t even stay at my house. I was forced to leave my country. I was forced to stop working. When I returned, every time I met someone on the street and if that person stared at me, I thought: that person is working with Bosco, and he is going to follow me. I lived in horror. And now, today, thank God, he’s going to the tribunal. What gives me the most comfort is that when you think you are a warlord and you are untouchable as he was called – ‘The Terminator’ – you should know that one day justice will triumph. That’s what gives me joy. Because now, he will be judged for his actions. And especially because justice is there to honor the memory of his victims.”
Today, not only is Bosco in prison, but his entire rebel force has been defeated on the battlefield. 1500 rebels have been arrested in Uganda, and the hunt continues for the high-ranking commanders. Good news like this is hard to come by in eastern Congo. Today we celebrate along with Congolese whistleblowers like Justine.
This week, a journalist from the Global Post reached out to Falling Whistles' founder, Sean Carasso, to talk about the downfall of the M23 rebels. Here's the text of the full interview:
Global Post: How did you first come to travel to eastern Congo and with whom/in what capacity, and once there what was it about the conflict that really grabbed you, personally, and therefore inspired the Falling Whistles campaign?
Sean: It was late in 2007. A friend of mine who worked on peace projects in Uganda said that the world’s deadliest war was happening in Congo and that very few people understood anything about it. I was 26 and looking for adventure, so I decided to walk over the border and see for myself. The day before I was supposed to leave, I met 5 young boys. They were former child soldiers from the FDLR & CNDP. The army was holding them in a military camp and beating them at night - treating them as enemies of the state. The stories they told me about, the things they had seen, done, and survived made me furious. I wrote a blog about it that night called “Falling Whistles,” sent it to some of my friends and family, and they forwarded it on. Thousands of people wrote back essentially asking me - why is this happening? Who’s behind this? What can we do? I think, in one way or another, I’ve been trying to answer those questions ever since.
GP: How many people have so far got involved in the campaign since it's launch and can you give some idea of the demographics of supporters (e.g. occupation, age range, location)?
Sean: Ours is an extremely diverse coalition of 100,000 whistleblowers, a hundred retail partners, and 25 Whistler Societies (local chapters) - including in Seoul, Miami, Stockholm, and Bowling Green. We receive volunteer inquiries from Bahrain, Berlin, Maputo, etc. We are writers, artists, lawyers, engineers, designers, club promoters, writers, chefs, venture capitalists, surgeons, journalists, musicians and so forth. One of the youngest (and most effective) whistleblowers is a 9 year old girl who sells lemonade for peace in Congo alongside her own collection of painted whistles, and one of the oldest (and most inspiring) is a former anti-apartheid activist approaching his 70s, who was brought from South Africa to the U.S. by Bobby Kennedy after his “Day of Affirmation” speech. If there’s one thing that defines us, it’s a common sense that what has been happening in Congo cannot continue unchallenged.
GP: Clearly you believe that the Falling Whistles campaign contributed to the ending of the M23 rebellion in eastern Congo. Can you explain how?
Sean: In the spring of 2011, nine organizations and 24,634 activists emailed the White House and State Department demanding the appointment of a Special Envoy with a mandate to end the war in Congo. The State Department initially ignored the mass petition, keeping in place a failing team and a failed strategy - until Congo’s Presidential and Parliamentary elections were blatantly rigged that November.
In reaction to the rigged elections, the State Department appointed Ambassador Barrie Walkley as a “Special Advisor” for Congo in December 2011. That very week, FW joined dozens of organizations to meet him and ask that he secure the arrest of Bosco Ntaganda, an ICC-indicted war criminal who was a General in Congo’s army at the time.
In April 2012, President Kabila called for Bosco’s arrest. In response, Bosco mutinied and formed the M23 rebel group. One of their first moves was to attack an FW-funded rehabilitation center in Mweso, killing 2 children, raping 12 girls, and abducting 6 boys in the process.
Two months later, FW joined 18 technology companies, mining companies, and NGOs in another meeting with Advisor Walkley. This time, we demanded review of a leaked UN Report exposing Rwanda for funding and commanding M23. Under Public Law 109-456, written by Senator Barack Obama, the United States is required to cut funding to any person or entity acting to destabilize the Democratic Republic of Congo.
Together, we asked the U.S. to cut funding to M23’s backers in the Rwandan government. Walkley traveled to the region a few weeks later, and held a press conference in Congo condemning Rwanda’s support for the rebels.
On July 21st, 2012, the US became the first country to cut aid to Rwanda as a result of its support for M23. The $200,000 was a small cut and mostly symbolic, but it marked the first time since the Rwandan genocide that the US had publicly taken negative action toward the Rwandan government. The American aid cut set off a chain reaction in Europe. The UK, Germany, Sweden, Holland, the World Bank, the African Development Bank, and others made much more sweeping cuts to their aid for Rwanda.
When the rebels invaded Goma in November of 2012, we built the stopm23.com microsite in 48 hours and invited everyone we knew to join us in asking our leaders to sanction Rwandan officials supporting M23, and get them to stop supporting the rebels. Thousands of activists from around the world participated and the topic trended on Twitter. Congress held emergency hearings on the issue, and we saw world leaders get more and more comfortable speaking the truth about Rwanda’s role in the conflict. A few weeks later, the aid cuts totaled $400M. The very same day that the aid cuts would have jeopardized Kigali’s ability to pay salaries to government officials, the rebels pulled out of Goma. Obama called Kagame to followup on the rebels’ retreat and make clear that he believed the reports of Rwandan involvement.
The retreat from Goma sent M23 into a tailspin. After months of infighting, Bosco Ntaganda showed up at the American embassy in Rwanda asking to be flown to the Hague to face prosecution. John Kerry took the helm of the State Department, and immediately appointed Russ Feingold as the US Envoy for Congo. Both Kerry & Feingold took a hands-on approach, and the consistent and direct pressure they have put on Rwanda’s government was critically important to the success of the joint military operation against M23 last week.
In short, the Envoy, the aid cuts, and the public pressure on Rwanda were all important aspects to the events of the last few weeks. Those were things we promoted in public and in private, and we’re relieved to see that they contributed to the downfall of M23.
GP: How do you answer critics who say your campaign is claiming credit for the achievements of others?
Sean: I think Monique said it well in her blog post on Monday. Here’s the link: http://blog.fallingwhistles.com/post/66012898986/who-stopped-m23
GP: Do you worry that there is a growing tendency to believe that sending a Tweet (or similar) is the same as taking action? Or do you see it as one and the same thing?
Sean: I think the lesson of history is that all change begins with a whistleblower - someone with the courage to say what needs to be said. It doesn’t matter whether they say it on a button or lapel pin, a pamphlet or press release, a petition or a tweet. What matters is that someone speaks up, giving others around them the courage to follow suit.
There are masses of people, in every corner of the world, who have always, and will always, wish for peace. Our contention is that those people are far more numerous and far more powerful than they have been told. And that if given the proper tools, resources and —at times—leadership, there is very little "we" could not do.
When the team at FW built the stopm23.com site, it was to give those people a tool. Just like a whistle or a Whistler Society (local chapters), these tools give people the power to push forward our most treasured values. Among them, peace.
Look, I know as well as anyone else that 140 characters from a single person isn’t going to change anything immediately. But thousands (or millions) of people saying the same thing, in unison, on a single week? That’s powerful.
GP: What happens to the money that you raise by selling whistles (i.e. what proportion goes to your partners in Congo, what proportion to running the operation, what proportion to other activities - rough estimates are fine)?
Sean: Falling Whistles is a campaign for peace in Congo. We sell the whistle as a symbol of protest, and are building a coalition of whistleblowers who want to see an end to the deadliest war of our time. When people buy a whistle, that’s what they are funding - a campaign. So our operations are integrated into everything we do. We take a holistic approach and work to respond to the situation in real-time, as dynamically as possible. So for example, at the end of 2010, HEAL Africa had a desperate need for funding to perform surgery on 250 or so kids. No one would cover it. We were able to write them a $60,000 check in a matter of days. But we’d never been able to do a grant like that before, and likely won’t do it again. Today we are investing smaller amounts of money, in long-term, sustainable projects.
The same was true for the StopM23 campaign. It was a significant expense in web development that we would never have accounted for. Thankfully, we had a model that allowed us to be adaptable.
Also, you can see a link to our financials: http://www.fallingwhistles.com/financials/
GP: Clearly the end of the M23 rebellion is a very good thing, but in itself it won't bring peace to eastern Congo, so what is the next phase of the Falling Whistles campaign?
Sean: Step 1 is to celebrate. Last year, when M23 left Goma, our partner Sekombi threw a huge party. Over 2000 kids came out in Goma to dance the night away. He’s doing it again this year, and we’re doing it with him. On December 10th, Human Rights Day, we’re gathering in cities around the world for a global moment of unity for peace in Congo.
Step 2 is to continue to promote 3 solutions for lasting peace:
The first is an end to impunity. All of the other rebel groups in eastern Congo need to meet the same fate as M23, and their top commanders should be tried in hybrid tribunals and held to account. The same should be said for war criminals in the national army, as well.
The second is free and fair elections in 2016.
And the third is the development of a conflict-free export economy - finding ways to put the resource wealth of Congo to work for the benefit of the Congolese people.
GP: In the spectrum of advocacy how important a role does/can online activism play?
Sean: If you had asked the abolitionists about the significance of the printing press, what do you think they would say?
The same internet that makes it easier than ever to show 500 people a photo of your breakfast also facilitates direct, face-to-face, real-time interaction with people our ancestors had strange misconceptions about. The internet helped young Americans put a black man in the Oval Office, and helped young Arabs and Africans unseat 4 dictators. I think it’s far too early to say what the internet is and isn’t good for when it comes to advocacy. In the arc of human history, we’re simply touching the very beginning of understanding the impact the internet will have on our politics, economies, religions, and convictions.
In the summer of 2012, M23 was months into their violent occupation of eastern Congo as UN reports surfaced linking the rebels to the government of Rwanda.
In Stockholm, a group of whistleblowers rallied their city to Stop M23. On August 8 & 9, local leaders Anders Olsson, Sacha Jean-Baptiste, Naomi Pilgrim, Jimmy Hansen, David Levin, and Valter Frank put together a two-day event for 1500 attendees at the nightclub F12 to raise awareness of the M23’s abuses and to demand that the Swedish government cut its aid to Rwanda.
The same week as the F12 event, the Stockholm Whistler Society arranged an hour-long segment about the war in Congo on Swedish public radio. Following the radio broadcast and the F12 event, Stockholm was buzzing with news of a war they had previously known little about.
On August 13th, 2012, the Swedish Government cut 32 million dollars in aid to Rwanda.
Later that year when M23 invaded Goma, the Stockholm Whistler Society sprung to action again. The day after Falling Whistles went live with StopM23.com, they created a duplicate Swedish version - StoppaM23.se - which directed Swedish activists to Tweet to their Minister of Foreign Affairs, asking him to sanction Rwandan officials supporting M23.
At the same time, they launched a campaign to raise emergency funds for FW’s partners whose work and personal security were threatened by M23’s invasion. In 5 days, they raised 90211 SEK ($13,866) and wired the money directly to accounts in eastern Congo. In a time of profound crisis for our partners, the Stockholm Whistler Society provided critical support.
In the spring of 2011, nine organizations and 24,634 activists emailed the White House and State Department demanding the appointment of a Special Envoy with a mandate to end the war in Congo. The State Department initially ignored the mass petition, keeping in place a failing team and a failed strategy - until Congo’s Presidential and Parliamentary elections were blatantly rigged that November.
In reaction to the rigged elections, the State Department appointed Ambassador Barrie Walkley as a “Special Advisor” for Congo in December 2011. That very week, FW joined dozens of organizations to meet him and ask that he secure the arrest of Bosco Ntaganda, a war criminal who was a General in Congo’s army at the time.
In April 2012, Congo’s President called for Bosco’s arrest. In response, Bosco mutinied and formed the M23 rebel group. One of their first moves was to attack an FW-funded rehabilitation center in Mweso, killing 2 children, raping 12 girls, and abducting 6 boys in the process.
Two months later, FW joined 18 technology companies, mining companies, and NGOs in another meeting with Advisor Walkley. This time, we demanded review of a leaked UN Report exposing Rwanda for funding and commanding M23. Under Public Law 109-456, written by Senator Barack Obama, the United States is required to cut funding to any person or entity acting to destabilize the Democratic Republic of Congo.
Together, we asked the U.S. to cut funding to M23’s backers in the Rwandan government. Walkley traveled to the region a few weeks later, and held a press conference in Congo condemning Rwanda’s support for the rebels.
On July 21st, 2012, the US became the first country to cut aid to Rwanda as a result of its support for M23. The $200,000 was a small cut and mostly symbolic, but it marked the first time since the Rwandan genocide that the US had publicly taken negative action toward the Rwandan government. The American aid cut set off a chain reaction in Europe. The UK, Germany, Sweden, Holland, the World Bank, the African Development Bank, and others made much more sweeping cuts to their aid for Rwanda.
Later that year while the aid cuts were mounting, M23 invaded Goma. A groundswell of activism pushed international headlines exposing the connection between the Rwandan government and M23. Under pressure from the global community, Congress held emergency hearings on the issue.
On the same day that international aid cuts totaled 1% of Rwanda’s GDP, triggering pay cuts for government employees, the M23 rebels retreated from Goma to attend peace talks. President Obama followed up on the rebels’ retreat with a personal phone call to Rwanda’s President to reiterate the consequences of continuing to support the rebels.
The temporary withdrawal of Rwandan support sent the rebels into disarray. After months of bloody infighting, the rebels’ top commander, Bosco Ntaganda, showed up on the doorstep of the American embassy in Rwanda and asked to be flown to The Hague to face prosecution for war crimes.
It was then that John Kerry took the helm of the State Department. One of his first moves after his swearing in was to appoint a US Envoy to Congo - former Senator Russ Feingold. We celebrated the good news and met with him as he settled into his new role.
Since his appointment, Feingold has received praise for his direct, hands-on approach. Together, Kerry and Feingold chaired direct talks between Rwanda and Congo in New York, stepped up pressure on Rwanda, and announced yet another aid cut - this time for $500K.
On the eve of the final military push against the M23 rebels, Kerry placed called Rwanda’s President to deliver a simple message - The peacekeepers and the Congolese army are coming for the M23 rebels. They are going to win. Stay out of it.
And win they did. After 5 days of fighting, with limited civilian casualties, the UN and Congolese army flushed out the M23 rebels, liberating all of North Kivu from their occupation.
In 1884, the United States was the first Western country to give formal diplomatic recognition to the Congo Free State, giving Belgium’s King Leopold an unfettered license to murder 10 million Congolese people in his brutal quest for cheap ivory & rubber.
Now, over a century later, and for the first time in history, the United States government has stuck its neck out for the Congolese people. It’s about time.
Last year, when M23 invaded the city of Goma, the blue helmeted Peacekeepers (under the leadership of American diplomat Roger Meece) stepped aside and let them in. The rebels released thousands of prisoners onto the streets, looted the central bank, raided the armory, cut power and water to most of the city's residents, and assassinated Congolese whistleblowers by the dozen.
[Pictured: Congolese protestors carry the body of a civilian shot by UN peacekeepers.]
Congolese civilians had considered the peacekeepers irrelevant for many years, but suddenly the scandal was laid bare for the world to see. World headlines might as well have declared: "$1.5 Billion Budget and 17,000 troops Fail to Protect Fortified City from Band of Mutineers."
The UN quickly reorganized, authorizing a new "Intervention Brigade" with a mandate to act aggressively to neutralize illegal armed groups alongside the Congolese army. The governments of Tanzania, Malawi, and South Africa contributed a total of 3,000 new troops to this Brigade.
New commanders took over, as well. Germany contributed Martin Kobler as the top civilian commander of the peacekeeping force. The Brazilian General who had gone to battle with Haiti's street gangs - Carlos Alberto dos Santos Cruz [pictured above] - took over military command of the new Brigade.
Kobler & Santos Cruz abandoned the Congo peacekeeping mission's historic stance of "impartiality," got out of their air-conditioned SUVs, and made clear they were siding with the Congolese army against the rebels. They were immediately praised for their aggressive, no-nonsense approach.
Quelle surprise ... it worked.
Using their helicopters to provide Congo's army with air support, and risking life and limb to provide advice on the front lines, last week the peacekeepers stopped M23. Today, the last stronghold of the rebel leaders fled to neighboring countries and the remaining troops are in the process of being fully disarmed.
The price has been steep. At least 4 UN peacekeepers paid with their lives to stop M23, and dozens more were wounded.
This time last year, the Congolese army was in shambles. The most powerful Generals and Colonels - former CNDP rebels - had mutinied under a new name (M23) and were taking over large swathes of North Kivu province. The remaining troops in the national army were disorganized, ill-equipped, unpaid, and under the leadership of a corrupt chain of command.
When the M23 rebels invaded the city of Goma over Thanksgiving weekend, they faced very little opposition. UN peacekeepers stood aside, and a large troop contingent of the national army retreated to the nearby town of Minova. Defeated and demoralized, they retaliated against the civilian population, raping hundreds of women there.
Plenty has changed since then. This January, the most corrupt commanders in North Kivu were flown to Kinshasa and booked into hotel rooms for “retraining.” The new commanders who replaced them quickly disciplined the troops, ensured they were getting paid their salaries, improved supply lines, and prepared for joint operations with UN peacekeepers.
[Pictured: Maj. Gen. Bahuma Ambamba, military reformer & commander of North Kivu's 8th Military Region. Photo by Mulopwe Mustafa.]
Last week, the army & peacekeepers pushed the M23 rebels out of Congolese territory in only a few days, liberating millions of people. Their victory has come at a heavy price. Hundreds of soldiers died in their fight to stop M23.
For more on how Congo’s army stopped M23, check out African Defence Review’s detailed analysis.