Comments for We Are Fine If You Are Fine http://wafiyaf.wordpress.com Blogging about ending spiritual and physical poverty. With a special focus on the crisis in the DR Congo. Mon, 27 Apr 2009 22:31:12 +0000 http://wordpress.com/ hourly 1 Comment on S.3058 The Conflict Coltan and Cassiterite Act of 2008 by Béatrice LEONARD LOMAMI http://wafiyaf.wordpress.com/2008/11/22/s3058-the-conflict-coltan-and-cassiterite-act-of-2008/#comment-84 Béatrice LEONARD LOMAMI Mon, 27 Apr 2009 22:31:12 +0000 http://wafiyaf.wordpress.com/?p=146#comment-84 We are a collective of congolese women living in Belgium engaged in the lobbying of political leaders to let them hear the chained voices of devastaded women in DRC here followed our address to the european parliament and our recommandations pointed out the necessity to control the origin of minerals like KIMBERLEY , we are happy to sea that senators are engaged in this way and would like to be in touch with those senators Plea of the Collective of the Congolese Women for Peace and Justice - March 31th 2009 Mr. President , Ladies, Sirs Members of the Commission of Development of the European Parliament, With the name of the women of the Congolese diaspora of Belgium and Europe and in the name of the Congolese people, let us make a point of expressing all our appreciations at your Commission like with all its members to have agreed to accomodate us at your assembly to expose you our reading of situation of our country, in particular, of atrocious exactions who are made there daily, worsened by violations massive of the human rights, in all impunity, imposing with the Congolese people an inexpressible desolation. It is not any more one secrecy for anybody that the causes of the war inflicted with the RD Congo for more than 15 years have found their origin, on the one hand, in the attempt at control and/or of plunderings of the strategic natural resources in which the country abounds and which the Occident needs highly for its development, and on the other hand, in the monopolization of the grounds by neighbors with the expansionist aimings. Different reports/ratios put forward the illegal exploitation and the plundering of the natural resources and other richnesses of Congo, and, the traffic of weapons. Two more recent written by the Groups of experts of the World Bank and the O.N.U., clearly these offences elucidated, but much more, they also have some identified the authors (countries, national and multinational companies). Rapes and sexual violences used as arms with war, slaughters on a large scale of the civil populations, in particular of the women, the girls and the children, extermination of the villages, impoverishment of our country and the mortgage of our youth is the disastrous corollaries of this insupportable war. Indeed the rapes inflicted to the women and to the girls expose them to the sexually transmitted diseases whose AIDS and seriously compromise our demography with the consequences that one can imagine on the economic development socio of our country. We greet the work of sensitizing which was carried out effectively by various Member States of the EU as well at the national level as international. However, in our opinion, the question did not receive suitable treatment to date yet. Like all the other victims, these women forced and mutilated will be able exorciser their pain only if the right and dignity are returned to them. At the end of each negotiation which led to the suspensions of the hostilities, the Congolese government conceded immunities, making thus null and void all the judicial actions introduced on the level so much room that national. The launched warrants for arrest were suspended; rights of the victims were thus each time ridiculed. The reports/ratios of various Groups of Experts were accompanied by recommendations and relevant sanctions addressed to the Security Council of the United Nations. It is with a great regret that we note today in front of you that all these recommendations and sanctions remained dead letter. Mr. President, Ladies and Sirs, It was promised with the Congolese people that the elections were going to bring to our country peace, safety and stability. Three years have been just passed since 2006, and the peace and the respect of the human rights are always made wait. On the other hand during its three years, the DRC was the theatre of wars without end supported by its neighbours. In the name of “peace at any price”, in January 2009, the government concluded an agreement with Rwanda in order to carry out joint military operations. “Peace at any price”!!! In a country which during 15 years knew violations of the human rights of such an atrocity and imprescriptible war crimes. “Peace at any price”!!! Negotiated and founded by these same which committed these crimes? “Peace at any price”!!! By being unaware of the exactions and devoting their authors and/or sleeping partners by integrating them without understanding nor judgement into the FARDC, with higher headquarters, making them thus inaccessible for any legal proceeding! “This peace at any price” while institutionalizing impunity, constitutes from now on a threat for the democracy! This peace at all costs being unaware of the human rights most legitimate of the civil populations and the refugees is inadmissible. In the name of “PEACE at all costs”, the Ugandan and Rwandan armies were invited to track, at the sides of the FARDC, the militia which threaten, according to remarks' of the presidents of the countries concerned, the safety of their countries. In spite of posted international optimism, testimonies of ground inform us that only a small number of the militia of the LRA and FDLR were neutralized and/or repatriated but that the remainder of the troops took refuge in the deep campaigns Congolese and continuous to sow death and desolation among the civil populations without defence. In other words, the safety of the modes of Rwanda and Uganda is made with the detriment protection Congolese civil populations. In the name of “PEACE at all costs”, agreements of Ihussi were signed, March 23, 2009 between the government of the DRC and the CNDP. Agreements which in substance devote impunity by requiring the amnesty of the authors of the imprescriptible war crimes, impose the territorial cutting of the Province of North-Kivu on a Community basis and encourage with the violation of the Constitution by the entry in the institutions of RDCongo of the ex chiefs of war without in inférer with the results of the ballot boxes. What constitutes a threat for the democracy? This “Peace” imposed at all costs, in an arbitrary way and without justice, carries in itself the germs of its own destruction. In effect, as long as basic problems such as: the plundering of the natural resources, the spoliation of the grounds, the colonization of settlement and the law-suit of the authors of the imprescriptible war crimes will not have been emptied, it will never have lasting peace there! We are spirit to write the history and we take to you with witnesses. If these basic problems are not solved, that will start again. Concerned of the rule of the law on the acts, We Congolese women of the Collective for Peace and Justice, let us seize the occasion which your Commission offers to us to announce our legitimate concern to you . We hope sincerely that you accompany us and supported us in the combat of the reconquest of our violated and ridiculed human rights. We women of the Collective of the Congolese Women for Peace and Justice, denounce this “Peace at all costs”. Impunity zero is an element essential of any driving process with a lasting peace and a real reconciliation based on a reciprocal confidence. These two preconditions are impossible to circumvent to launch out initially in the national rebuilding and later in a regional co-operation. Count held of all that preceds, In the name of justice and respect of the human rights we recommend – To apply impunity zero with regard to the direct or indirect authors of the damages caused to the Congolese people as envisaged in recommendations and sanctions suggested to the Security Council of The United Nations by the Groups of Experts; – The creation of funds for the victims supplied with an exceptional tax on the despoiled resources DRC and seizure of the bank accounts of predatory indicated by the Dallemagne report/ratio, and the report/ratio of the Panel of Experts of the United Nations ; – The installation of an observatory of impunity zero controlled firstly by the Congolese women; for this purpose we request your support and your accompaniment ; – The establishment of a special penal tribunal for Congo, and, we count resolutely on your support and your accompaniment. From the economic point of view we recommend – To force the companies exploiting the richnesses of the DRC to be invested in infrastructures to be social well; – Not to impose on RDCongo unsuited solutions, sometimes copied from the European model, as for example actualization with the forceps of the CEPGL (the Economic Community of the Countries of the Large Lakes) as long as the populations concerned are neither ready, neither consulted, nor reconciled ; – To found a moratorium on the exploitation of the mines, and to set up a process of control of the Kimberley type. To the name of structural Regional stability we recommend to the international Community – To contribute with the disarmament and the repatriation of ALL the foreign groups armed operating on the ground with the DRC ; – To on the matter treat the question of the refugees in accordance with the relative international treaties ; – To force in the name of the tolerance, Rwanda and Uganda to organize a dialogue inter Rwandan and Ugandan ; To the name of an advantageous UE-RDCongo partnership egalitairy to the two parts we recommend – To help the RD Congo to make a census of its population before the next electoral expiry ; – To make safe the populations while resorting to a neutral army, while waiting for that the Congolese government is indeed able to ensure the safety of its populations ; – To support and accompany effectively the RD Congo in the formation by a new dissuasive Congolese army, worthy and truly with the service of the population and country ; Also, Mr. President, Ladies and Sirs, Members of the Commission of Development of the European Parliament, knowing the high degree of your fight for triumph and the maintenance of the democracy, for the respect of the human rights in the World, like for a balanced partnership, we request your support highly, your accompaniment and your support for the result of the plea which we have just made in front of your Parliament and, through you, near other institutions of the European Union, the Council of Europe, of the General meeting of the United Nations like of your national parliaments. We thank you for your listening, BEATRICE LEONARD LOMAMI MD MEDICUS ET PATHOLOGICA (KUL1987) MPH (KUL 2007) 32 474190171 English and Deutch speaker We are a collective of congolese women living in Belgium engaged in the lobbying of political leaders to let them hear the chained voices of devastaded women in DRC
here followed our address to the european parliament and our recommandations pointed out the necessity to control the origin of minerals like KIMBERLEY , we are happy to sea that senators are engaged in this way and would like to be in touch with those senators

Plea of the Collective of the Congolese Women for Peace and Justice – March 31th 2009

Mr. President ,

Ladies, Sirs Members of the Commission of Development of the European Parliament,

With the name of the women of the Congolese diaspora of Belgium and Europe and in the name of the Congolese people, let us make a point of expressing all our appreciations at your Commission like with all its members to have agreed to accomodate us at your assembly to expose you our reading of situation of our country, in particular, of atrocious exactions who are made there daily, worsened by violations massive of the human rights, in all impunity, imposing with the Congolese people an inexpressible desolation.

It is not any more one secrecy for anybody that the causes of the war inflicted with the RD Congo for more than 15 years have found their origin, on the one hand, in the attempt at control and/or of plunderings of the strategic natural resources in which the country abounds and which the Occident needs highly for its development, and on the other hand, in the monopolization of the grounds by neighbors with the expansionist aimings. Different reports/ratios put forward the illegal exploitation and the plundering of the natural resources and other richnesses of Congo, and, the traffic of weapons. Two more recent written by the Groups of experts of the World Bank and the O.N.U., clearly these offences elucidated, but much more, they also have some identified the authors (countries, national and multinational companies).

Rapes and sexual violences used as arms with war, slaughters on a large scale of the civil populations, in particular of the women, the girls and the children, extermination of the villages, impoverishment of our country and the mortgage of our youth is the disastrous corollaries of this insupportable war. Indeed the rapes inflicted to the women and to the girls expose them to the sexually transmitted diseases whose AIDS and seriously compromise our demography with the consequences that one can imagine on the economic development socio of our country.

We greet the work of sensitizing which was carried out effectively by various Member States of the EU as well at the national level as international. However, in our opinion, the question did not receive suitable treatment to date yet. Like all the other victims, these women forced and mutilated will be able exorciser their pain only if the right and dignity are returned to them.

At the end of each negotiation which led to the suspensions of the hostilities, the Congolese government conceded immunities, making thus null and void all the judicial actions introduced on the level so much room that national. The launched warrants for arrest were suspended; rights of the victims were thus each time ridiculed.

The reports/ratios of various Groups of Experts were accompanied by recommendations and relevant sanctions addressed to the Security Council of the United Nations. It is with a great regret that we note today in front of you that all these recommendations and sanctions remained dead letter.

Mr. President, Ladies and Sirs,

It was promised with the Congolese people that the elections were going to bring to our country peace, safety and stability. Three years have been just passed since 2006, and the peace and the respect of the human rights are always made wait. On the other hand during its three years, the DRC was the theatre of wars without end supported by its neighbours.

In the name of “peace at any price”, in January 2009, the government concluded an agreement with Rwanda in order to carry out joint military operations.

“Peace at any price”!!!

In a country which during 15 years knew violations of the human rights of such an atrocity and imprescriptible war crimes.

“Peace at any price”!!!

Negotiated and founded by these same which committed these crimes?

“Peace at any price”!!!

By being unaware of the exactions and devoting their authors and/or sleeping partners by integrating them without understanding nor judgement into the FARDC, with higher headquarters, making them thus inaccessible for any legal proceeding!

“This peace at any price” while institutionalizing impunity, constitutes from now on a threat for the democracy!

This peace at all costs being unaware of the human rights most legitimate of the civil populations and the refugees is inadmissible.

In the name of “PEACE at all costs”, the Ugandan and Rwandan armies were invited to track, at the sides of the FARDC, the militia which threaten, according to remarks’ of the presidents of the countries concerned, the safety of their countries. In spite of posted international optimism, testimonies of ground inform us that only a small number of the militia of the LRA and FDLR were neutralized and/or repatriated but that the remainder of the troops took refuge in the deep campaigns Congolese and continuous to sow death and desolation among the civil populations without defence. In other words, the safety of the modes of Rwanda and Uganda is made with the detriment protection Congolese civil populations.

In the name of “PEACE at all costs”, agreements of Ihussi were signed, March 23, 2009 between the government of the DRC and the CNDP. Agreements which in substance devote impunity by requiring the amnesty of the authors of the imprescriptible war crimes, impose the territorial cutting of the Province of North-Kivu on a Community basis and encourage with the violation of the Constitution by the entry in the institutions of RDCongo of the ex chiefs of war without in inférer with the results of the ballot boxes. What constitutes a threat for the democracy?

This “Peace” imposed at all costs, in an arbitrary way and without justice, carries in itself the germs of its own destruction. In effect, as long as basic problems such as: the plundering of the natural resources, the spoliation of the grounds, the colonization of settlement and the law-suit of the authors of the imprescriptible war crimes will not have been emptied, it will never have lasting peace there!

We are spirit to write the history and we take to you with witnesses. If these basic problems are not solved, that will start again.

Concerned of the rule of the law on the acts, We Congolese women of the Collective for Peace and Justice, let us seize the occasion which your Commission offers to us to announce our legitimate concern to you .

We hope sincerely that you accompany us and supported us in the combat of the reconquest of our violated and ridiculed human rights.

We women of the Collective of the Congolese Women for Peace and Justice, denounce this “Peace at all costs”. Impunity zero is an element essential of any driving process with a lasting peace and a real reconciliation based on a reciprocal confidence. These two preconditions are impossible to circumvent to launch out initially in the national rebuilding and later in a regional co-operation.

Count held of all that preceds,

In the name of justice and respect of the human rights we recommend

– To apply impunity zero with regard to the direct or indirect authors of the damages caused to the Congolese people as envisaged in recommendations and sanctions suggested to the Security Council of The United Nations by the Groups of Experts;

– The creation of funds for the victims supplied with an exceptional tax on the despoiled resources DRC and seizure of the bank accounts of predatory indicated by the Dallemagne report/ratio, and the report/ratio of the Panel of Experts of the United Nations ;

– The installation of an observatory of impunity zero controlled firstly by the Congolese women; for this purpose we request your support and your accompaniment ;

– The establishment of a special penal tribunal for Congo, and, we count resolutely on your support and your accompaniment.

From the economic point of view we recommend

– To force the companies exploiting the richnesses of the DRC to be invested in infrastructures to be social well;

– Not to impose on RDCongo unsuited solutions, sometimes copied from the European model, as for example actualization with the forceps of the CEPGL (the Economic Community of the Countries of the Large Lakes) as long as the populations concerned are neither ready, neither consulted, nor reconciled ;

– To found a moratorium on the exploitation of the mines, and to set up a process of control of the Kimberley type.

To the name of structural Regional stability we recommend to the international Community

– To contribute with the disarmament and the repatriation of ALL the foreign groups armed operating on the ground with the DRC ;

– To on the matter treat the question of the refugees in accordance with the relative international treaties ;

– To force in the name of the tolerance, Rwanda and Uganda to organize a dialogue inter Rwandan and Ugandan ;

To the name of an advantageous UE-RDCongo partnership egalitairy to the two parts we recommend

– To help the RD Congo to make a census of its population before the next electoral expiry ;

– To make safe the populations while resorting to a neutral army, while waiting for that the Congolese government is indeed able to ensure the safety of its populations ;

– To support and accompany effectively the RD Congo in the formation by a new dissuasive Congolese army, worthy and truly with the service of the population and country ;

Also, Mr. President, Ladies and Sirs, Members of the Commission of Development of the European Parliament, knowing the high degree of your fight for triumph and the maintenance of the democracy, for the respect of the human rights in the World, like for a balanced partnership, we request your support highly, your accompaniment and your support for the result of the plea which we have just made in front of your Parliament and, through you, near other institutions of the European Union, the Council of Europe, of the General meeting of the United Nations like of your national parliaments.

We thank you for your listening,
BEATRICE LEONARD LOMAMI MD
MEDICUS ET PATHOLOGICA (KUL1987)
MPH (KUL 2007)
32 474190171
English and Deutch speaker

]]> Comment on Interesting Proposal Cap and Dividend by Matt Dernoga http://wafiyaf.wordpress.com/2009/02/28/interesting-proposal-cap-and-dividend/#comment-80 Matt Dernoga Fri, 10 Apr 2009 20:17:56 +0000 http://wafiyaf.wordpress.com/?p=692#comment-80 I just made a post comparing C+D with cap and trade since a bill was just introduced. Check it out. http://madrad2002.wordpress.com/2009/04/09/cap-and-dividend/ I just made a post comparing C+D with cap and trade since a bill was just introduced. Check it out.

http://madrad2002.wordpress.com/2009/04/09/cap-and-dividend/

]]> Comment on Morals and Money by Fantastic Article from Global Future. « We Are Fine If You Are Fine http://wafiyaf.wordpress.com/morals-and-money/#comment-74 Fantastic Article from Global Future. « We Are Fine If You Are Fine Sat, 28 Mar 2009 15:47:56 +0000 http://wafiyaf.wordpress.com/?page_id=767#comment-74 [...] Fantastic Article from Global Future. By slm I posted as a page an article by Ms. Ann Pettifor from issue Number 1 of 2009 of Global Future by World Vision. I think she really hits the nail on the head and says much better than I ever could how to both view and address the international economic crisis. To read the article go here. [...] [...] Fantastic Article from Global Future. By slm I posted as a page an article by Ms. Ann Pettifor from issue Number 1 of 2009 of Global Future by World Vision. I think she really hits the nail on the head and says much better than I ever could how to both view and address the international economic crisis. To read the article go here. [...]

]]> Comment on Water a Most Precious Resource by Ending Extreme Poverty in the Congo http://wafiyaf.wordpress.com/2009/03/15/water-a-most-precious-resource/#comment-71 Ending Extreme Poverty in the Congo Sun, 22 Mar 2009 02:24:53 +0000 http://wafiyaf.wordpress.com/?p=743#comment-71 <strong>Clean Water is A Challenge for Congo's Rural Poor...</strong> Clean water is essential to life! The high child mortality rates in Congo is directly related to drinking water from unimproved and unsafe sources. Clean water save lives! Generally, children under five years old die from severe or chronic diarrhea...... Clean Water is A Challenge for Congo’s Rural Poor…

Clean water is essential to life! The high child mortality rates in Congo is directly related to drinking water from unimproved and unsafe sources. Clean water save lives! Generally, children under five years old die from severe or chronic diarrhea……

]]> Comment on Call to All Bloggers: Blog to End the Second African World War by Simon http://wafiyaf.wordpress.com/2008/11/08/call-to-all-bloggers-end-the-second-african-world-war/#comment-70 Simon Tue, 17 Mar 2009 09:42:50 +0000 http://wafiyaf.wordpress.com/?p=64#comment-70 Hi, I'm also blogging on the same theme. In fact I'm writing a thesis on this specific issue, and I'm really happy to see others asking the same question. As Virgil comments above, I think it's so important for people like us to spread the message. I'm hoping our voices can increasingly gather and get heard. Keep it up! Simon Hi, I’m also blogging on the same theme. In fact I’m writing a thesis on this specific issue, and I’m really happy to see others asking the same question.

As Virgil comments above, I think it’s so important for people like us to spread the message. I’m hoping our voices can increasingly gather and get heard.

Keep it up!
Simon

]]> Comment on S.384 Global Food Security Act by Important Legislation Introduced S.384 Global Food Security Act « We Are Fine If You Are Fine http://wafiyaf.wordpress.com/s384-global-food-security-act/#comment-62 Important Legislation Introduced S.384 Global Food Security Act « We Are Fine If You Are Fine Sat, 14 Feb 2009 16:15:52 +0000 http://wafiyaf.wordpress.com/?page_id=632#comment-62 [...] Important Legislation Introduced S.384 Global Food Security Act By slm I am very pleased that my Senator Bob Casey of Pennsylvania has introduced S. 384 The Global Food Security Act. A link to the full text of the bill is here on my sight. [...] [...] Important Legislation Introduced S.384 Global Food Security Act By slm I am very pleased that my Senator Bob Casey of Pennsylvania has introduced S. 384 The Global Food Security Act. A link to the full text of the bill is here on my sight. [...]

]]> Comment on More Articles from World Focus on DR Congo and Africa by willll http://wafiyaf.wordpress.com/2009/01/11/more-articles-from-world-focus-on-dr-congo-and-africa/#comment-58 willll Fri, 06 Feb 2009 13:57:10 +0000 http://wafiyaf.wordpress.com/?p=482#comment-58 Votre liens sont très interessante. Je prends une classe Française aux Etats-Unis et nous étudions les pays africains tels que le Congo. Regardez mon blog! Merci--willll :) Votre liens sont très interessante. Je prends une classe Française aux Etats-Unis et nous étudions les pays africains tels que le Congo. Regardez mon blog! Merci–willll :)

]]> Comment on DR Congo News Roundup by Peter Eichstaedt http://wafiyaf.wordpress.com/2009/01/17/dr-congo-news-roundup-4/#comment-46 Peter Eichstaedt Sun, 18 Jan 2009 15:08:47 +0000 http://wafiyaf.wordpress.com/?p=530#comment-46 I invite you to see my new book on Joseph Kony and the Lord’s Resistance Army, titled First Kill Your Family: Child Soldiers of Uganda and the Lord’s Resistance Army. See more about it at http://www.firstkillyourfamily.com and follow the issue at http://www.petereichstaedt.blogspot.com Your comment is awaiting moderation. I invite you to see my new book on Joseph Kony and the Lord’s Resistance Army, titled First Kill Your Family: Child Soldiers of Uganda and the Lord’s Resistance Army. See more about it at http://www.firstkillyourfamily.com and follow the issue at http://www.petereichstaedt.blogspot.com

Your comment is awaiting moderation.

]]> Comment on Some Articles on Poverty From Around the Web Part 1 by slm http://wafiyaf.wordpress.com/2009/01/01/some-articles-on-poverty-from-around-the-web-part-1/#comment-38 slm Fri, 02 Jan 2009 11:00:05 +0000 http://wafiyaf.wordpress.com/?p=423#comment-38 Your welcome, I really appreciated your insight on your blog. One of the best missionary and development/justice blogs I have ever encountered. I will be a frequent visitor. Your welcome, I really appreciated your insight on your blog. One of the best missionary and development/justice blogs I have ever encountered. I will be a frequent visitor.

]]> Comment on Some Articles on Poverty From Around the Web Part 1 by Wes http://wafiyaf.wordpress.com/2009/01/01/some-articles-on-poverty-from-around-the-web-part-1/#comment-37 Wes Thu, 01 Jan 2009 20:56:20 +0000 http://wafiyaf.wordpress.com/?p=423#comment-37 Thanks for linking my blog posts, and I am very glad that you have enjoyed them! I welcome your interact at any time, and I appreciate the blogging that you are doing! Thanks for linking my blog posts, and I am very glad that you have enjoyed them! I welcome your interact at any time, and I appreciate the blogging that you are doing!

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