Crisis in the Congo: Uncovering the Truth

Having been prodded by Professor Wibben to get up to date on the blog posts, I realized that I never posted on the event “Crisis in the Congo: Uncovering the Truth,” that occurred on February 28^th at USF. 

The event began with a film of the same name. Watching the film I was immediately transported back to Ann Jones’ chapter on the DRC in War isn’t Over when its Over. Amid the massive and devastating civil war that continues in the DRC, it is the women and the children who suffer the most, having already occupied the most oppressed positions in the society. I thought the film did a good job highlighting the extent of the issue but felt that it did not underline the issues of sexualized violence that are highly prevalent.

The discussion afterward was a continuation of the second dimension of the film: how others can help. I appreciated the speaker, Kambale Musavul's insistence that it is not the presence of peacekeeping forces and similar entities that will stop the violence. Instead, what is needed is a complete de-militarization of the society and an increase in opportunities outside of violent activities. This complimented our readings in class that see peacekeeping forces as perpetrators of sexualized violence and continued oppression as well as violence itself creating the detrimental construction of the “other.” I do wish, however, that these considerations had been better addressed in Musavul's recommendations for an end to the violence. The speaker’s recommendations focused on a) ending US military support to Rwanda and b) supporting the organization Congo Justice. I think an ultimate resolution to the conflict will also require a reconstruction of masculinity and femininity.