kambale musavuli
GRITtv: Kambale Musavuli: The World Needs Congo
"The democratic Republic of the Congo is literally and figuratively the heart of Africa. The country of 65 million people straddles the equator and is bordered by 9 other countries. It is the size of Western Europe and the fulcrum on which the entire African continent swings. Barack Obama proclaims, If Africa is to achieve its promise, resolving the problem in the Congo will be critical. Congo is arguably the richest country on the planet in terms of natural resources. It is the storehouse of strategic and precious minerals that are vital to the functioning of modern society … Ordinary people throughout the globe can play a critical role in bringing about change in the Congo. We all benefit from Congo's wealth and have a responsibility to make sure we are not benefiting at the expense of the people. We all must get involved by demanding that our leaders make Congo a priority, hold our corporations accountable and support Congolese institutions fighting for peace, justice and human dignity. Join the global movement by visiting us at congoweek.org." Kambale Musavuli is student coordinator for Friends of the Congo.
Email this pageGRITtv: Can We Turn Pain to Power in the Congo?
It's a heartwrenching story: more than five million dead, and rape is used to terrorize the population of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, where spillover from the Rwandan conflict has led to the ongoing violence of daily life despite an official ceasefire. And minerals like coltan, used in your laptop or cell phone as well as aerospace technologies, are funding the violence. We all use cell phones and computers, but what can we do to stop supporting the horrific abuse of women and children in the Congo? Joining to discuss this are Eve Ensler, Rose Mapendo, and Kambale Musavuli, and they debate the "climate of impunity" under which rape is normalized, and the responsibility the rest of the world has to help the women in the Congo help themselves. For more information, check out Congo Week's Take Action page.
GRITtv: Oct. 21, 2009
Sometimes the struggle for basic human rights seems overwhelming. Everywhere you turn, the same corporate interests, the same apathetic or outright hostile governments--it's enough to drive social justice activists to despair. Instead of giving up, though, plenty of people figure out ways to keep going, to draw energy from the oppression and pain and to win victories against incredible odds. Today we talk to Eve Ensler, founder of V-Day and the activist behind a year-long campaign to stop the violence, Rose Mapendo, a survivor of the war who was dubbed UN "humanitarian of the year" for her work with refugees, and Kambale Musavuli, student coordinator for Friends of the Congo.
