"Where do we go from here: Chaos or Community?"
Photo Caption and Credit: FARDC and MONUSCO reinforce their presence in and around Goma following a second day (21 May 2013) of clashes between M23 and National troops. (MONUSCO)
As the media looks to the sky for a cosmic event today, governments should look inward to remember their roles in the Rwandan genocide. It has been 30 years since the start of 100 days of torture, sexual assault, and murder in Rwanda. What have political leaders implemented in the three decades since the conclusion of that genocide to prevent mass violence and ethnic cleansing? The lessons from Rwanda have started to feel more like faint echoes instead of righteous calls to action to prevent crimes against humanity. Nowhere are those seemingly ignored lessons more apparent than in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC).
1994 was just the beginning.
During the summer of 1994, Tutsi rebel forces in Rwanda drove Hutu extremists over the border into the DRC. The world cheered, convinced that the violence Hutu extremists had perpetrated against the Tutsis had finally ended. However, Hutu militias regrouped in the DRC, recruited members, and transformed into the Forces Démocratiques de Libération du Rwanda (FDLR).
Rebel forces can be victors and villains.
The FDLR is not the only armed group inflicting unspeakable terror in the DRC. There are more than 100 heavily armed gangs and militias vying for territory and power, including the notorious M23, which is comprised of ethnic Tutsis and has reported ties to Rwanda's government. When those groups in the DRC clash with each other and unsuspecting civilians, the results can be fatal. Last year, six men were sentenced to life in prison for the 2021 murder of Italy’s ambassador and two other individuals. Right now, M23's battle with the DRC's army (which is supported by Romanian mercenaries) is causing mass displacement. People are moving into makeshift camps around Goma, where disease outbreaks are common, and hunger is rising.
Millions of civilians are paying the price.
After three decades of violence, the world has largely forgotten that the DRC was not always enmeshed in chaos and crises. An estimated six million people have been killed in the past 30 years, and another six million are displaced. More than 2 million children are acutely malnourished. To add to those numbers, it is worth noting that the DRC is also the host for more than half a million asylum seekers and refugees. Declan Walsh of The New York Times visited the DRC and spoke to people, including Cynthia Jones of the World Food Program. She said, “There’s a sense of fatalism about Congo. People seem to think, 'That’s just the way it is.'"
If the past is prologue, reading might save our future. Our Bold and Bookish pick on Rwanda is "Do Not Disturb" by Michela Wrong. This book is “a powerful investigation into a grisly political murder and the authoritarian regime behind it." Wrong "upends the narrative that Rwanda sold the world after one of the deadliest genocides of the twentieth century." Like all of Wrong's books, "Do Not Disturb" has been praised by masters of suspense, like John Le Carré. You can find this and other Bold and Bookish selections on our Bookshop.
Support Doctors Without Borders work in the DRC. Doctors Without Borders/Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) "runs large-scale projects in the [DRC], responding to the devastating effects of violence and other health emergencies, such as disease outbreaks and malnutrition." You can learn more and donate here.
Support the park rangers of Virunga National Park. These courageous rangers protect people and wildlife in the DRC's expansive national park. As the park's website says, "They routinely face harsh physical conditions, injury, or even death. Over 200 Rangers have been killed in the line of duty. Without the commitment of these brave men and women, Virunga would not exist." You can learn more about Africa's oldest national park and donate here.
Our mission is For a World of Good. The Girl Friday consulting firm opened in August 2023, and seven percent of our retainers support incredible organizations through pro-bono consulting and donations. Do you know of a non-profit that we should add to our list? Please email us at hello@deargirlfriday.com.
Girl Friday joined Bobbie's paid leave coalition! We joined our friends at Bobbie and are an official member of the N.O. Support Grant Coalition! Together with Naomi Osaka and some of our favorite brands (like Once Upon a Farm, Babylist, and Serenity Kids), we are helping families impacted by the lack of federal paid leave by providing microgrants.
Bold & Bookish at the Kennedy Center. Our team attended a "Medgar and Myrlie" event with Joy-Ann Reid at the Kennedy Center. This brilliant book teaches readers about the couple's pivotal role in the Civil Rights Movement and the Mississippi community that was shattered when a white supremacist assassinated Medgar in his own front yard. You can find "Medgar and Myrlie" on the Bold and Bookish shelf in our Girl Friday Bookshop.
HRH - Human Rights & Humanitarianism
The gangs are Haitian; the guns are American. The gangs destabilizing Haiti's capital and terrorizing its citizens are using American weapons. (Washington Post)
An 8-year-old girl's murder in Mexico leads to violence. After the young girl's body was found, a mob killed a reported suspect in full view of the police. (BBC)
Sudan is on the edge of a historic catastrophe. The country is on the brink of famine and widespread deaths. Why aren't more people talking about Sudan? (Reuters)
After Six - Protection & Conservation
What are the environmental implications of the war in Gaza? “It’s whole orchards gone, only soil left; you don’t see a single thing [...].” (Guardian)
Just keep spinning, just keep spinning. Is it a result of the environment? Genetics? No one knows why certain species of fish have started "spinning." (NBC)
What time is it on the moon? If left to NASA, we will soon have Lunar Time. The White House has asked them to create a time zone for the Moon. (BBC)
7053 - Justice, Law, & Governance
The U.S. and EU pledge financial support for Armenia. More than 100,000 ethnic Armenians have been displaced because of the Nagorno-Karabakh war. (DW)
Brazil apologizes for persecuting Indigenous communities. “In the name of the Brazilian state I want to say sorry for all the suffering your people were put through [...]” (Guardian)
Gov. Wes Moore's first political test. In the wake of the fatal bridge collapse, Maryland's governor has supported the victims' families while noting rebuilding will take time. (NPR)
High Society - Art, Culture, & Sports
South Carolina brings home another NCAA win. Coach Dawn Staley and the University of South Carolina women's basketball team won the 2024 NCAA championship. (NCAA)
The traveling art exhibit you don't want to miss. A new exhibit celebrates the art of three Japanese American women who were forced to live in internment camps. (NY Times)
Beyoncé's "Cowboy Carter" honors icons. Linda Martell gets her flowers as Beyoncé introduces new listeners to a pioneer in country music. (NPR)
Dear Friends,
As we remember the atrocities in Rwanda, we must also acknowledge that it has been six months since the war in Gaza began. On October 7, 2023, Hamas invaded Israel, slaughtering with impunity while kidnapping people, including children, from numerous nations. In response, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) have been waging a war in Gaza.
Supporters of the war insist that a ceasefire will embolden terrorists and prevent the IDF from rescuing hostages. Critics note that the IDF has made grave errors, such as killing three hostages, more than 200 humanitarian workers, and thousands of children. Despite attempts by foreign governments to broker additional humanitarian pauses, hostages are still suffering in captivity, and millions of Palestinians are at risk of starvation and death.
At Girl Friday, we uphold the nonviolent ideals of Dr. Martin Luther King's Beloved Community. We vehemently reject justifications for violence that present terrorism as a permissible tactic or the inevitable response to unrest. We equally oppose the notion that civilian casualties are standard and acceptable, thereby diluting demands to protect innocent noncombatants. Prior catastrophes do not absolve current calamities.
In 1967, Dr. King wrote his final book and posed the question, “Where do we go from here: Chaos or Community?” We choose community. In doing so, we will continue to uplift calls for the immediate release of hostages, humanitarian aid for all civilians, and a permanent cessation of violence. We will continue to support organizations that align with our For a World of Good mission, like the World Central Kitchen, UNICEF, and Doctors Without Borders. And we will continue to promote equity and stand firm against bigotry in all forms.
Yours truly,
Girl Friday
