From June 16-29, Canadian Church leaders and delegates will participate in a KAIROS-led delegation to the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). The DRC represents one of the world’s worst human rights and humanitarian crises, with shocking levels of gender-based violence. Leadership from Canadian churches, through representation on this delegation, is moved to respond, to witness what is happening on the ground in the DRC, to accompany partners and to demonstrate solidarity. The delegation also seeks to deepen the understanding of the human rights and environmental impact of resource extraction on communities in the eastern DRC, in particular the impact on the already appalling reality faced by women. The delegation will not only raise awareness among Canadian church constituencies, the Canadian public and the Canadian government about the human rights situation, violence against women and the impact of resource extraction, it also will make concrete recommendation to Canadians and to the Government of Canada on how to address this egregious situation.

1. PRAY WITH THE KAIROS
ECUMENICAL DELEGATION TO
THE
DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF
CONGO
JUNE 16-29 2013; FOLLOW UP
MEETINGS AND SPEAKING: FALL
2013

2. Please join us in learning about the work of partners in the Democratic
Republic of Congo; join us in praying for them and in supporting their
decades-long commitment to end the terrible violence that has gripped the
DRC and its neighbours.
Bukavu, on the shores of Lake Kivu in the eastern
DRC

3. The Democratic Republic of
Congo
 5 million war deaths
since 1994-the most
in any conflict since
WWII
 At least 250,000
women and children
have survived sexual
violence
 Enormous mineral
wealth that has
fuelled internal

4. Why a delegation?
 We hear very little
about the DRC in the
mainstream media.
Communications are
poor. Many Canadian
churches don’t have
partners in the
country. The
KAIROS delegation
will learn directly
about conditions in
the country.
 Hearing from
partners- from those
living with the
consequences of
violence and
resource extraction
day to day- is one of
the main goals of the
delegation. They will
witness to these
partners’ stories on
their return.

5. Why a delegation? (continued)
 The DRC is home to one
of the world’s worst
human rights and
humanitarian crises, with
shocking levels of
gender-based violence.
Leadership from
Canadian churches,
through representation
on this delegation, is
moved to respond, to
witness what is
happening on the
ground in the DRC, to
 The delegation also
wants to deepen the
understanding of the
human rights and
environmental impact of
resource extraction on
communities in the
eastern DRC, in
particular the impact on
the already appalling
reality faced by women.

6. Why “Women of Courage”?
 The delegation is a vital
part of the Wo m e n o f
Co urag e program, which
is rooted in KAIROS’
commitment to gender
justice and our history of
working with women’s
organizations and
movements on issues
related to human rights
and violence against
women, particularly in
the context of conflict.
 This program also
provides opportunities
for partners from the
Global South to visit
Canada to raise
awareness about their
work with women in
defending human rights
and building peace, and
to meet with women
leaders and human
rights defenders here,
particularly Indigenous
and migrant women.

7. What happens after delegates
return?
 Canadian federal
policy can play a
helpful role in the
DRC: IF Canadians
are informed about
the day to day
realities of
Congolese and,
guided by these
stories, speak to our
government.
 Every delegate is
committed to
hearing these
stories and
witnessing to them
when back in
Canada. They will
make presentations
to Canadian groups,
Members of
Parliament and

8. CIVIL SOCIETY ORGANIZATIONS, CHURCHES,
GOVERNMENT REPRESENTATIVES INCLUDING
THE MINISTERS OF JUSTICE AND GENDER, AND
THE CANADIAN EMBASSY.
THE DELEGATION WILL BE JOINED BY
REPRESENTATIVES OF OTHER CHURCH
PARTNERS INCLUDING: THE FELLOWSHIP OF
THE CHRISTIAN COUNCIL AND CHURCHES IN
THE GREAT LAKES AND HORN OF AFRICA
(FECCLAHA), CONSEIL NATIONAL DES EGLISES
DU BURUNDI, ÉGLISE DU CHRIST AU CONGO
AND CONFÉRENCE EPISCOPALE NATIONALE DU
CONGO.

9. Meet the delegation members
FromCanada:
 Danielle Dubuc: Public Service Alliance of Canada (PSAC)
 Mary-Ellen Francoeur, Sisters of Service : Canadian Religious
Conference
 Peter Lamont: Presbyterian Church in Canada
 Mungul Made (Marie-Claude) Manga: United Church of Canada
 Amelia Torrie: United Church of Canada
Frompartners intheregion:
 Chantal Bilulu: Héritiers de la Justice
 Monica W. Njoroge: Fellowship of Christian Council and Churches in
the Great Lakes and Horn of Africa (FECCLAHA)
 Perpétue Kankindi: Burundian Council of Churches
KAIROSstaff:
 JimDavis and Ian Thomson

10. The work of KAIROS and our member churches
relies on global partnerships. Here you’ll meet one
such partner.

11. Héritiers de la justice office, Bukavu
Héritiers de la
justice (Heirs of
Justice, or HJ),
has been a
KAIROS
partner for 8
years. Their
focus: An end
to the violence
that has
gripped their
nation; an end
to the impunity
that allows
perpetrators to
get away with
murder.

12. Maurice Namwira, current director.

13. Pascal Kabungulu, former director-
assassinated because of his work.
HJ’s work
carries much
risk. From
government
forces to
militias, many
groups do not
like their work.
Threats and
violence are a
day to day
concern. Yet
they refuse to
fall silent or
cease their
work.

14. Voices of Women
Violence has had a
particularly
devastating impact on
women. Staff member
Chantal Bilulu said to
Canadians in 2011:
“Until you break the
silence, you can’t stop
the violence.”

15. What does Héritiers do?

16. Héritiers de la justice offers the community
legal counselling, helping people stand up for their
rights.

17. Family counselling

18. Facing trauma
 Héritiers de la
justice also offers
trauma counselling.
Living with the
physical and
spiritual fallout of
trauma is a reality
for many
Congolese.

19. Women who have survived rape- Panzi hospital. HJ
offers counselling to survivors and accompaniment if
they choose to name the perpetrators in court.

20. Training for members of the police force.

21. HJ runs 21 Comités de Mediation et Défense
(Outreach posts)

22. ...and Peace Programs in 1000 schools

23. And a legal clinic. The project goal:
To help women
to combat sexual
violence. “If you
have been raped,
to remain silent is
to kill you slowly
from the inside.” –
Chantal Bilulu

24. Speaking out despite the
risks
Planning, flipcharts, workshops=

25. Maurice Namwira at work
Canadian
donations help
HJ with
everything from
the day to day
staffing of the
office to
community
counselling and
a health clinic.
Your support
has helped
address the
government’s
cessation of
CIDA funding in
2009.

26. Located directly across Lake Kivu from densely-populated Rwanda,
the aftermath of the 1994 Rwandan genocide washed up in Eastern
Congo in the form of armed groups fleeing retribution- or deciding to
keep fighting.

27. The DRC could be wealthy. 70% of the world’s coltan is
found here. Coltan is used as a signal booster in virtually
every cellphone in the world. Mineral sales fuel armed
groups.

28. The DRC is vast and has long struggled to recover from
long and vicious colonization under the Belgians. Here
people are waiting to vote in the 2005 elections.

29. An election observer at work.

30. Women walking to the polls in 2005, to vote for a national
government for the first time in their lives.

31. Men displaying the inked fingers and thumbs
which prove they voted.

32. Women are bearing the brunt of violence that
dehumanizes everyone- men, women and children alike.
Sexual
violence is a
deadly tactic
used by
many armed
groups, both
official and
paramilitary,
Congolese
and
Rwandan,
among
others. Yet
women are
refusing to
be silent.

33. Street children in Bukavu. Violence breeds trauma and
poverty, and all three pull apart families and communities.
Many street kids are orphans.

34. Bukavu. Poverty and poor infrastructure are constant
realities. There is no land route between the eastern and
western Congo. Transportation is scarce and difficult.

35. The DRC is beautiful, its people resilient and skilled, and
its potential enormous. But violence, impunity and poverty
are equally enormous barriers. What does solidarity look
like for us?

36. Principles which guide KAIROS’ partnerships:
 We m ust fo llo w the le ad o f o ur partne rs. We can
and sho uld suppo rt lo caland re g io nalpartne rs
who wo rk fro m the ir live d e xpe rie nce .
 Tho se partne rs willthe n de ve lo p the ir o wn wo rk
o n the g ro und. The ir analysis sho uld shape ho w
we the n addre ss o ur o wn co nte xt.

37. What can we do?
 Canadians, o ur co m panie s and o ur g o ve rnm e nt
m ust be aware o f the ne g ative im pact o f re so urce
e xtractio n o pe ratio ns o n co m m unitie s and a co untry
de aling with traum a, m any arm e d g ro ups, po litical
instability, and po ve rty. And we m ust act
acco rding ly.
 O ve rse as aid thro ug h CIDAand acco untability fo r
m ining co m panie s o pe rating in a co nflict zo ne are
two paths fo r Canada to take .
 Lo cally, we can le arn abo ut the curre nt situatio n in
the DR Co ng o , which unfo lds far fro m the
he adline s. We can pray. We can suppo rt partne rs
thro ug h o ur churche s and KAIRO S.

38. Thank you
 Your support has enabled both HJ’s work and
KAIROS’ public witness.
 For example: In October 2011, HJ staff member
Chantal Bilulu crossed Canada, speaking at public
events and advocacy meetings, and connecting with
other communities facing high rates of gender
violence, including Indigenous and migrant worker
communities. Together they shared their stories
and strategies and included hundreds of people in
the conversation.

39. Chantal and Penelakut First Nation member and
activist Jill Harris on Jill’s traditional territory, October
2011.

40. Chantal to Canadians:
 “… . it’s vitalthat wo m e n no t stay inactive , no t subm it
day afte r day, no r (just) cro ss o ur arm s. O n the co ntrary,
we m ust stand up, act, and de no unce . Le t’s bre ak the
sile nce , claim ing back fro m tho se who ho ld po we r the
use o f dive rse le g alinstrum e nts that pro te ct the rig hts o f
wo m e n. In so do ing , we can chang e the situatio n o f
wo m e n thro ug ho ut the wo rld.
 Le t allwo m e n o f allthe wo rld take the ir co urag e in hand
to co ntinue the strug g le , this strug g le that include s allo f
us. To ke e p o urse lve s sile nt is to killo urse lve s little by
little . May we be co urag e o us. ”
CHANTAL MAYANGA BILULU, Women and children’s
program coordinator, Héritiers de la Justice

41. In Vancouver, Chantal was graciously presented with a BC
Citizen’s Award to honour her work. HJ needs the support
and solidarity of Canadian decision-makers and citizens.

42. Chantal being interviewed by Radio-Canada about her work
while at the Montreal Lake First Nation health centre during the
Women of Courage visit, October 2011.

43. Montreal Lk, SK: Chantal with Women of Courage Cree participants Yolanda
(L), Theresa (R) and KAIROS staff Rachel (middle) who went to Colombia to
participate in anti-violence work with KAIROS’ partner the Organizacion
femenina popular.
Supporting
South to
South
connections
and
relationships
between
marginalised
communities
are major
priorities for
KAIROS.

44. With thanks for your support and hope for
continued collaboration....
 More information is always available at
www.kairoscanada.org, on our Facebook page and
at info@kairoscanada.org
 We welcome your participation in workshops and
events. Let us know what interests you.
 Our Women of Courage and resource extraction
work will continue to include the DR Congo and our
partners.
 KAIROS no longer receives government funding, and
your support makes a difference to our partners.

45. We invite your prayers for our partners, for the
delegates and for the peoples of the D.R. Congo
Please
download
our prayer
powerpoint
and use it
in worship
or personal
reflections.

46. The Anglican Church of Canada, the Canadian Catholic
Organization for Development and Peace, the
Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops, the
Canadian Religious Conference, Christian Reformed
Church in North America (Canada Corporation), the
Evangelical Lutheran Church in Canada, the Mennonite
Central Committee Canada, the Presbyterian Church in
Canada, the Primate’s World Relief and Development
Fund, Religious Society of Friends (Quakers), and the
United Church of Canada.
KAIROS founding members
www.kairoscanada.org