The offensive by the rebel Laurent Nkunda’s National Congress for the Defense of People, or CNDP, has dramatically worsened the crisis in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo. This latest fighting threatens to once again draw Congo’s neighbors directly into the fray in a damaging escalation that would effectively undo a six-year regional and international effort to stabilize the Democratic Republic of the Congo and the Great Lakes region.

The immediate crisis should not distract the world from a larger truth: peace in the Congo – and indeed the Great Lakes – requires a comprehensive strategy, robust diplomatic engagement, and a strong and capable peacekeeping force.  It also requires the world’s sustained attention. Intermittent and inconsistent crisis management must be replaced by a broader effort to deal with the drivers of endemic insecurity and atrocities.

Click here to read the Enough Project’s full statement on this crisis.

WHAT YOU CAN DO:
Call or write your Representative and Senators and ask them to urge the Bush Administration to take immediate steps to prevent the already catastrophic situation in eastern Congo from spiraling further out of control.

Sample Call Script:

Hello, my name is ______, and I am calling about the urgent crisis in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Civilians, and particularly women, continue to be caught in the deadly crossfire of this escalating conflict.  The latest fighting threatens to undo a six-year regional and international effort to stabilize the Democratic Republic of the Congo and the Great Lakes region. Immediate action and a comprehensive, long-term strategy are urgently required to end the violence and achieve lasting peace.

Thank you for your urgent attention to this deepening crisis.

Sample Letter:

Today’s Date

Dear Representative/Senator ____________:

As a constituent, I would like to draw your attention to the urgent situation in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. The offensive by the rebel Laurent Nkunda’s National Congress for the Defense of People, or CNDP, has dramatically worsened the crisis in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo. This latest fighting threatens to once again draw Congo’s neighbors directly into the fray in a damaging escalation that would effectively undo a six-year regional and international effort to stabilize the Democratic Republic of the Congo and the Great Lakes region.

The immediate crisis should not distract the world from a larger truth: peace in the Congo – and indeed the Great Lakes – requires a comprehensive strategy, robust diplomatic engagement, and a strong and capable peacekeeping force.  It also requires the world’s sustained attention. Intermittent and inconsistent crisis management must be replaced by a broader effort to deal with the drivers of endemic insecurity and atrocities.

I urge you to push the Bush administration to:
1.    Speak directly to all parties in the conflict.
2.    Urge all armed groups and regional governments to avoid cross-border adventurism.
3.    Support MONUC’s efforts to fulfill its mandate and protect civilians at risk from violence.
4.    Promote accountability for war crimes and crimes against humanity.
5.    Work through the Security Council to support a sustained international stabilization effort in eastern Congo, that also addresses  the key driver of the conflict - pervasive illegal resource exploitation by all parties.

Thank you for your urgent attention to this deepening crisis.

Respectfully,

Your Name

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