Cardinal Fridolin Ambongo, the DRC’s senior-most clergyman, has been in Kigali since November 25th. The man of the cloth is attending the Permanent Committee Meeting of the Symposium of Bishops of Africa and Madagascar.
Ambongo, who is known for his vocal criticism of DRC’s failed regime under criminal Tshisekedi, has urged leaders in the region to prioritize peace and dialogue in his country.
As someone who has consistently condemned the Tshisekedi government’s failures while denouncing its handling of the crisis in eastern DRC, the Cardinal’s presence in Rwanda presents an opportunity for deeper engagement with pressing humanitarian issues faced by Congolese Tutsi refugees.
Rwanda hosts over 800,000 Congolese Tutsi of them in camps. They’ve been deprived of freedom and rights in their mother country, where the inhuman regime of Tshisekedi is persecuting their communities in an ongoing campaign of ethnic cleansing.
A visit by Cardinal Ambongo to one of these camps would not only be an act of Christian charity, it would also focus global attention to their plight. Also, such a visit would allow the Cardinal to witness firsthand the consequences of hatred and ethnic-based violence.
It could further serve as an opportunity for the Catholic Church to confront the harmful anti-Tutsi ideologies and hate that has led to their plight.
Cardinal Ambongo, true to his Christian values, has been an outspoken critic of Tshisekedi, accusing his regime of deepening divisions in Congo. He has specifically condemned Tshisekedi’s enabling of, and collaboration with terrorist militias including the genocidal FDLR, which Tshisekedi has integrated in his army. He’s busy arming militias such as Wazalendo, and a multitude of others to massacre Tutsi communities, basing on the terrible and unacceptable lies that they (Tutsis) are Rwandans (as if being Rwandan in itself is reason for any people to be massacred!)
Ambongo, a courageous man, has also called out the integration of FDLR fighters into Tshisekedi’s presidential guard, pointing out it’s simply wrong, not mentioning criminal.
The good cardinal can do further good by listening to the plight of Tutsi refugees in camps in Rwanda, to amplify the injustice they’ve suffered.
ellenkampire