Kinshasa – “Poverty, widespread insecurity, targeted attacks against the Catholic Church, its representatives and its institutions, as well as an alarming rise in physical and verbal violence”. This is the picture depicted by the Bishops gathered at the Episcopal Assembly of the Ecclesiastical Province of Kinshasa , held from 6 to 13 May in Inongo. The Ecclesiastical Province of Kinshasa comprises the Archdiocese of Kinshasa and the following suffragan dioceses: Boma, Idiofa, Inongo, Kenge, Kikwit, Kisantu, Matadi, Popokabaka. In their statement published at the conclusion of the meeting, the bishops also highlighted other ills afflicting the people of the ecclesiastical province, such as “harassment along rivers and roads, the proliferation of checkpoints, inappropriate taxes, the abandonment of young people to their fate, corruption in educational settings and state institutions, delays in the payment of civil servants’ salaries in rural areas, and the isolation of various regions”.For some time now, Congolese river transport operators have been complaining about the administrative and financial harassment they face at the hands of the police, the military and public officials. The Congo River offers enormous potential for relieving congestion in Kinshasa in terms of the transport of people and goods, but it remains underutilised due to harassment and a lack of infrastructure.The Bishops have, however, noted some efforts made by the government to provide electricity and improve road infrastructure in certain areas of the ecclesiastical province, and have welcomed the authorities’ commitment to restoring peace in areas affected by violence perpetrated by the Mobondo militia, expressing the hope that these efforts will continue. The “Mobondo” militiamen are accused of having taken part in the violence that erupted in 2022 between the Yaka and Teke communities . The militia was formed in June 2022 following a territorial and customary dispute between the Teke and Yaka communities. The Yaka organized themselves into armed groups called “Mobondo”, named after “magical” amulets said to protect those who wear them from the enemy’s weapons. Depending on the source, the conflict has so far caused between 3,000 and 5,000 deaths, as well as tens of thousands of displaced persons. Mobondo militiamen have now reached the outskirts of Kinshasa, blocking roads and rural areas.
