photo by Peter Casier

The instability in the Eastern region of the Democratic Republic of the Congo has escalated in the past week as the country threatens to fall into further violence since fighting began in August between rebels and government forces and allies. The current situation has displaced 250,000 people, bringing the total number displaced Congolese to one million. Citizens have fled to a large, inhospitable area of the country without access to food, water, shelter or medicine. The only protection for thousands of innocent men, women and children are the UN Peacekeepers who are already stretched thin. This precarious situation could unravel diplomatic efforts over the past six years to stablize the this region of Africa.

A coalition of human rights groups, including ENOUGH, Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch and Oxfam have demanded that the UN Secretary General, Ban Ki-moon, take action now to protect affected Congolese and to prevent the situation from worsening. Ask Secretary of State Condoleeza Rice to support a strengthened UN peacekeeping force. Takepart today by signing Amnesty’s petition.

Stay informed of the situation with ENOUGH.