In late June,the
Congolese military picked up and detained Jean-Marie Kalonji and Sylva Mbikayi of the youth-led organization Quatrieme-Voie/Il Est Temps.
Jean-Marie and Sylva remain detained without charge or access to their
family or legal representation. They are still in the Military Detection of
Unpatriotic Activities (DEMIAP) detention camp where detainees are often
tortured and rarely heard from again.
|
Jean-Marie Kalonji
|
|
Sylva Kabanga Mbikayi
|
Owing to the gravity and urgency of their case, Amnesty International has
issued an URGENT appeal for the immediate release of Jean-Marie
and Sylva.
The members of Quatrieme-Voie/Il Est Temps are bewildered
as to why their top leaders have been shipped off to a military camp. The
fact of the matter is, while partnering with Congo Love, Jean-Marie, Sylva and the rest of the Quatrieme-Voie youth have been deeply engaged in serving their communities. They have
assisted women and children with legal service to get them released from
jail; they assist market women by providing them with benches and chairs to
improve the conditions in which they sell their products; they have worked
with the handicap community to provide services to them; and they launched
a scholarship initiative to provide university students
with scholarships to attend school.
|
Quatrieme Voie Member Engages
Handicapped Children & Adults
|
Their situation is dire. Jean-Marie and Sylva's place is not in a military dungeon.They should be in
their communities serving the dispossessed and contributing to their
country. Three ways you can help with the effort to secure their release
are as follows:
1. Send an email to Congo's Minister of Human Rights or send the
Minister a tweet to appeal for her intervention. Click here for sample letter!
Mrs. Marie-Ange Mushobekwa
Ministère des droits humain
Place Royal
Kinshasa-Gombe
Democratic Republic of Congo
Email: mushobekwa.likulia@gmail.com
Twitter: @MushobekwaMa
2. Share a solidarity statement or a 60-second video calling for the
release of Jean Marie Kalonji and Sylva Mbikayi
using these hashtags #FreeJeanMarie #FreeSylva #Telema
3. Make a financial contribution to support the effort to
secure the release of Jean-Marie and Sylva.
|