[{"command":"settings","settings":{"pluralDelimiter":"\u0003","suppressDeprecationErrors":true,"ajaxPageState":{"libraries":"views\/views.ajax,views\/views.module","theme":"hrw_design","theme_token":null},"ajaxTrustedUrl":[],"views":{"ajax_path":"\/views\/ajax","ajaxViews":{"views_dom_id:blog_live_feed__blog_body_block__296080__en":{"view_name":"blog_live_feed","view_display_id":"blog_body_block","view_args":"296080","view_path":"\/blog\/content\/296080","view_base_path":null,"view_dom_id":"blog_live_feed__blog_body_block__296080__en","pager_element":0}}},"user":{"uid":0,"permissionsHash":"0ae5601d8790ff50fca3cf23b9ac9170285f2f75823ebdc8d9cc054bc03a679b"}},"merge":true},{"command":"add_css","data":"\u003Clink rel=\u0022stylesheet\u0022 media=\u0022all\u0022 href=\u0022\/sites\/default\/files\/css\/css_rT06N1hzNwWZvlauEGw5ZNFVKBrR23ibx56HC8Lyx4M.css\u0022 \/\u003E\n"},{"command":"add_js","selector":"body","data":[{"src":"\/sites\/default\/files\/js\/js_svkrpusmrjSaaV8heRnsa8-TbrEsMLumxMQD8vstdR8.js"}]},{"command":"insert","method":"replaceWith","selector":".js-view-dom-id-blog_live_feed__blog_body_block__296080__en","data":"\u003Cdiv class=\u0022js-view-dom-id-blog_live_feed__blog_body_block__296080__en\u0022\u003E\n \n \n \n\n \n \n \n\n \u003Cdiv\u003E\n\u003Cdiv\u003E\n \u003Cdiv class=\u0022blog-block__content__description rich-text pt-6 mb:pt-10 mx-auto\u0022\u003E\n \u003Cp\u003ECan Congo\u2019s Roman Catholic bishops break the country\u2019s dangerous political impasse?\u003C\/p\u003E\u0026#13;\n\u0026#13;\n\u003Cp\u003EAt the request of President Joseph Kabila, Catholic bishops began consultations this week with opposition and civil society groups, seeking, as one of the bishops told us, a consensus that would prevent violence after December 19, the date President Kabila is constitutionally required to relinquish his office.\u003C\/p\u003E\u0026#13;\n\u0026#13;\n\u003Cp\u003EThe talks have included groups that refused to participate in or rejected the recently concluded \u201c\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.hrw.org\/content\/295340\u0022\u003Enational dialogue\u003C\/a\u003E,\u201d which would allow Kabila to stay in power at least until April 2018.\u003C\/p\u003E\u0026#13;\n\u0026#13;\n\u003Cp\u003EPreviously, the Catholic Church\u2019s Conference of Episcopal Bishops in Congo (CENCO) \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.cenco.cd\/index.php\/voir-toutes-les-actualites\/116-message-de-la-cenco-sur-le-dialogue-national-et-la-situation-securitaire-en-rd-congo\u0022\u003Eurged politicians\u003C\/a\u003E to renegotiate the national dialogue\u2019s conclusions and ensure that presidential elections are held in 2017. \u201cIt is imperative that it be clearly mentioned in the consensus...that the current president of the republic not stand for a third term,\u201d the statement said.\u003C\/p\u003E\u0026#13;\n\u0026#13;\n\u003Cp\u003EGiven its standing and popular support, the Catholic church\u2019s shuttle diplomacy has the potential to help avert a large-scale crisis in the coming weeks. The fact that Kabila requested CENCO\u2019S involvement is a positive sign, and is in line with last week\u2019s \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/ungreatlakes.unmissions.org\/sites\/default\/files\/261016_final_communique_of_the_7th_rom_en.pdf\u0022\u003Ecall\u003C\/a\u003E by leaders from the region for all sides to \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.hrw.org\/content\/295782\u0022\u003Ereinforce confidence-building measures\u003C\/a\u003E.\u003C\/p\u003E\u0026#13;\n\u0026#13;\n\u003Cp\u003EBut for any gesture of goodwill to be credible, it needs to be accompanied by steps to end the repression of activists and opposition supporters and allow for peaceful protest.\u003C\/p\u003E\u0026#13;\n\u0026#13;\n\u003Cp\u003EThat\u2019s not happening. About 15 members of the UDPS opposition party were arrested on Tuesday \u2013 the latest in a slew of arbitrary arrests \u2013 soon after several thousand people gathered for a burial ceremony of six UDPS party members. They had been killed during protests in Kinshasa on September 19-21, when security forces \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.hrw.org\/news\/2016\/10\/13\/eu-impose-targeted-sanctions-against-senior-officials-democratic-republic-congo\u0022\u003Eresponded\u003C\/a\u003E with excessive force, killing at least 56 people. The UDPS members were arrested while riding a public bus home from the funeral service and detained overnight before being released earlier today. Authorities claimed they been arrested because they didn\u2019t pay the bus fare. \u00a0\u003C\/p\u003E\u0026#13;\n\u0026#13;\n\u003Cp\u003EMeanwhile, the six members of the Filimbi pro-democracy youth movement who had been arrested were released today after paying significant fines. The five arrested on Saturday have been charged with rebellion and participating in an insurrectional movement \u2013 all for organizing a peaceful sit-in with about 30 people. A colleague arrested Monday after bringing food to his friends and taking photos as they were being transferred to the prosecutor\u2019s office has been charged with incitement to civil disobedience.\u00a0 \u00a0\u003C\/p\u003E\u0026#13;\n\u0026#13;\n\u003Cp\u003EIn Goma, the three activists from the youth movement Struggle for Change (LUCHA), arrested on October 24, remain in the central prison. They were arrested after trying to mobilize students to participate in a peaceful demonstration in support of a \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.hrw.org\/blog-feed\/democratic-republic-congo-crisis#blog-295565\u0022\u003Eroadmap\u003C\/a\u003E to overcome the country\u2019s political crisis, which calls on Kabila to leave office by December 19.\u003C\/p\u003E\u0026#13;\n\u0026#13;\n\u003Cp\u003EThe opposition coalition known as the \u201cRassemblement\u201d announced it will organize a public meeting this Saturday, despite a ban announced by Kinshasa\u2019s provincial government on holding any political public meetings. Human rights organizations, including the African Association for the Defense of Human Rights (ASADHO) and the Voice of the Voiceless (VSV), have denounced the ban as an illegal measure in violation of the country\u2019s own laws and constitution.\u00a0\u003C\/p\u003E\u0026#13;\n\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003C\/div\u003E\n\n \n\n \n \n\n \n \n\u003C\/div\u003E\n","settings":null}]