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class=\u0022js-view-dom-id-blog_live_feed__blog_body_block__305775__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 \u003Cdiv class=\u0022embed\u0022 data-type=\u0022image\u0022\u003E\n\n\n \n\n\n\u003Cdiv class=\u0022embed align-center embedded-entity embedded-entity-type-media embedded-entity-bundle-image embedded-entity-viewmode-embeddable embed--center\u0022 xmlns:xlink=\u0022http:\/\/www.w3.org\/1999\/xlink\u0022\u003E\n \n\n\u003Cdiv\u003E\n \n \n\n\n\n\u003Cfigure class=\u0022figure figure--expand text-center info \u0022\u003E\n \u003Cdiv class=\u0022figure__media relative inline-block mx-auto\u0022\u003E\n \u003Ca href=\u0022\/modal\/30627\u0022 rel=\u0022modal:open\u0022 class=\u0022figure__link\u0022\u003E\n \u003Cimg loading=\u0022lazy\u0022 srcset=\u0022\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/480w\/public\/multimedia_images_2017\/rtx2w154_layout_comp.jpg?itok=CbM9AOBf 480w, \/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/embed_xxl\/public\/multimedia_images_2017\/rtx2w154_layout_comp.jpg?itok=8X27Ynbj 946w\u0022 sizes=\u0022(max-width: 524px) 100px, 500px\u0022 width=\u0022946\u0022 height=\u0022590\u0022 data-responsive-image-style=\u0022embedded_images\u0022 src=\u0022\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/embed_xxl\/public\/multimedia_images_2017\/rtx2w154_layout_comp.jpg?itok=8X27Ynbj\u0022 alt=\u0022Congolese Catholic Church (CENCO) Bishops Fidele Nsielele (left), Marcel Utembi (center), and Fridolin Ambongo (right) arrive to mediate talks between the opposition and the government of President Joseph Kabila in the Democratic Republic of Congo\u0027s capit\u0022\u003E\n\n\n\n \u003Cdiv class=\u0022figure__expand absolute block bottom-0 right-0 w-8 h-8 bg-white text-gray-700\u0022\u003E\n \u003Cspan class=\u0022sr-only\u0022\u003EClick to expand Image\u003C\/span\u003E\n \n\n\n\u003Cdiv class=\u0022icon fill-current w-full inline-block\u0022\u003E\n \u003Csvg viewBox=\u00220 0 20 20\u0022 fill=\u0022currentColor\u0022 role=\u0022img\u0022 focusable=\u0022false\u0022 aria-hidden=\u0022true\u0022\u003E\n \u003Cuse xlink:href=\u0022\/themes\/custom\/hrw_design\/dist\/app-drupal\/assets\/spritemap.svg?cacheBuster=250315#sprite-expand\u0022 \/\u003E\n \u003C\/svg\u003E\n\u003C\/div\u003E\n \u003C\/div\u003E\n \u003C\/a\u003E\n \u003C\/div\u003E\n \u003Cfigcaption class=\u0022figure__info text-left font-serif text-xs md:text-sm lg:text-base mx-auto text-gray-700 mt-1\u0022\u003E\n \u003Cspan class=\u0022figure__caption\u0022\u003ECongolese Catholic Church (CENCO) Bishops Fidele Nsielele (left), Marcel Utembi (center), and Fridolin Ambongo (right) arrive to mediate talks between the opposition and the government of President Joseph Kabila in the Democratic Republic of Congo\u0027s capital Kinshasa, December 21, 2016.\n\u003C\/span\u003E\n \u003Cspan class=\u0022figure__credit\u0022\u003E\u00a9 2016 Reuters\u003C\/span\u003E\n \u003C\/figcaption\u003E\n \u003C\/figure\u003E\n\u003C\/div\u003E\n\n \u003C\/div\u003E\n\n\n\n\n\u003C\/div\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003EReligious leaders in the Democratic Republic of Congo have expressed concern that the country is in a \u201cvery bad state\u201d and called on Congolese to \u201cstand up\u201d and \u201ctake [their] destiny into [their] own hands.\u201d\u003Cbr\u003E\u003Cbr\u003E\n\tThe dire warning came in a statement on Friday from the 49 archbishops and bishops of Congo\u2019s influential national Episcopal conference (CENCO) after a week-long meeting in the capital, Kinshasa.\u003Cbr\u003E\u003Cbr\u003E\n\tThe church leaders painted a somber picture of the country\u2019s challenges: The economic crisis is worsening \u201cby the day,\u201d leading to an \u201cexplosion\u201d of unemployed youth and making families struggle to make ends meet. They decried the \u201calmost generalized insecurity,\u201d from the horrific violence in the central Kasai region to the presence of foreign armed groups, clashes between government security forces and armed groups, inter-ethnic violence, kidnappings, abductions, and \u201capparently planned\u201d prison breaks across the country. The bishops said restrictions on free expression and peaceful demonstrations have only increased, and that \u201cinstead of confidence building measures,\u201d we have instead seen a \u201chardening\u201d of those in power.\u003Cbr\u003E\u003Cbr\u003E\n\tThe bishops blamed the dizzying array of challenges largely on the failure to hold elections in accordance with the constitution. They said it was \u201cunacceptable\u201d that a minority of Congolese people had \u201cdecided to take hostage the lives of millions\u201d of others.\u003Cbr\u003E\u003Cbr\u003E\n\tThey reiterated their call for all signatories to respect and fully implement the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.hrw.org\/content\/298259\u0022\u003ENew Year\u2019s Eve agreement\u003C\/a\u003E, which was mediated by CENCO and signed on December 31, 2016. The deal included clear commitments to hold elections by the end of 2017 and that President Joseph Kabila would not be a candidate or amend the constitution. The deal also provided for the main opposition coalition to lead the transitional government as well as a national oversight council, and measures would be taken to open political space. These commitments have largely been \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.hrw.org\/content\/303459\u0022\u003Eignored\u003C\/a\u003E, and as a result, CENCO\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.hrw.org\/content\/301958\u0022\u003Ewithdrew\u003C\/a\u003E from its mediation role in late March.\u003Cbr\u003E\u003Cbr\u003E\n\tThe bishops also called for the establishment of a \u201cserious and objective\u201d investigation in the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.hrw.org\/content\/305715\u0022\u003EKasai region\u003C\/a\u003E. The United Nations Human Rights Council adopted a\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.ohchr.org\/EN\/NewsEvents\/Pages\/media.aspx?IsMediaPage=true\u0022\u003Eresolution\u003C\/a\u003E on Friday directing the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights to send a team of independent international experts to investigate alleged human rights violations and abuses in Congo\u2019s central region. The resolution\u2019s full implementation will be critical for ensuring justice.\u003Cbr\u003E\u003Cbr\u003E\n\tRead CENCO\u2019s full statement \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/cenco.cd\/pays-va-tres-mal-debout-congolais-message-de-54-eme-assemblee-pleniere-ordinaire-eveques-membres-de-cenco\/\u0022\u003Ehere\u003C\/a\u003E (in French).\u003C\/p\u003E\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},{"command":"insert","method":"prepend","selector":".js-view-dom-id-blog_live_feed__blog_body_block__305775__en","data":"","settings":null}]