Recently, a photo caught the attention of countless Instagram users around the world. Titled “Focus on Rafah,” the photo is a stark reminder of the dire conditions unfolding amid the ongoing conflict in Gaza, highlighting the urgent need for attention to the atrocities that are ravaging the city.
Now, a new image has emerged that is quickly gaining attention on Instagram and various social media platforms. Dubbed “All Eyes on Congo,” this latest viral image seeks to shine a spotlight on the protracted conflict that has plagued the African country for decades.
What’s behind this fast-growing movement and what turbulent conflict does it depict? We take a closer look at what authorities have identified as one of the most significant displacement crises globally.
What is “All Eyes on Congo”?
In recent days, a powerful social media campaign, #AllEyesOnCongo, has shone a spotlight on the ongoing violence in the Democratic Republic of Congo and sparked a passionate online debate. Initially sparked by an image depicting Congolese children with the caption “All Eyes on Congo,” the movement quickly gained momentum. Distributed primarily in German by the account @aslehrerin, which boasts around 3,500 followers, the image quickly garnered global attention, Forbes reports.
The campaign gained momentum after Friends of the Congo, a Washington-based peace advocacy group, endorsed the cause. The image has since been shared more than 800,000 times on Instagram and has gone viral on social media.
#AllEyesOnCongo crossed borders and struck a chord with people around the world, as original images and additional depictions of violence in the Congo were enthusiastically shared, highlighted by the campaign’s iconic hashtag.
Notably, Yannick Bolasie, a prominent footballer from the Democratic Republic of Congo, has lent his voice to the movement. On social media, Bolasie stressed unity with the message, “United we are always stronger.”
Focus on Congo
Focus on Rapha
Please continue to support Rio Grande do SulWe’re always stronger together
— Yannick Bolasie (@YannickBolasie) May 29, 2024
This movement is Check out the Rapha campaignThe incident drew attention following the Rafah tent attack that claimed the lives of 45 people, mostly women and children.
What is happening in the Congo?
As mentioned above, the hashtag #AllEyesOnCongo aims to draw attention to the prolonged crisis in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).
Commenting on recent developments, Bouleyma Hama Sambo, WHO Representative in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, highlighted that “the Democratic Republic of the Congo is the second largest displacement crisis in the world after Sudan, with more people being forced to flee violence since the start of the year.”
Forbes In a population of 105 million, a grim reality was apparent: the toll of conflict had tragically claimed six million lives.
The situation is even more dire when UN relief agencies reveal that more than two-fifths of children in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) – some six million people – suffer from chronic malnutrition, a dire condition that not only stunts their physical growth but also their cognitive development and, in severe cases, can lead to death.
Women and girls are bearing a disproportionate burden in this unrest: the Democratic Republic of Congo recorded more than 30,000 reported cases of gender-based violence last year, one of the highest in the world.
The violence is having a far-reaching impact and has led to large-scale displacement: conflict has displaced nearly one million people so far this year, exacerbating food insecurity and driving up prices in Goma’s markets.
“It’s really heartbreaking,” Ramesh Rajasingham, who oversees coordination for the U.N. humanitarian office, told The Associated Press. [and] What I saw was truly horrific. It is unprecedented to have so many people displaced in such a short period of time.”
The Save the Children report highlights the anguish of parents in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) who lament being separated from their children amid the chaos, with UN estimates revealing up to seven million people have been forced to flee, mainly in the east.
Sadly, civilians have also fallen victim to the ruthless violence perpetrated by armed groups. The UN Human Rights Office report noted 2,110 cases of human rights violations and abuses recorded between October 1, 2023 and March 15, 2024.
The report added that armed groups were responsible for 59 percent of these atrocities, including summary executions, sexual violence in conflict, abductions of civilians and forced recruitment of children.
Decades of conflict plague Congo
The conflict ravaging the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) has deep roots in a tumultuous history. The origins of the unrest can be traced back to the post-colonial power struggle that followed liberation from Belgian rule in 1960. The assassination of respected leader Patrice Lumumba reportedly marked the beginning of three tumultuous decades dominated by the iron-fisted rule of dictator Mobutu Sese Seko. Al Jazeera.
In 1996, Rwanda, concerned that Hutus were fleeing into the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and threatening Rwanda’s Tutsi community, launched a military offensive. The ensuing conflict escalated into the rise of Laurent Désir Kabila’s Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Congo (AFDL), who became president in May 1997. Allegations arose that the Rwandan military was committing atrocities against Hutus while forcibly deporting Tutsis.
However, relations between President Kabila and Rwanda deteriorated, and in 1998 Rwanda supported the formation of the Rally for Congolese Democracy (RCD), sparking the Second Congo War, which lasted until 2002 and was devastating, with more than three million lives lost, according to a report by the Council on Foreign Relations (CFR).
Despite a formal cessation of fighting, the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) continues to face a growing threat of violence due to the proliferation of militias, particularly in the country’s mineral-rich eastern regions. In particular, the M23 group, named after the 2009 March 23 Agreement, has emerged as a formidable force, re-emerging in late 2012 to seize strategic territory, including Goma.
International efforts, led by a UN-backed intervention with the Congolese army, temporarily contained an M23 advance in 2013. But recent years have seen a resurgence of violence, exemplified by the group’s aggressive actions, including the seizure of North Kivu province’s main town in 2022 and an intensification following the collapse of a fragile ceasefire in 2023.
Against this backdrop of turmoil, the effectiveness of initiatives such as the #AllEyesonCongo campaign remains under scrutiny, raising pertinent questions about the efficacy of international intervention to quell the protracted conflict, or whether it will simply be relegated to the realm of symbolic activity.
(Provided by agency)
