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The Bishops of the Democratic Republic of Congo have condemned discrimination based on language, especially against Congolese Swahili speakers, and warned against division amidst the ongoing conflict in the country's eastern regions.
By Sr. Jecinter Antoinette Okoth, FSSA
The Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) continues to grapple with escalating violence, with tensions reaching new heights in early 2025 following the rapid advance of the M23 rebel group in the mineral-rich eastern provinces.
As conflict spreads and fear grips communities, the country's Catholic bishops have warned against growing discrimination and division based on language differences.
The members of the National Episcopal Conference of Congo (CENCO) caution that linguistic divisions risk deepening social fractures at a time when national unity is crucial.
“While our brothers and sisters living in the eastern part of our country, the Democratic Republic of Congo, particularly those in the provinces of North and South Kivu, are stricken by the horrors of war, in recent days we have witnessed a resurgence of violence based on linguistic expression in other parts of the country,” said the Congolese Bishops in a statement released on February 22.
The Church leaders lament that some Congolese are stigmatizing their fellow citizens who are speaking Swahili, which is one of the country’s four national languages, alongside numerous local dialects. They describe the situation as a “hunt for Swahili speakers."
Misuse of religious platforms
According to the Bishops, some “pastors” are using church pulpits and other religious gatherings to spread division, hence undermining social harmony as well as betraying the fundamental principles of faith, which should promote unity, peace, and coexistence.
“CENCO is all the more indignant to see certain 'pastors' exploiting the platforms of their churches and other preaching settings to hold speeches that incite discrimination, hatred, and violence against other Congolese men and women because of their origin, language, or morphology."
Let us go back to our social unity
Even though the DRC has faced decades of violence, political instability, and ethnic tensions, the Bishops have pointed out the need to embrace past instances where Congolese citizens demonstrated unity by electing leaders from different regions as a sign of cross-regional acceptance and cooperation.
They recalled a time when “a native of Congo Centrale was massively elected Governor and National Deputy of Goma. At the same time, candidates for President of the Republic from the West and East were genuinely elected on both sides.”
“Today, unfortunately, we are experiencing a regression that cannot fail to concern us,” they decry.
Maturity and solidarity
The Bishops called for maturity and solidarity for all citizens and warned that promoting discrimination under the guise of patriotism threatens national unity and undermines the pursuit of lasting peace. They therefore appealed for solidarity towards those displaced by war and insecurity.
“Do not be misled by those who preach division and the hunting down of Swahili-speakers, natives of the East or foreigners, as an expression of patriotism and paths to peace for our country,” read the Bishops' statement. “We invite compassion and solidarity towards those brothers and sisters who find themselves forced by war and insecurity to leave their lands and homes, and to offer them hospitality in our families and in our safe places.”
The Bishops called on the government to take full responsibility to ensure all sectors of the Congolese population are protected and that there is social cohesion and good living together for all races and ethnic groups in the DRC.
VaticanNews
