Stand Up for our Sisters in Congo

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URGENT ACTION: Stand Up for Our Sisters in the Congo "We have had enough. We call upon our global sisterhood to take action. We will not be quiet until REAL Peace is upon us."----Neema Namadamu, DRC On November 20th M23 rebels seized Goma, a major city in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, reigniting a war that has ravaged the region for 16 years. World Pulse Correspondent Neema Namadamu and our community of 200 Congolese women who call themselves the Mama Shujaa ('Hero Women' in Swahili) are calling on you and women leaders at the White House----Hillary Clinton, Susan Rice, Valerie Jarrett, and Michelle Obama----to take immediate action in solidarity with the women of the Congo.   Sign the petition on.org » Facebook  |  Twitter  |  Contact Us!

PLEASE READ AND SIGN THE ABOVE PETITION

(it takes just a minute of your time)

Dear Friends of Empower Congo Women,

It has been many months since I last wrote you about the Congo. I've been remiss not telling you of the wonderful projects that took place this year, and are continuing to do so, through the efforts of Empower Congo Women and its offshoot www.mamafricadesigns.com  A 2012 wrap-up is soon to follow.

But what's happening in eastern DRC right now takes precedence over my little blog. As I write today, my heart aches to tell you that Congo is at war once again. 

Rebel militias, who call themselves M23 and are surreptitiously supported by Rwanda and its western backers, have seized Goma, one of the major cities in eastern DRC. Once again, it's all about money-- about who will control the lucrative regional mines that fuel our modern technology. The rebels are reportedly on the march toward Bukavu, where most of you know I have been working.

The tragedy is that hundreds of thousands (yes, that many!) of people have been displaced by this latest aggression. And as always, the women and children suffer the most. Right now, torrential rains pound the area and will do so for the next 4-5 months; it is cold and wet, and the poor refugees have nowhere to go... and the outrageous rape of women and children will continue until peace is restored.

I am not writing you for donations. I am writing to ask for your signature. Please take a few moments to sign the above petition to move our government into action to stop the aggression against the beleaguered people of eastern Congo. Please do this one small thing that has the potential to help thousands of families. Things will only get worse if we don't make our position clear NOW!

On a more personal note, those of you who met Amani Matabaro when he visited the USA last February will be relieved to know that he and his family have been evacuated to another country until the rebels have been turned back and are no longer a threat to Bukavu.

Thank you so much for taking the time to read this and sign the petition!

With love and appreciation, 

Vicki