On March 11, 2025 the Coalition Nationale pour la Cour Pénale Internationale (CN-CPI) – RDC organized an event in Kinshasa in the presence of Her Excellency the Minister
des Affaires sociales et Actions humanitaires an event on the theme of : “Together for Territorial Integrity and Sustainable Peace in the Democratic Republic of Congo”.
Excellency, Honourable, Reverend, Madam, Sir
………………………………………………………………………………………
The National Coalition for the ICC/DRC and the Synergy of Civil Society Leaders are delighted to welcome you and invite you to take part in the Round Table on the Protection of Civilians during Armed Conflict in the East of the Democratic Republic of Congo.
Date: Tuesday, March 11, 2025
Time: 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Place: Hôtel Fleuve Congo
A warm welcome
The program
- National anthem and opening remarks by Her Excellency the Minister of Social Affairs and Humanitarian Action
- Peace messages from international personalities and organizations (ECOSYSTEM VLG world RIAVAT….)
PANEL COMMUNICATIONS
- Humanitarian disasters and international crimes in Eastern DRC by Professor Jean Paul SEGIOBE, National Deputy (20′)
- Situation of civil society defenders in Eastern DRC by Professor Carlos MUPILI (15′)
- International standards on the protection of civilians in armed conflicts by Professor MUKONDE (20′)
- Combating impunity for international crimes in Eastern DRC by Prof Mgr Pax André Marie KITO MASIMANGO, National Coordinator of the National Coalition for the ICC/DRC (20′)
Speech by Virginie Guignard Legros, co-president of ECOSYSTEM VLG world RIAVAT and founder of the ECOSYSTEM VLG world ANGELS network.
The speech in French
Text Speech for North and South KIvu
Hello,
ECOSYSTEM VLG world RIAVAT presents to this assembly its best greetings in these dark times in NORD KIVU and SUD KIVU.
We have been present in the area since 2019 in GOMA, BUKAVU, RUTSHURU, UVIRA, BENI and many others who live in conditions of violence unimaginable in the WEST.
RIAVAT and our first ANGELS NETWORK grew out of an ICC working group, and later expanded to include leaders of human rights, humanitarian and civil society NGOs.
Since then, we’ve followed the people of GOMA on foot along the roads during the last volcanic eruption that split the city in two, and again in recent weeks during the M23 takeover of GOMA and later BUKAVU.
I’m proud of my ANGELS because they didn’t want to leave like other international NGOs. They stayed at their posts with their friends, their families, their neighbors and our beneficiaries. Because their lives are here and not elsewhere.
Yet their lives are in danger every day. The situation is dangerous because mistrust is everywhere, on all sides. The situation is complex. It was complex before, but it’s even more so now.
Some of the soldiers of the M23 and its allies are child soldiers or former child soldiers. This means that their families are in the region. This means that their language, the only one they’ve known for years, is one of extreme violence.
And let’s not forget that war means two sides fighting each other, with the potential to perpetrate atrocities on both sides. No war is clean, and no one is ever completely innocent.
That’s why it’s important for those who can to gather evidence without having a preconceived notion of who’s the victim and who’s the culprit. This is a dirty war, like many others, and it’s important to remain neutral.
Neutral we are, and will remain, because over the last few weeks, we have developed a super ANGELS network in GOMA and BUKAVU to face up to another kind of war. A virus war to fight EBOLA and CHOLERA.
As we never wanted to take part in the United Nations networks, not only to maintain our independence but also because we were completely voluntary, we are not affected by their funding problems.
However, several weeks ago, we submitted an application to independent funders for $14 million, over 70% of which is earmarked for the purchase of vaccines.
We’re hoping to find one or more super peace funders to help us in this first stage. Because the contamination has already affected UGANDA and BURUNDI. It’s now a pan-African problem.
Thanks to Prof. Pax André Marie KITO MASIMANGO, National Coordinator of the National Coalition for the ICC/DRC and co-chairman of ECOSYSTEM VLG world RIAVAT for his invitation to speak at this event.
by ECOSYSTEM VLG worldwide press agency
