Cardinal Ambongo made these remarks in a powerful Easter message. While acknowledging external pressures, he stressed that internal failures, driven by Congolese irresponsibility, are the root of the nation's troubles, and called for unity to heal a fractured country.
"The primary cause of our misfortune, lack of peace in our country, is not the people from outside, it is not the foreigners, it is not Rwanda, it is us, the Congolese," he stated.
Cardinal Ambongo further emphasized this internal failure, stating, 'Our irresponsibility has made it so that we pose actions today that do not allow the blossoming of peace in our country.'
These statements challenge the Congolese government's narrative that Rwanda allegedly fuels eastern DRC conflicts through M23 rebel support, pointing instead to the Congolese elite's disunity and greed as the true drivers of the nation's misfortune.
Ambongo criticized leaders for pursuing power and wealth while eastern regions suffer occupation. This selfish behavior, he argued, fosters despair, driving some Congolese to join rebellions due to frustration with exclusion.
He called for a unified effort to rebuild national cohesion and tackle both internal divisions and external threats.
Cardinal Ambongo also highlighted global corporations exploiting the DRC's vast minerals, forests, and waters, which deepens the country's vulnerability.
Internally, Ambongo flagged systemic issues fueling unrest. A corrupt justice system permits land and property theft, stirring public resentment. In Kinshasa, foreign traders dominate commerce, leaving Congolese feeling marginalized in their own homeland. Cardinal Ambongo warned that these grievances could ignite further chaos if ignored.
IGIHE
Source : https://en.igihe.com/news/article/cardinal-ambongo-pins-drc-crisis-on-internal-failures
