Student Assembly

Proposal for Institutional Action to Counter the Current Crisis in the Democratic Republic of the Congo

Introduction

The situation in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, despite the lack of media attention it garners, has been called “the worst emergency to unfold in Africa in recent decades”  and “the world’s deadliest humanitarian crisis.”  Even with numerous attempts to promote peace, including a cease-fire agreement signed in 2003, the violence continues today. Side effects of the struggle include widespread displacement, poverty, disease, and the atrocities resulting from the use of rape as a weapon of war. The basic governmental and social institutions of the nation, consequently, are too feeble to support the needs of its people. Most years, schools do not start their classes on time and the healthcare facilities are severely lacking in all parts of the country. A critical dearth of transportation infrastructure makes widespread trade next to impossible. Perhaps the most astonishing aspect of the situation is the incredible natural resource endowment possessed by the Congo, which has been called “a rich country where people starve.”  By all means, the Democratic Republic of the Congo should be an economic leader in Africa and the world. The groups submitting this proposal believe that the tragedy inherent in the Congo’s incongruous poverty deserves Cornell University’s attention. To that end, and keeping with the theme of President Skorton’s Africa Initiative , we call for action in the areas highlighted below. 

Cornellians for the Congo

Cornellians for the Congo is officially registered as a student group at Cornell University. It was founded by Nathaniel Houghton ‘11 with a great deal of support from a core group of student leaders. The group’s mission is to mobilize individuals and communities in North America to support the Congolese people as they advance their development goals. Professor N’Dri Assie-Lumumba is the group’s faculty advisor.

Cornellians for the Congo works in partnership with other student organizations on campus in order to engage as wide a cross- section of the student population as possible. Additionally, Cornellians for the Congo is connected with outside entities including the Presbyterian Church of Kinshasa and nonprofits such as Friends of the Congo. The group is primarily focused on fundraising for Congolese non-profits and the implementation of direct service. Additionally, there is a focus on advocacy and the cultivation of support for the Congo in North America. 

Cornellians for the Congo seeks to establish leadership and educational opportunities in the Congo (largely through scholarship funding) in hopes of building a class of educated Congolese youth who will be able to rise above these atrocities and re-stabilize their country. Cornellians for the Congo abides by a philosophy of capacity building, preferring efforts that encourage the Congolese to make their own road from poverty as opposed to those that emphasize one- way aid. At Cornell, we believe that education is the path to all progress and success. Thus, we must practice what we preach and help those who lack the same educational opportunities we have here in Ithaca. 

It was Nelson Mandela who said, “Education is the great engine of personal development. It is through education that the daughter of a peasant can become a doctor, that the son of a mineworker can become the head of the mine, that a child of farmworkers can become the president of a great nation. It is what we make out of what we have, not what we are given, that separates one person from another.” This outlook guides the work of Cornellians for the Congo and also reflects the ideals of this great university. 

Considerations

1) The first consideration concerns the original initiative behind this proposal, which was to elicit support for a proclamation in support of the Congolese people (a copy is attached). The Mayor of Ithaca recently signed a similar proclamation and students at other universities are currently attempting to obtain backing from their schools. Certainly, proclamations in and of themselves are not documents stipulating action, which is our true concern. Nevertheless, we view the proclamation as a starting point from which Cornell can explore further interaction and collaboration with entities in the Congo. Hence, we encourage President Skorton to support us in signing it.

2) Our second consideration is in relation to the situation that exists in Congo regarding gender- based violence. The Eastern Congo is notorious for its reputation as the gender-based violence capital of the world, as rape has become a norm and the preferred weapon of war. The numerous rebel groups, government troops, and even UN soldiers rape with impunity, abiding by the philosophy that women and girls are cheaper than bullets. The Harvard Humanitarian Initiative (HHI) is one of the few groups focused on the gender-based violence in the Congo. HHI takes an interdisciplinary approach, combining expertise in public health, medicine, social science, and humanities to advance research, practice, and policy in the field of humanitarian assistance to populations affected by war and disaster. Thus, we suggest a partnership with Harvard University and the utilization of our resources at the Weill Cornell Medical College to aid Congolese hospitals and health facilities.

3) The third area to be explored involves efforts focusing on institutional connections that can be made by Cornell with entities, especially educational, in the Congo. Opportunities for partnership with other American universities have already been mentioned, but fostering relationships with Congolese groups, including universities such as the University of Kinshasa, would create stronger and more permanent bonds. The exploration of exchange programs, research foci, and increases in scholarship funds available to promising Congolese students represent examples of the types of actions we believe Cornell should be taking in support of the Congolese people.

4) Our fourth point of consideration is the exploration of service- learning opportunities for Cornell students in the Congo. Our education- based programs model those already established through the Cornell Public Service Center and are based on proven curriculums. While we are capable of carrying out our trips on our own, and have indeed already made valuable connections with Congolese institutions such as the Protestant University of Congo, we would prefer to travel to the Congo and make partnerships with Cornell’s backing in an effort to improve Cornell’s standing. However, we do understand that with the current instability in the Congo, it is impossible from a risk- management perspective for Cornell to support service- learning initiatives in the short term. We do not begrudge the university for its response to this reality, and instead hope to simply survey possibilities for the future.

5) Finally, we propose the initiation of talks regarding university- led divestment from companies with a history of exploitation in the Congo. Considering the university’s support for divestment campaigns in relation to Sudan, we see this as a reasonable and achievable goal, though we are aware of significant challenges that exist in the current financial climate. Also, while we understand that the solution to the plight of the Congolese does not fully lie in divestment (as evidenced by the continuing struggles in Sudan despite efforts by universities), we believe this move to be a very important part of any institutional scheme in support of the Congo. A list of companies cited for exploitation in the Congo is attached. We encourage the university to take a serious and careful look at its current investment positions in relation to the Congo conflict.

Conclusion

Currently, few institutions (if any) in this country have taken any action to combat the growing crisis in the Congo; thus Cornell University should take the initiative and be at the forefront of this movement. In this sense, we should see the continuing war in the Congo as both an opportunity and a duty. Cornell should not choose to wait for other universities to initiate action, but to take the lead ourselves. Following our example, other universities around the country will be encouraged to take action as well, potentially leading to a coalition of American universities that together can pressure the US Congress and the UN to take further action in the Congo. We truly do possess the resources to make a difference in a region that desperately needs our help, and to turn a blind eye betrays the very core of Cornell’s philosophy of its place as “the world’s land grant university.”

Organizations and Individuals in Support (alphabetical order)

Active Civically Engaged Scholars (ACES) — Efrem Bycer: ezb3@cornell.edu

Coalition of Pan- African Scholars — Aleshadye Getachew: ag363@cornell.edu

Cornellians for the Congo — Nathaniel Houghton: ndh8@cornell.edu

Nigerian Students Association — Tomi Seriki: oos4@cornell.edu

Protestant Cooperative Ministries — Rev. Taryn Mattice: tbh2@cornell.edu

STARS: Genocide Awareness Group — Meredith Ann Shepard: mas356@cornell.edu

Student Assembly — Nathaniel Baker: ntb29@cornell.edu (pending)