Congo Man Sets Himself Ablaze for Peace Favorite 

Practitioner: 

Date: 

Nov 8 2023

Location: 

Democratic Republic of the Congo

A video that was first posted on X (formerly Twitter) on November 8, of a Congolese man setting himself on fire has gone viral. The gruesome clip has started a discussion on whether a genocide is occurring in the DRC and is being ignored by both Africa and the rest of the world. The footage captured an unidentified male standing in the midst of a crowd in Kinshasa with a banner that reads “Stop the genocide in Congo.” According to the news outlet, the region is ruled by scores of armed factions, some of whom are reportedly supported by neighbouring nations such as Rwanda and Uganda, who aim to capitalise on the zone’s resources and gain influence over DRC politics. “The conflict in the DRC is fuelled by the competition for the rich natural resources of the region, such as gold, coltan, and cobalt, which are used in various industries and technologies,” reported BNN a local news outlet. Based on data by the International Organisation for Migration (IOM), the DRC has the world’s highest number of internally displaced persons, with 6.9 million people uprooted by conflict as of October 2023."

External sources: 

https://www.iol.co.za/news/africa/congolese-man-sets-himself-on-fire-in-protest-…
Posted by yulani.r on Feb 13 2024

Staff rating: 

0

Effectiveness

How does this project help?

Amplifies (issue or campaign)Brings public and political attention to an issue or campaign.  Can include prefigurative action, making the invisible visible.
Does nothing (at all)Doesn't really have an impact, beyond possibly expressing the artist-activist's dissatisfaction with the world.

Timeframe For change

This project seems to be part of a campaign with a clear short-term goal. Short-term goals tend to be things like: create or repeal a law; get a President impeached; make the city administration repair a sidewalk. A campaign with a short-term goal needs a clear theory of change, complete with targets that can be cajoled or pressured into effecting the goal.
Pay attention to the Congolese lives being slaughtered just as other places are suffering
This project seems to be part of a campaign with a clear long-term goal. Long-term goals tend to be things like: end racism; end homophobia; make the sun stand still in the sky. A campaign with a long-term goal also needs to have some kind of theory of change.
End the genocide happening in the Democratic Republic of the Congo

Notes

The video of the man setting himself on fire became instantly viral forcing some to acknowledge the genocide occurring there but there's been no substantial change or calls to action following that tragic video.