10/10/2026
Thirty years after the beginning of the First Congo War in October 1996, the Democratic Republic of the Congo continues to confront armed violence, displacement, foreign interference, and a persistent culture of impunity.
How long must the Congolese people wait for justice?
In this episode of Congo Unfiltered, Gaëtan-Dauphin Nzowo examines three decades of conflict and the growing international movement demanding accountability for atrocities committed in the Congo.
As the Panzi Foundation launches its End the Endless War campaign and Amnesty International mobilizes Six Million Voices for Justice for Congo, we explore why these initiatives matter, what they are demanding, and why lasting peace cannot be separated from justice.
In this episode, we discuss:
1) The October 1996 Lemera Hospital massacre and the origins of the Congo wars.
2) Dr. Denis Mukwege, Panzi Hospital, and the struggle to restore survivors' dignity.
3) Amnesty International's campaign demanding accountability for serious crimes committed between 1993 and 2003.
4) The 2010 UN Mapping Report and its documentation of 617 incidents of serious human rights violations.
5) The responsibilities of Rwanda, Uganda, Congolese authorities, and other actors implicated in the conflict.
6) The power and limitations of international solidarity, grassroots organizing, and human rights advocacy.
7) Why Congo Week 2026 must be an opportunity to move from awareness to collective action.
For thirty years, Congolese communities have endured extraordinary suffering. But they have also resisted, organized, documented atrocities, and demanded justice.
The Congo is not forgotten. And justice cannot remain an unfulfilled promise.
TAKE ACTION
Panzi Foundation — End the Endless War:
https://panzifoundation.org/endtheendlesswar/
Amnesty International — Six Million Voices for Justice for Congo:
https://www.amnesty.org/en/petition/drc-establish-an-internationalized-judicial-mechanism-now/
Friends of the Congo:
https://friendsofthecongo.org/
Join us during Congo Week, October 19–25, 2026, for conversations about Congolese history, sovereignty, justice, and collective liberation.
