Kinshasa, July 1st, 2025 (CPA).- The reparation for victims is neither a favour nor an act of assistance, it is a ‘duty of justice’, has asserted the President of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), in his speech launching a forum on Tuesday in Kinshasa, on this subject. ‘DRC cannot rebuild itself on ignored wounds. The reparation is neither a favour nor an act of assistance: it is a duty of justice,’ has declared Felix Tshisekedi, in launching the National Forum on the Right to Reparation, organised at the Cultural and Artistic Centre of Central African Countries (CCAPAC).
The Head of State has highlighted the importance of these works, which are anything but routine. « This National Forum on the implementation of the right to reparation is not an ordinary meeting: it marks a decisive break with forgetfulness, indifference and powerlessness. It reflects the resolute commitment of a nation that has chosen to place the dignity of victims at the heart of its quest for justice and reconciliation, » he has indicated, being aware of the challenges of this meeting in the rehabilitation of victims of Genocost (Congolese genocide for economic gain). For the National Fund for the Reparation of Victims of Conflict-Related Sexual Violence and Victims of Crimes against Peace and Security of Humanity (FONAREV), which is organising this event with the support of the Ministry in charge of Human Rights, these meetings, scheduled from July 1st to 4th in the Congolese capital, are a time for listening, commitment and building.
Renewed commitment to provide a better environment for victims
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The day after the signing of the Washington Peace Agreement, which is supposed to put an end to insecurity in eastern DRC, the Head of State has reiterated his desire to provide victims with a better environment by emphasising justice and the right to reparation. Addressing the audience on the subject of caring for victims, the President of the Republic has insisted: ‘We owe them truth, justice and reparation. And above all, we owe them a future in which such atrocities will never happen again. It is also with them, without exception, that the heart of the Great Congo should beat with courage.’ Speaking earlier in the event, Mr Patrick Fata, General Director of FONAREV, has emphasised on the issue of the reparations for victims: ‘These works aim to take an essential step forward together as a resilient nation and people’. For him, to repair is not simply a matter of financial reparation: ‘To repair is also and above all to recognise; it means rebuilding lives, communities and broken social ties. » As for the Minister in charge of Human Rights, Ms Chambu Mwavita, the reparation is placed at the centre of national priorities through this Forum. « The reparation is not a luxury, it is a right, a requirement of justice, a foundation for lasting peace; it is also a strong signal sent to victims, » she has said. Many political and public figures have taken part in this activity. These works are part of a long process of remembrance which, according to the organisers, aims to finalise the national strategy and officially launch the reparation programmes. CPA/