User:Voice-of-the-poor/sandbox

Fredrick Wangabo Mwenengabo is a decorated non violent charismatic Peace and Civil Rights Activist, born in 1975 in the Eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) formerly known as Zaire now living in exile in Canada. He is the founder of the East and Central African Association for Indigenous Rights (ECAAIR). Fredrick has been detained or kidnapped and tortured by either rebels or government militia groups. According to the Governor of South Kivu in DRC, Fredrick is living in a self imposed exile in Canada and can return to the country any time he wants.

To friends Fredrick is also known as “Freddy”, “Lumumba” or “Mobutu”. He is known as Lumumba because of his passion and his struggle for peace and justice. Mr. Mwenengabo is referred to as Mr. Mobutu-former president of Congo/ ex-Zaire by his fellow countrymen because of his very well articulated speech address in conference in Nairobi organized to promote peace in his native country followed by a mass prayer lead by the catholic Archbishop of Nairobi, his eminence Ndingi Mwana’A Nzeki. The mass prayer and the conference brought together Congolese officials, senior governments representatives, United Nations Diplomats and NGOs from different spheres of work in the Region. His powerful moving speech left many people in emotions, tears and others in love. The title of his speech was: “Our People, our Land-Breaking the International Silence.” His speech was referred to by the representatives of the Jesuit Refugee Services and the UNESCO as that one of Martin Luther King Junior ‘‘I have a dream.’’. This conference was vital in the peace process of DRC and earned Fredrick respect home and abroad regardless of his age at that time. Even if Fredrick is not a fun of the United Nations double standards, Fredrick is always accused by his critics of being pro-United Nations. Many politicians in Congo see him as a threat to their political power and career.

He is a voice for equality and for the marginalized communities including indigenous people, raped women, children and refugees. In 2008, Mr. Mwenengabo led a regional research and published a report about the decline of the pygmy communities in Africa putting governments with pygmy populations on the defensive. In 2004, Mr. Mwenengabo proposed Civic Education to the government of the Democratic Republic of Congo as the commensurate commitment of the government towards a state of Peace, the end to long standing dictatorships and fight against ignorance among Congolese citizens. This idea was later supported by the Office of the Special Representative of the United Nations Secretary General to the Great Lakes Region. Since 2005, he has been advocating for an official United Nations International Day in remembrance of the millions of innocent civilians slaughtered in the Congolese war since 1996; and in September 2012 he succeeded to mark the first Remembrance Day (in Canada) for the victims of the war in Congo. In early March 2012, Mr. Mwenengabo launched a 48 days hunger strike (only drinking water) to influence Canada and the Francophonie Nations to take a leadership role in influencing peace, human rights and the rule of law in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). On the day 39 of his hunger strike, Fredrick lost conscience and despite collapsing he refused to stop his hunger strike and protest; forcing the Canadian government to agree to take a leadership role to address human rights issues in DRC. Besides influencing the government of Prime Minister Stephen Harper to revisit policies towards DR.Congo, Mr. Mwenengabo’s actions and peaceful campaigns have been the most influential in advocating for Peace in DR. Congo since the war started in 1996. This year Fredrick’s human rights campaigns have influenced the agenda of the 2012 Francophonie Summit held in Kinshasa forcing a Historic Resolution for Peace, Rule of Law and Democracy for DR. Congo which was passed by 75 Member States of the Organization International de la Francophonie (only Rwanda abstained this resolution). This is the first political resolution ever taken for any country since the creation of the Organisation International de la Francophonie in 1970. His hunger strike has received public support and has inspired Congolese in and outside DRC towards a state of revolution geared on the rule of law, democracy and human rights.

Mr. Mwenengabo has described the war in DRC since 1996 as “the wall of the Institutionalized Complicity and Conspiracy of Silence.” According to Mwenengabo between 6 and 8 million civilians have died in DRC as a result of this war but because of the guilt, the International Community and some NGOs try to play down the numbers of the slaughtered victims. Fredrick lives a very simple life of poverty and loves music. He described his affair with the poor people as that one of Pain and Love. I love quoting him: “When we talk about Peace, Justice and Human rights; no matter how diverse our voices and our languages are, the way we hear ourselves make us a sound with one voice. To be a Person is Godly, to be a Human Being is an Art; If you become my friend I am here standing in your shadow; The bad rivals of peace, democracy and the rule of law are those who pretend to be the protectors; when human rights work demands for an action, we will know where you stand.” He also loves quoting Mandela this way: “When we lose the right to be different we lose the privilege to be free” (Nelson Madiba Mandela)