Most recent information on the DRC

We hope you all had a great weekend.

There's not a lot to report about what's new in the DRC, but there is this one worrisome article, from the BBC.  

We'll keep you posted.

What we can tell you about the DRCongo

We've scoured the internet to find information about what's happening in the DRC after the election and disagreement about the outcome.  There's not much news, and that may be a good thing for the Congolese people.  Is it possible that the two main candidates who are contesting the election would prefer to resolve their dispute without violence?  We can only hope, and wait and watch.

This article, from the Christian Science Monitor, sums up the situation right now.

These are great photos from the Sacramento Bee of the few days after the elction.

There's also movement by the third place candidate, Vital Kamerhe, to use the court system to annul the vote. More on that aspect of things at AllAfrica.com

What do you think about the elections?  Valid?  Do-over?  Can they make something from this; some kind of coalition government?  We'd love to hear your thoughts.

Something hopeful for Wednesday

I'm going to wait until Friday for an election update on the DRC.  Today I want to share a story about a young person who is working to help her family and her country.

Sahar Dinar is a high school student in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.  She's originally from Darfur. This article, from the Chestnut Hill Local tells a story that is sad and inspiring and hopeful, all at the same time.  

And, as a word person, I can't resist... Here's the old chestnut: we can make a difference. Lives depend on it, and I think our humanity depends on it as well.

Another election update and Ubuntu

This article from the Huffington Post seems to capture most of what is currently known about the situation in the DRC regarding the election results. There's still so much up in the air, but let's hope that the fact that widespread violence hasn't broken out is a good sign, that it means there is another avenue for the Congolese people to resolve this issue.

And yesterday, Kathleen and I were invited to take One Million Bones to the International Village Feast.  This link will take you to information about the event and even though the event has passed, I'd encourage you to consider making a donation, finding a gift and donating it for a refugee child, or volunteering to teach English.  

Here's the thing: All of us at One Million Bones recognize that we need to be acting on many different fronts to make a difference in the world.  Naomi started the project to raise awareness of genocides that are occuring right now and to raise funds that will provide direct aid and comfort to people on the ground in countries experiencing crises. And we are doing that: We've hosted a 50,000 Bones preview installation in Albuquerque; we're working on another in New Orleans.  We're planning the Road to Washington campaign to raise awareness at a local level in all fifty states.  Your sponsorships of bones are providing funds for orgaizations working on the ground, and our partnership with Students Rebuild does both, raises awareness and triggers donations for work in Somalia and the DRC.  But there are people here in our own community who have been impacted by those crises, and we don't want to forget them.  So, if you're in Albuquerque, look into Women's Global Pathways-NM (email us at OMB if you'd like more information).  If you're anywhere else, there are organizations, like Catholic Charities just to name one, which work with refugee populations and which, I'm sure, could point you to solid information about where to go in your community to help.

The International Village Feast was celebrating an African principle called Ubuntu.  Ubuntu states that no man can survive in isolation- or a person is a person through other persons.  That goes for people who need help as well as the people who can give it.  We don't have to do it alone, we just have to do what we can.

Congo election results

After two delays, it's finally official: Joseph Kabila was declared the winner in the elections in the Democratic Republic of Congo. I guess the last step is that the supreme court must confirm it.

This article from the BBC is the most recent report I've found.

This is a profile of Kabila.

All of us here at One Million Bones are hoping that our brothers and sisters in the Democratic Republic of the Congo will be safe and secure today, tonight and from now on, and that the candidates who didn't win will not incite violence among their supporters. 

What we learn, we'll share here with you.