Former DR Congo captain Youssouf Mulumbu is calling on Paris St-Germain to reconsider its partnership with Visit Rwanda as he attempts to raise awareness of the conflict and humanitarian crisis in his homeland which has left people “living in fear”.
M23 rebels, reportedly backed by Rwanda, have seized the vital frontier city of Goma and vast tracts of land in the mineral-rich east of DR Congo while latest figures from the United Nations suggest approximately 700,000 people have been forced from their homes this year.
Rwanda has been accused by a group of UN experts of not only backing the M23 but also of materially benefitting from the mineral wealth that is being smuggled into the country.
Rwanda has denied this and said that it is only interested in shoring up its border.
The battle for control of Goma cost some 3,000 lives and led to rights violations committed by both sides, a UN official has said.
“The situation is very, very hard and very painful, and all this conflict is based on finance,” Mulumbu told Newsday on the BBC World Service.
“It’s not a religious or territory war. It’s a financial war and people need to know that.
“I received lots of message from friends who are living in Goma. They just tell me they’re living in fear.
“There are kids living without their parents, women being raped and burnt in jail. The situation over there is unbelievable.”
Metals such as tantalum, which is essential for the efficient functioning of a smartphone, are extracted from some of the key mining areas now under the control of the M23.
Mulumbu travelled to Goma a month ago, before the fighting there intensified, and friends of his have been affected by the conflict.
“My friend welcomed me in the city. During this fight, he tried to escape and he lost his wife. It’s just sad,” the 38-year-old said.
“I have no words to describe what is going on. It’s very hard for me, because I live away and I feelsometimes I’m useless.
“It’s been 30 years that Congo has been living in this situation and all we want is peace.”
