Son of Congo pleads for help. James Kazongo in Pretoria Central Prison with 19 more Congolese: in early Feb 2013, charged with plotting coup against president of Congo. SJ Dodgson. MJoTA v7n1 p20130312
Where, what is Congo; who is Congolese?
Click on the link to Congo and you will find that it is a country in central Africa; when Africa was carved up like a turkey by Europe in the 19th century, Congo was handed on a plate to Belgium. To this day, the official European language is French.
Do I have any idea of the political situation in Congo? No.
But I hear frequently from my friend inside Congo, pleading for international help to stop the ongoing crimes against humanity that results in women and girls systematically raped and murdered.
I am also hearing from my friend in New York who grits her teeth and does everything she can to help her sisters inside Congo with fundraisers and events to raise awareness.
Yesterday was sunny; the purple crocuses are in full bloom and I traveled with leaders of African communities to Delaware. Bringing food for an American citizen and her 3 young sons, because the situation in Congo has brought her quiet suburban life to a screeching halt.
They are children of Congo, and the father of the family, an American citizen who is a master chef in Pennsylvania and Delaware, kissed his wife good bye in January, and traveled to South Africa on business.
What happened after I do not know; all I know is that in the first days of February, he was arrested with 18 other sons of Congo (another was arrested a few days later) and the American Embassy in South Africa contacted the family and told them that he has been detained indefinitely while charges wind their way slowly through South African courts.
We know from South African online media that James Kazongo is the only son of Congo arrested who is also an American citizen. Reuters reported on Feb 10 2013 that James and 19 others were charged in a South African court on Feb 7 with "plotting such a coup which prosecutors said they planned to finance through mineral concessions."
And meanwhile, a daughter of Congo is trying to figure out how to keep her family's head above water in a safe, middle-class town in Delaware.
How did she get here from there? Janine grew up in Paris, and was in university when James came from the United States, looking for his life's partner. She came back to the United States with him as his fiancee; they married and built a nest and only after that, started their family.
After a decade of hard work and faithfulness, they moved into their dream home in Delaware. Janine was always too busy helping James, and then caring for the children to start her own career: recently she has been translating documents, and working in nursing homes. The African leaders want her back on her feet; working towards certification in nursing or child-care.
If you would like to send a few dollars to invest in the future of this family, please tell me and I will direct you where to send money, or how to pay her phone bill, or electric bill, or a week or even a few days of her mortgage. We need to keep the boys where they are until the end of the school year, which is June. At least that.
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Press Release from New York City Councilmember Jumaane D Williams
BROOKLYN, NY, March 12, 2013:
Council Member Jumaane D. Williams (D-Brooklyn), co-chair of the City
Council's Task Force to Combat Gun Violence, released the following
statement regarding a vigil march for 16-year-old Kimani Gray, who was
fatally shot by NYPD officers on Saturday, that turned into a riot in the area surrounding the 67th Precinct station house.
"Tonight,
we saw an explosion of anger from the youth in my community. We have
talked about this anger for years, but still the resources have not come
to address it. We have talked about the corrosive relationship between
our community and the NYPD, but still the Mayor and the Commissioner
have failed to address the root causes of this tension. Tonight, we saw
that tension turn in a destructive manner. I cannot and will not
condone the damage caused to property or to person.
"I
also cannot condone the continued refusal to hear the voices of this
community. This action, which some are calling an uprising, was not
about the details of one shooting; it spoke to the overwhelming
frustration that people are living through day after day. I am calling
on Mayor Bloomberg and Commissioner Kelly to join me tomorrow in walking
through this community, to see the situation first-hand and address my
constituents who demand real reform. I am calling on them to address the
lack of positive outlets for our young people, including the community
center which we are fighting to get built. I am calling on them to
commit to fully funding efforts like the Anti-Gun Violence Initiative
that will bring resources to besieged communities. All of these things
are needed in tandem. All of these things are overdue.
"We
cannot turn our anger against our neighbors. We must channel it
constructively and send a clear message to City Hall and One Police
Plaza that change must come. Without it, I fear this will be a long and
bloody summer ahead. In the words of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., 'a
riot is the language of the unheard.'"
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Slaving for slaveowners in New York City click here
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New York State Black Caucus Weekend in Albany click here.
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CACCI at Medgar Evers College of the City University of New York click here
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Fully recovered after being declared dead click here
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Malicious, vicious and fraudulent. Macharia Waruingi. Janet Ogundipe Fashakin. Lookman Sulaimon click here
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Halt school closures in Philadelphia: the school board has been derelict in its duties and needs to resign click here
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Honoring sons and daughters of Africa who are and were veterans of wars click here
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