WE MUST NOT FORGET THE VICTIMS OF THE WAR IN D.R. OF THE CONGO

(Article of THE GUARDIAN – Thursday April 22nd 2010)

52 English rabbis signed Thursday, April 22, 2010 a petition published in the newspaper "The Guardian", to call the leaders of English political parties, in the election campaign, to commit to make the situation in the DRC a top priority at the next legislature.

Below their petition:

The people of the Democratic Republic of the Congo have for over 11 years endured violence, war crimes, corruption, humanitarian crisis, looting and rape on a scale that defies comprehension. In April 2007, the International Rescue Committee estimated the death toll in Congo since 1998 at 5.4 million. This horrific figure continues to rise at a rate of 45,000 a month. The additional consequences of disease and malnutrition has resulted in a rise in the death toll to at least 7 million, not to mention the millions of refugees.

What these shocking figures cannot convey is the scale of ongoing rape, torture and mutilation. In February, 15 women were abducted and raped by armed assailants – five were brutally tortured and then beheaded; three survived and were taken to Panzi hospital in Bukavu for emergency medical care. The remaining seven are still missing, presumed dead. The human rights organisation Genocide Watch lists Congo at the top of its 2010 list of countries facing ongoing massacres.

There is still no end in sight to the atrocities. Moreover, political stability and peace are critically important not just for the citizens of Congo, but for all those in the African Great Lakes region. Yet, to most of the world, the plight of the people of Congo remains invisible.

We have just marked Yom HaShoah, the Jewish annual commemoration of the Holocaust. When we consider the suffering and the scale of the atrocities in Congo, we cannot but recall our own 6 million victims of Nazi genocide. The "hear nothing, see nothing and do nothing" approach fails to fulfil the promise to "never again!" stand idly by while human beings are slaughtered. It denies justice to the victims and questions our very commitment to humanity. As rabbis we cannot ignore the call of our tradition: "Whoever destroys a soul, it is considered as if he destroyed an entire world. And whoever saves a life, it is considered as if he saved an entire world."

Accordingly, we appeal to all party leaders on behalf of the people of Congo. We all have a responsibility to speak for those who cannot. As a permanent member of the UN security council as well as a core member of the European Union, Commonwealth and the G20, the UK could and should play a more central role in mobilising world opinion to address the root causes of this conflict. We are therefore asking all parties to pledge an unwavering resolve to make saving Congo an absolute priority for the next parliament.

We recognise that there are numerous humanitarian crises around the world which require urgent attention. Yet the war and humanitarian crisis overwhelming Congo are on a scale that can no longer remain ignored. Now is the time for action, now is the time for leadership. We hope that all party leaders will heed the call.

1. Rabbi David Mitchell , Radlett & Bushey Reform Synagogue
2. Rabbi Dr. Tony Bayfield, Head of the Movement for Reform Judaism
3. Rabbi Danny Rich, Chief Executive Liberal Judaism
4. Rabbi Shoshana Boyd Gelfand, Executive Director of the Movement for Reform Judaism
5. Rabbi Professor Marc Saperstein, Principal Leo Baeck College
6. Rabbi Tony Hammond, Bromley Reform Synagogue & Chair of the Assembly of Reform Rabbis UK
7. Rabbi Peter Tobias, The Liberal Synagogue, Elstree & Chair of the Rabbinic Conference of Liberal Judaism
8. Rabbi Jonathan Wittenberg, New North London Masorti Synagogue
9. Rabbi Dr. Michael Shire, Vice Principal Leo Baeck College
10. Rabbi Colin Eimer, Southgate & District Reform Synagogue
11. Rabbi Jeremy Gordon, New London Masorti Synagogue
12. Rabbi Michael Hilton  , Kol Chai Hatch End Jewish Community
13. Rabbi Deborah Kahn-Harris, Southgate and District Reform Synagogue
14. Rabbi Janet Darley, South London Liberal Synagogue
15. Rabbi Richard Jacobi, Woodford Liberal Synagogue
16. Rabbi Miriam Berger  , Finchley Reform Synagogue
17. Rabbi Maurice Michaels, South West Essex & Settlement Reform Synagogue
18. Rabbi Kathleen de Magtige-Middleton, Middlesex New Synagogue
19. Rabbi Mark Goldsmith, North Western Reform Synagogue
20. Rabbi Rodney Mariner, Belsize Square Synagogue
21. Rabbi Sybil Sheridan, Wimbledon and District Reform Synagogue
22. Rabbi Sylvia Rothschild, Wimbledon and District Reform Synagogue
23. Rabbi Joshua Levy, North Western Reform Synagogue
24. Rabbi Steven Katz, Hendon Reform Synagogue
25. Rabbi Paul Freedman, Radlett & Bushey Reform Synagogue
26. Rabbi Helen Freeman, West London Synagogue
27. Rabbi Amanda Golby, Member of the Assembly of Reform Rabbis UK
28. Rabbi Debbie Young-Somers, West London Synagogue
29. Cantor Zoe Jacobs, Finchley Reform Synagogue
30. Rabbi Michael Pertz, South West Essex & Settlement Reform Synagogue
31. Rabbi Barbara Borts, Newcastle Reform Synagogue
32. Rabbi Ian Morris, Sinai Synagogue – Leeds
33. Rabbi Brian Fox, Menorah Synagogue – Manchester
34. Rabbi Irit Shillor, Harlow Reform Synagogue
35. Rabbi Larry Becker, Sukkat Shalom Reform Synagogue - Wanstead
36. Rabbi Neil Amswych, Bournemouth Reform Synagogue
37. Rabbi Stephen Howard, Southgate Progressive Synagogue
38. Rabbi Elizabeth Tikvah Sarah, Brighton and Hove Progressive Synagogue
39. Rabbi Francis Ronald Berry, Bristol and West Progressive Jewish Congregation
40. Rabbi Dr. Andrew Goldstein, Emeritus Rabbi of Northwood & Pinner Liberal Synagogue & Chairman of the European Union for Progressive Judaism
41. Rabbi Charles Wallach, Brighton & Hove Reform Synagogue (and former member of the President's Religious Advisory Council, South Africa)
42. Rabbi Michael Foulds OBE, New Essex Masorti Synagogue
43. Rabbi Jacqueline Tabick, North West Surrey Synagogue
44. Rabbi Rebecca Qassim Birk, Westminster Synagogue
45. Rabbi Janet Burden, Ealing Liberal Synagogue & West Central Liberal Synagogue
46. Rabbi Dr Frank Hellner, Emeritus Rabbi of Finchley Progressive Synagogue
47. Rabbi Warren Elf, Southend and District Reform Synagogue
48. Rabbi Monique Mayer, Member of Rabbinic Conference & Leo Baeck College
49. Rabbi Dr. Margaret Jacobi, Birmingham Progressive Synagogue
50. Rabbi Jeffrey Newman, Director Earth Charter UK
51. Rabbi Charley Baginsky, Kingston Liberal Synagogue
52. Rabbi Judith Levitt, Leo Baeck College Recruitment Officer

(Article of THE GUARDIAN – Thursday April 22nd 2010)

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2010/apr/23/victims-of-war-in-congo