Congo Week highlights violence, injustice
Sam Jones
Issue date: 11/4/09 Section: News
Congo Week, which ended Friday on campus, aimed to raise awareness about violence and exploitation in the war-torn nation in central Africa.
The weeklong event served as part of a national protest against the rape, murder and exploitation of women and children in the Congo by military forces.
Participants saw "The Greatest Silence: Rape in the Congo," a documentary, that spotlighted how women in Congo have suffered through dreadful experiences.
"I felt the video captured the horrendous plight of the women of Congo that has been, for the most part, overlooked," said student Susan Kalkstein.
"Although the stories were disturbing, they definitely brought awareness to this devastating subject."
Congo Week also featured another documentary, "Congo: White King, Red Rubber, Black Death," which spotlighted the brutal reign of King Leopold II of Belgium in the late 1800s.
Other activities included a Rock for Congo Vigil in Grounds Coffeehaus. The Freematics and Kaylan Waterman performed, as did poet Deonte Osayande.
"I think the concert went well," said Osayande. "The guy that came in and spoke about the conflict brought up a lot of points and history of the conditions over there I had never heard about."
Osayande said many world issues are ignored.
"It's good to know about something we can help with," he said.
Throughout the week, members of the Hispanic American Student Association (HASA) raised money by selling wristbands for a dollar and, on one day, by hosting a benefit for Friends of Congo at Buffalo Wild Wings in Ferndale.
Congo Week ended with a cell phone boycott to bring awareness of the war in Congo, which has been fueled in part by battles over the mineral coltan, which is used in cell phones and electronics.
"Over the course of the week it seemed like turnout for Congo Week went pretty well as students seemed interested to find out what was going on and how they could help," said Osayande.
The weeklong event served as part of a national protest against the rape, murder and exploitation of women and children in the Congo by military forces.
Participants saw "The Greatest Silence: Rape in the Congo," a documentary, that spotlighted how women in Congo have suffered through dreadful experiences.
"I felt the video captured the horrendous plight of the women of Congo that has been, for the most part, overlooked," said student Susan Kalkstein.
"Although the stories were disturbing, they definitely brought awareness to this devastating subject."
Congo Week also featured another documentary, "Congo: White King, Red Rubber, Black Death," which spotlighted the brutal reign of King Leopold II of Belgium in the late 1800s.
Other activities included a Rock for Congo Vigil in Grounds Coffeehaus. The Freematics and Kaylan Waterman performed, as did poet Deonte Osayande.
"I think the concert went well," said Osayande. "The guy that came in and spoke about the conflict brought up a lot of points and history of the conditions over there I had never heard about."
Osayande said many world issues are ignored.
"It's good to know about something we can help with," he said.
Throughout the week, members of the Hispanic American Student Association (HASA) raised money by selling wristbands for a dollar and, on one day, by hosting a benefit for Friends of Congo at Buffalo Wild Wings in Ferndale.
Congo Week ended with a cell phone boycott to bring awareness of the war in Congo, which has been fueled in part by battles over the mineral coltan, which is used in cell phones and electronics.
"Over the course of the week it seemed like turnout for Congo Week went pretty well as students seemed interested to find out what was going on and how they could help," said Osayande.
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