CONFRONTING THE EMPIRE OF SILENCE: COMMUNITY-LED JUSTICE IN THE DRC
April 26, 12pm PT (virtual)

Facing a culture of impunity, communities in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo are forging their own paths forward to create and support sustainable solutions to ending the protracted crisis and finding justice. This discussion will delve into the various ways Congolese communities are seeking accountability by collecting testimonies, creating ad hoc truth and reconciliation initiatives and sustained advocacy at the local and international level. 

This panel discussion will be accompanied by a virtual screening of Empire of Silence, available to screen April 23-25.

About the film: For the past twenty-five years, the Democratic Republic of Congo has been torn apart by conflict that has been largely ignored by the media and the international community. Travelling throughout Congo with his camera for thirty years, Thierry Michel has witnessed the struggles, the suffering, but also the hope of the Congolese people. Relaying the appeal of Dr. Denis Mukwege, Nobel Peace Prize winner and founder of Panzi Foundation, Michel retraces the history of this merciless violence that has ravaged Congo for a quarter of a century. Based on a UN document, the Mapping Report, which lists the war crimes and crimes against humanity committed in Congo between 1993 and 2003, The Empire of Silence does not spare any of the key players, neither the Congolese leaders, nor the neighbouring countries, nor the international institutions.Traversing the vast Congo, from the mountains and forests of Kivu to the banks of the river in Equateur province, inspired by resistance and solidarity, the film seeks to break the overwhelming silence and end to the reign of impunity in DRC. Watch the trailer.

About the panelists:
Nathalie Kalombo - Born in Kinshasa, DRC and raised in Houston, Texas, Nathalie Kalombo is the Transitional Justice Fellow at Panzi US. A licensed attorney and practicing litigator, she received her LLM at Emory University School of Law, specializing in International Human Rights Law and Transitional Justice. To this end, she has worked with the Carter Center and the United States State Department on DRC and transitional justice related projects.

Namwezi Batumike - Namwezi Batumike is a gender and responsible sourcing specialist at Panzi Foundation. Prior to that, she set up Panzi's first jewelry workshop, as part of the ethical and inclusive value chain model that the organization has been developing. She was also Panzi's focal point for the National Network of Survivors of Sexual Violence in DRC. Namwezi did her Masters in African Studies at Oxford University and detains a BSc in International Business Management from the University of Applied Sciences in Geneva.

This event is part of the Rising Up for Human Dignity Series for Genocide Awareness and Prevention Month. Sponsoring Organizations include: Oregon Jewish Museum and Center for Holocaust Education, Never Again Coalition, PSU’s Holocaust and Genocide Studies Project, WorldOregon, Oregon Historical Society and Kol Shalom Community for Humanistic Judaism