More than 6 million dead and 7 million internally displaced persons: this is the terrible toll of thirty years of conflict in the Congo, the deadliest war since World War II.

Today, among the dozens of terrorist groups and armed militias present in the area, the Allied Democratic Forces (ADF) have joined the Islamic State and are persecuting Christians in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC).

In response to these massacres, the ECLJ has joined forces with other Christian organizations to alert international institutions to this growing persecution. These include the association Africa New Day, founded by Camille and Esther Ntoto, which works for the development of the Congo. Last week, we accompanied them to Brussels, to the heart of the main European institutions, so that they could testify to the violence prevailing in the DRC. Thanks to our support, they were able to meet with some fifteen influential members of the European Parliament, as well as representatives of the European Commission and the European External Action Service (EEAS).

We obtained photos and videos from Congolese associations on the ground, showing chilling acts of violence. The video we prepared for European Union representatives was, unsurprisingly but rightly, censored by YouTube, given the cruelty of the murders and acts of torture depicted.

As is often the case in this type of conflict, natural resources are at the heart of the issue: armed groups are seeking to control the country's wealth. Racial and religious persecution easily add fuel to this fire of greed. In this regard, the European Union has a crucial role to play: who does it buy its raw materials such as lithium, cobalt, and coltan from? From sovereign states capable of redistributing the wealth they find in their soil to their people? Or from armed groups that use violence to take control of mining sites?

Camille and Esther Ntoto granted us an interview in which they describe the situation in the Congo, highlight the geopolitical issues at stake in the conflict, and explain how we can help persecuted Christians and work for peace:

Our work does not stop with these meetings. With the information we have gathered, we have already submitted a contribution to the UN Special Rapporteur on internally displaced persons, ahead of her visit to the DRC from May 19 to 30, 2025.

We will also submit a written statement to the UN Human Rights Council ahead of its 59^th session to alert it to the targeted persecution of Christians in the DRC. The human rights situation in the DRC will soon be the subject of an official discussion with the fact-finding mission mandated for this purpose, in which the ECLJ will participate.

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