In the DRC, peace will also come through religious authorities

As Washington and Doha work toward a comprehensive peace agreement between the parties to the crisis in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Congolese clerics are not standing idly by. For their part, they are also multiplying initiatives to facilitate a way out of the crisis. And the least we can say is that they are on the right track.

Indeed, following the consultations they had initiated with the various protagonists, the Catholic and Protestant Churches, which were at the helm, decided to broaden their circle by joining forces with other religious denominations in the DRC, thus forming an Interfaith Coalition for the Nation.

Thus, as recommended by the Congolese presidency, the said Coalition presented, at the beginning of this week, a common roadmap for the continuation of the process, and this as a prelude to the holding of the national dialogue, the date of which, for the moment, is not known.

This national meeting, which religious leaders are calling for with all their might, if it takes place, must be inclusive, that is to say, it must take into account all stakeholders, including the ruling majority, the unarmed political opposition, the armed political opposition, civil society, customary and traditional authorities, the Congolese diaspora and influential independent figures from the academic, cultural, intellectual and economic worlds.

But in the meantime, the religious leaders are announcing what they are calling a "month of peace" in the immediate future, which will be marked by ecumenical services aimed at building trust and easing the still very tense atmosphere in the country.

Will the return of peace to the DRC come through the religious establishment? This is the question many observers are asking, while hoping that it will be so, to the great delight of the Congolese people, who are suffering martyrdom. However, will both sides agree to overcome their oversized egos and play the game?

That is the question . Because, as we know, as long as petty political calculations prevail, the DRC will remain a veritable pandemonium where armed groups of all kinds will thrive. This is why the political elite would benefit from showing a patriotic surge to help the religious leaders pull the country out of the rut.

In any case, only frank, sincere, and inclusive dialogue can save the DRC. The agreements signed in Washington and Doha will only produce the desired results if the Congolese themselves agree to meet under a palaver tree to iron out the differences of opinion that oppose them. But as we know, since trust is not the most widely shared thing, there is reason to fear farcical farces by certain actors aimed at derailing the peace process.

As proof, while the steamroller of religious forces is deployed on the ground, fighting has resumed in earnest in the east of the country, between the M23 rebels and the Congolese armed forces, at the very moment when the mediators were hoping for a truce to facilitate the signing of a comprehensive peace agreement.

And to make matters worse, the looming prospect of the conviction of former President Joseph Kabila, against whom the prosecution has already requested the death penalty following a trial deemed expeditious [The former Congolese president is accused of treason, war crimes and complicity with the M23-Alliance Fleuve Congo rebellion].

This means that each day that passes adds to the confusion in the DRC, so much so that no one knows what tomorrow will bring. Everything happens, in fact, as if everyone is moving forward in disguise. So much so that they can, for the sake of it, make commitments that they are convinced they will not respect.

So what can the religious do? Will they succeed in disarming hearts in order to reconcile the Congolese? This is, moreover, all the harm we wish them; they must be commended for their commitment to wanting to ease tensions in a country constantly under pressure.