What is your name and what do you do?
My name is Daniel Kalalizi. I am a student of Physics in Bukavu, capital of the South Kivu province, in eastern Congo. I’m also a climate activist here in the Congo. I work with many movements, local organizers and some international organizations.
Before the rebels of M23 arrived, our activism was about plastic waste and to oppose the use of plastics in our city, because they are very dangerous to our health. They destroy lakes, we don’t have as many fish due to plastics. Which is why, last year, before the capture of our area by the M23 rebels, we held many campaigns, actions, meetings with the local population about the use of plastics, and its consequences. And there was a rise against plastic waste.
As a physicist, I also worked with a local organization to transform our plastic waste into a cement replacement to be used for pavements.
And what has changed recently?
I’ve run many campaigns about climate change in our area and had many articles written. But it is very hard for me to move or do anything as an activist due to the occupation of the M23 rebels here, in our eastern part of Congo. They took our area two months ago. They began in Goma and one month ago they came here, to Bukavu city, the capital of South Kivu. The schools stopped due to the dangerous situation in which we were plunged.
They fought against our defense forces, the FARDC — the army of the Congo. They fought right here in our village, where I am now. The rockets landed on the roads near our house. Since their arrival here in Bukavu and Goma, everyone has been anxious. Activists were killed and now we don’t have any in our area because if they discover that you are an activist, you will be killed directly. Because of our activism, they think that we are against their movements and that we oppose their struggle. They kill people in whichever manner they want.
What do the rebels want in your area?
Their first quest is to control the area because when you control the area, you can do whatever you want there, because you are considered the owner. When they are in our city, our area, they control it.
When the war in the Congo began, it began here in its eastern part, over our mines. As we are here in the eastern part of the Congo, we have the highest level of mining and they want it. In North Kivu, in Goma, they mine and what they mine is sold in Rwanda for a low price. It is blood mining. To obtain it was to pour the blood of innocents.
We know our country. We say no Congo, no phone. That phone that I am using here was made by Congolese mining. No Congo, nothing.
They are also taking tax. If you sell flowers in the street, you will have to give something to them as tax. They control the tax, the mining, and the land. They do whatever they want. They control the movement of people, they control schools, they do whatever they want.
They say in their speeches that they are liberators, but liberators don’t pour out the blood of innocents. They are killing people with their weapons, they are taking people by force. They are not liberators.
And what’s your personal situation?
Some of my friends who are activists, they’re in another area. I am still alone here as an activist among persons with whom I work. People don’t study very well. We have nothing to eat. If they discover that you are an activist, you will be killed. If they discover that I am an activist directly, I’ll be killed.
My friends and fellow activists have already gone because they have passports. But among our circle of activists, I’m alone and stranded here because I don’t have a passport. And without one I can’t leave. In Kinshasa I would have an opportunity to get my passport and to travel as I want. I have missed many, many occasions to participate in conferences outside Africa because I don’t have a passport. But now, as we are in this war, it is even more difficult for me to get one.
But we are in the eastern part of the Congo, and Kinshasa is in the western part of the Congo. It will be very difficult to arrive in Kinshasa. So I have to go to the border of Rwanda, and there I can get a document which replaces a passport. This document can also allow me to travel to Rwanda and from there to Kenya or Ethiopia. From there I can take the plane and arrive in Kinshasa.
But something which can be difficult is to have money to pay for transport in the plane. But if I have the money I can even go tomorrow and get my passport.
What are your plans if you get your passport?
I just wish to be in security, wherever that will be. But I would like to return here to continue my studies, even if we are not studying like we studied before the occupation. We were working and fighting for our country, for climate justice, for peace in our country. But the people who are here, occupying our area, came here and destroyed everything. But we will fight injustice in our area.
My target is to save my life by obtaining these documents which will allow me to do whatever I can. And I would be very very grateful for any solidarity that can help me to get there.
