Foreign Affairs Committee on Nov. 28th, 2018

[Anita Vandenbeld, Liberal, Ottawa West—Nepean, ON]

When you were here in Canada, we had the opportunity to discuss these programs. You said that Canada could train women to act as election observers, and those women could then train other women observers. Would it be possible, at this time, to hold a credible and transparent election and to witness a peaceful transfer of power? Would Canada or other countries have enough time to provide this type of training to women's groups? Women are credible and they're everywhere. However, could the presence of women observers increase the risk of violence against women in politics?

Mrs. Lusenge can answer first, then Mrs. Yende-Ashiri can respond.

[Julienne Lusenge]

Women are attacked because they run as candidates. A woman from Goma even disappeared. She was kidnapped and she hasn't been found yet. That said, many people in the community, population and villages are saying that we must now support women, because men have failed.

The men who have been in power, who have pillaged and who have stolen money will buy consciences with money. Women don't have any money. Since our people are poor, women who campaign are asked whether they'll provide a little something, such as salt, oil or a few medications. Yet the women have no money to provide, and they try to explain that they want to change this situation. However, in times of famine, a hungry stomach has no ears. Our people have been dehumanized by a group of individuals who have held power for a long time, who have systematically pillaged and who have destroyed the entire social system.

As a result of the support of Canada and other partners, we women have trained the trainers, who have then trained other observers. We can therefore help women who don't have any money benefit from the services of women observers, witnesses and mediators. These women are then able to volunteer, observe the election process and report on the process. They'll assist the other women candidates in the villages in order to increase the candidates' visibility and help the candidates use our machines to print the photos for their campaigns.

Women are standing tall. They're fighting because they want to have strong presence where the decisions are made. However, this isn't easy. The situation is very hostile. The groups of people of who have plundered the country for a long time aren't giving up. Nevertheless, women are standing tall. The public and youth support some women, the real women. We don't want to be represented by women who have been imposed on us and who constitute a mere decoration. We want feminist women who make our voices heard. That's why we're working day and night to defend the rights of women, to support them, to observe and to denounce any anomalies in a democratic election.

So far, the situation is uncertain. There's a great deal of tension and violence in our country right now. Nevertheless, we maintain that we must run in these elections and remain steadfast if we want the situation in our country to change.

[Yvette Yende-Ashiri]

I firmly believe that one solution is to turn to women who previously ran as candidates but were cast aside. They should be sought out to share their experiences and provide training. I also think financial assistance is key to encourage women to run in the upcoming elections. As you can see from media reports, not a single woman is standing for a seat yet, for the reasons Mrs. Lusenge mentioned. Women aren't taking the chance anymore. It's not that they don't want to run; it's that they don't have the money and fear for their safety. Therefore, Canada could lend support with funding or safety protections.

[The Chair, Liberal, Michael Levitt]

Thank you.

MP Duncan, go ahead, please.

[Linda Duncan, NDP, Edmonton Strathcona, AB]

Thank you.

Thank you to both of you. It's really important testimony.

I think we have to be pragmatic here. The election is less than a month away. Canada is not about to initiate some kind of a training program for the election.

Are you aware if there is already an international election-monitoring mission on the ground there that will be helping to monitor the election? If so, are you in touch with that monitoring mission?

[Yvette Yende-Ashiri]

I'm not aware of that.

[Linda Duncan, NDP, Edmonton Strathcona, AB]

There are international organizations that go to various countries. I'm not sure whether anyone has stepped in, given the violence there. I would encourage you to find out who is on the ground and is doing that, and then try to encourage them to do specific training for the women to encourage them to vote, to support them when they vote and so forth.

You mentioned Beni.

I'm sorry. It was you, Julienne.

[Julienne Lusenge]

Yes, we have—

[Linda Duncan, NDP, Edmonton Strathcona, AB]

Just a second, let me ask my question.

My understanding is that Beni is one of the places where there is the Ebola crisis. Given the violence that is still going on there, are you seeing problems? Is there any specific assistance that Canada or Canada talking to its allies can provide to make sure that somebody intervenes to protect the health workers there to get the Ebola under control and not spreading?

[Julienne Lusenge]

Your first question was about election monitoring. The Catholic Church is going to deploy as many observers as possible. In addition, an American organization called Freedom House, associations and young people have expressed their desire to volunteer as election observers to make sure the elections are conducted properly and thus bring the regime destroying the country to an end. All the women who belong to the associations provide training, as do some Congolese experts. As I said earlier, Canada contributed $280,000, or $301,000 Canadian, under the women, peace and security program. That money helped us train all those women, and we will continue to train and help women.

We need help to secure areas in which women are running. We want to clean up those areas. You've seen how the UN mission has fallen short. Despite being on the ground for more than 15 years, the UN hasn't been able to bring the fighting in the country to an end. If you keep pumping money into MONUSCO, Canadian taxpayer dollars will continue to support an initiative that will not lead to a solution. Why can't Canada lobby the UN and its allies to establish a military force to combat armed groups, similar to the Operation Artemis troops deployed by France in Bunia? Even our military says the rebels are Jihadists and that it can't contain them because they are waging asymmetrical warfare. The military is unable to gain the upper hand. How can women stand for office in areas occupied by armed groups, when they risk being kidnapped, raped or even killed? It is high time to help us clean up those areas.

This is not just about the December 23 elections. We have a process, an election agenda that goes right up to 2020. Local elections will be held in March. For that, we need Canada to not just provide financial assistance, but also lobby the UN to deploy military troops to combat all the armed groups and demobilize the areas in order to foster peace.

The focus needs to be on something other than the Ebola virus. The reason people in Beni reacted the way they did to health care workers treating the virus was that it showed the international community was more concerned about eradicating the outbreak—an important objective, to be sure—than it was about addressing the fact that the people in Beni were being slaughtered every single day. Some of them don't even sleep at home anymore. More than a thousand residents move around every night, looking for a safe neighbourhood to sleep in. They come home the next day. Children don't go to school anymore. The orphans produced by the massacres are not taken into account. How can people possibly stand in an election in that context?

The people have spoken: they don't want to see those in power stay in power. Help us ensure the elections are conducted properly. We hope the Catholic Church will be able to deploy enough observers and help us [Technical difficulty—Editor].

[The Chair, Liberal, Michael Levitt]

Thank you very much.

With that, our time is coming to a close.

I want to thank both of our witnesses for their most compelling testimony. As with much of the testimony we've heard for this study, it has been difficult to hear, but important that we and all Canadians hear it.

I really do thank you both for taking the time to testify before us this afternoon.

The meeting is adjourned.