Bishop in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo says violence giving ‘temptation to give up’

The recent discovery of at least 172 bodies in mass graves near Uvira has shattered the fragile illusion of stability in the Eastern Democratic Republic of Congo.

Bishop Sébastien-Joseph Muyengo Mulombe of Uvira describes the recent calm not as peace, but as a deceptive “graveyard peace,” where violence operates silently and populations are in danger of becoming desensitized to evil.

He also issues a blistering critique of the international response, warning that a proposed American “minerals for peace” agreement is a “trap” that risks exchanging the country’s sovereignty and resources for a false stability.

Following are excerpts of the interview, edited for length.

Crux Now: The discovery of more than 170 bodies in mass graves near Uvira is a shocking testament to the brutality of recent events. Can you describe the current atmosphere in Uvira and the surrounding villages?

Muyengo Mulombe: We were all shocked to discover this sad reality, especially since we had spent 40 days in peace with the M23/AFC. We called it a “graveyard peace,” knowing our brothers somewhat from experience. You speak of a mass grave with 170 bodies, but in reality, it was two graves containing a total of 172 bodies, as the Governor of South