Rebecca Kabugho
Rebecca Kabugho (born September 3, 1994 in Goma , Democratic Republic of the Congo ) is an activist in the citizens' movement Lutte Pour Le Changement (LUCHA) in the Democratic Republic of the Congo . She became known as the world's youngest conscience prisoner.
Life
Rebecca Kabugho has four sisters and one brother. Her brother, Gautier Misonia, describes how even in her childhood she was very justice-loving within the family and had openly expressed her opinion.
Rebecca supported her older brother's activist activities. He received his mother's permission to take his sister to a demonstration march in March 2013. There she met many members of LUCHA and became involved in the movement from then on. The organization is committed to implementing changes in the Congo through non-violent resistance. The activist Fred Bauma reports on Kabugho's first active engagement with LUCHA; In November 2014, activists helped flood victims in Kalehe , South Kivu , with Kabugho assuming a leading role, although she was still a new member.
Kabugho is studying psychology at the Université Libre des Pays des Grands-Lacs . Bauma finds the choice of this course remarkable, as it shows that Kabugho is not driven by political theories in her commitment, but that it is “something innate, inherent” ( Fred Bauma : International Business Times) that drives her. She was in her third year of college when she was first arrested.
Arrests
In February 2016, Kabugho and five of her male colleagues were arrested. According to LUCHA member Jean Bwenge, the six were surprised and tortured in their sleep. They had prepared banners for a peaceful demonstration calling on President Joseph Kabila to resign on December 19 at the end of his official term . The Congolese should have voted by then, but the vote had been postponed until further notice. Anger that the election date had still not been set drove Kabugho and other demonstrators to the streets again and again. People died because police officers shot hard and criminals took advantage of the hour to settle old bills.
Kabugho and her associates have been charged with civil disobedience . The group was initially sentenced to two years in prison in a show trial , which caused a stir in the media. As a result, the sentence was reduced to six months on March 4th.
While in detention, Kabugho gained social media and international press coverage as she was the youngest conscience prisoner in the world. According to one source, she was 21 at the time, and 22 according to another.
Her health suffered in prison, but she remained mentally strong. Almost every day friends took food or medicine to prison. When her older sister died while in detention, she was allowed to attend the funeral service. She had to wear her prison clothes to do this, which frustrated her because she felt like a criminal, a fellow activist. She couldn't speak freely in prison. She was only allowed to meet diplomats and journalists in the prison director's office while his deputy listened.
Kabugho was released three weeks before the regular end of her sentence on July 26, 2016, following her presidential pardon.
On December 19, 2016, Kabugho and 18 fellow activists were arrested while demonstrating peacefully. The aim of the demonstration was the resignation of the unconstitutional government. They were released after a week.
"(I dream of a) New Congo where peace and justice, the security of citizens and their property is secured."
"(I dream of) a new Congo, in which peace and justice, the security of the citizens and their property, are assured."
Awards
- At the award ceremony it was said: Despite strong resistance, daily threats and the risk of being arrested, Kabugho played a key role in a series of non-violent demonstrations (...) Thanks to her courage, Kabugho has become one of LUCHA's main activists and an inspiration for many young girls in their country.
Web links
Individual evidence
- ↑ a b c d e f g h U.S. Department of State - Biographies of the Finalists for the 2017 International Women of Courage Awards , accessed April 7, 2017
- ↑ a b c d e f g h i j International Business Times - DRC: Who is Rebecca Kabugho, one of the world's youngest female prisoners of conscience? (English), accessed April 7, 2017.
- ↑ a b c Der Tagesspiegel - The Political Crisis in the Democratic Republic of the Congo - Face of Change , accessed on April 7, 2017.
- ↑ RD Congo - Actu: Le président Kabila signe 3 ordonnances de grâce (French), accessed on April 7, 2017.
- ↑ International Business Times - Melania Trump presents Women of Courage award to DRC activist Rebecca Kabugho , accessed April 7, 2017.
| personal data | |
|---|---|
| SURNAME | Kabugho, Rebecca |
| BRIEF DESCRIPTION | political activist |
| DATE OF BIRTH | 3rd September 1994 |
| PLACE OF BIRTH | Goma , Democratic Republic of the Congo |