Football

Congolese players protest against armed violence before AFCON semi-final match

DR Congo's players gesture ahead of the Africa Cup of Nations 2023 semi-final football match against Ivory Coast at Alassane Ouattara Olympic Stadium in Ebimpe, Abidjan on February 7, 2024. (Photo: Franck Fife/AFP)

By Foreign Correspondent | Thursday, February 8, 2024

DR Congo football players staged a silent protest against the ongoing bitter conflict in the mineral-rich eastern region as they faced Ivory Coast in an AFCON semi-final game on Wednesday evening.

During the Congolese anthem ahead of the game, the players wore black armbands and held their right hands in front of their mouths and two fingers to their temples, aiming to draw attention to the killings in eastern Congo, where clashes between the army and M23 rebels have displaced thousands.

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Their French coach, Sebastien Desabre, also expressed his solidarity with the protest.

“It was a message to show support to the victims and to notify people that there are indeed things happening in the east and that it is necessary to shed light on them. People are disappointed about that, too,” Desabre said after his team’s 1-0 loss.

“A national football team is a driving force for a nation. And this evening, it was also our duty to be able to inform you of what is happening behind the scenes,” Desabre said.

Captain Chancel Mbemba and forward Cedric Bakambu had previously tried to raise awareness about the issue on social media on Monday. Furthermore, the issue received a brief mention during Tuesday's pre-game press conference.

Troops from the Southern African Development Community (SADC) were deployed on Wednesday along the route from Goma to the neighbouring town of Sake as civilians fled the recent offensive by the Rwandan-backed M23 rebel militia.

On February 6 and 7, Al Jazeera reported that concern is growing in DR Congo after M23 rebels encircled the strategic town of Sake, a small town located at the northwestern extremity of Lake Kivu, just about 25 kilometres northwest of Goma.

It is reported that the Congolese army coalition and UN peacekeepers have been struggling to contain the armed group’s advance to Goma.