Fredericton hunger striker calls for 'Day of Peace'
CBC News
Posted: Aug 8, 2012 2:12 PM AT
Last Updated: Aug 8, 2012 3:21 PM AT
Frederick Mwenengabo hopes in Fredericton and cities across the country that church bells and city bells will ring at 6 p.m. as a sign of peace on September 21. (Susan King/CBC)
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A Fredericton man, who captured headlines across the country earlier this year with a 48-day hunger strike to raise awareness about conflict in his homeland of the Democratic Republic of Congo, is organizing an international Day of Peace this fall.
Frederick Mwenengabo hopes church bells and city bells across Canada will ring on Sept. 21 at 6 p.m. as a sign of peace, not just for the conflict in the Congo, but for injustices around the globe.
Mwenengabo recently met with Francophonie Minister Bernard Valcourt, who visited the Congo and met with political leaders there.
'I don't stop seeing how meaningful (the hunger strike) is for the millions of women and children whose destiny has been robbed.'—Frederick Mwenengabo
But Mwenengabo insists a lot more still needs to be done and hopes organizing the Day of Peace will bring more attention to the situation.
"I think the federal government and the province are looking at how they can support it. The city of Fredericton is engaged, actually, is giving support into it," he said.
Mwenengabo, who could have died during his controversial hunger strike and is still recovering months later, said he would do it all over again if it meant bringing peace to the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
"At any minute I look at it, any second I look at it, any hour I look at it — I don't stop seeing how meaningful it is for the millions of women and children whose destiny has been robbed," he said.
Hunger strike recovery a work in progress
Mwenengabo is looking stronger than he did after ending his hunger strike in April but says his body has still not fully recovered.
"My leg, it feels numb, I can't walk long," he said, describing some of the after-effects of not eating for a month and a half.
Despite the physical discomfort, and losing more than 20 pounds, he says he has no regrets.
"There are very few people who knew the problem but now they can relate to it. There are researchers in universities, in other human rights organizations now talking about Congo because of the hunger strike," said Mwenengabo.
During the 48 days, spanning from March through April, Mwenengabo lived only on water and salts hoping to attract the attention of the provincial and federal governments about the plight of his homeland.
Mwenengabo has said the purpose of his hunger strike was to pressure the prime minister into boycotting a summit of La Francophonie in Kinshasa, Congo in October 2012.
He also wants a warlord to be put on trial before the International Criminal Court.
In addition, he has asked that Canada make an official request to the United Nations to proclaim an international day of remembrance for the millions of Congolese slaughtered in the last decade of war.
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