The right hand over the mouth, the left hand like a pistol to the temple. During the broadcast of their anthem before kick-off of the African Cup of Nations semi-final against Côte d'Ivoire, the DR Congo players made a gesture of support for their compatriots, victims of the conflict between government forces and the M23 rebels in the east of the country.
Before the match, and following "the atrocities committed on the population (...) by the rebels", the DRC football federation announced that a black armband would be worn "in mourning and in memory" of the victims.
Bakambu's speech
In recent days, clashes in Masisi territory, to the west of the provincial capital of North Kivu, have led to further population displacements and dozens of wounded being rushed to overwhelmed health centres. According to medical and security sources quoted by AFP, at least six people were killed in Wednesday's shelling in Sake and, throughout the day, thousands of people fleeing the fighting arrived in Goma, some twenty kilometres away.
Since the end of 2021, two territories in North Kivu, Rutshuru and Masisi, have been in the grip of a conflict pitting the M23 ("March 23 Movement") rebellion, supported by units of the Rwandan army, against government forces associated in particular with armed groups calling themselves "patriots".
The situation has prompted several players in the national team to speak out. "Everyone sees the massacres in eastern Congo, but everyone keeps quiet. Put the same energy you put into talking about the African Cup of Nations into highlighting what's happening here, there are no small gestures," declared former Marseille striker Cédric Bakambu. Speaking to RMC Sport's After CAN, coach Sébastien Desabre also had his say on the subject: "We're doing everything we can to make our people proud. It's the image of the Congolese that we're promoting.
Text by BFM TV JA
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