Hosting a Screening Film ; The Empire of Silence at University of Louvain - La neuve, Belgium.

"Thierry Michel, the Belgian film director known for his social and political documentaries, has dedicated much of his career to exploring the complexities of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC).

A history which begins in 1994 following the Rwandan conflict, when genocidal groups sought refuge in the Congo and melded together with the displaced civilian population on the other side of the border. The Congolese tragedy unfolds, a succession of massacres which gradually extend across the country, punctuated by long lines of refugees; populations driven out by conflict, first at the hands of foreign powers and later perpetuated by Congolese rebels and soldiers. The succession of massacres and the complaisance of anyone and everyone who happened to be in power is nothing short of dizzying. The film foregrounds the way in which former criminal militiamen infiltrated the army; there’s even a name for it: brassage. Corruption and indifference abounded on a national scale.

But the film also looks to highlight the inertia of the international community in the face of such horror. Witness upon witness have come forward over the years. The UN has established a special peacekeeping force, a fairly ironic term considering the permanent state of war in which the country finds itself. In addition to the ineffectualness of the UN’s soldiers, we learn of the scandalous Mapping Report which lists the massacres and names of each individual criminal but lies "rotting in a drawer"

To be noted; The University of Northampton in UK should be very glad to explore the possibility of hosting a screening of this film, Empire of Silence in collaboration with Justice Congo Group.