According to Amede Kyubwa, Executive Director of MJPC, "Avenue Roi Baudouin, ex-trois "Z" during the Mobutu regime, now known as Avenue de Lemera in Kinshasa, the equivalent of America's Main Street known as Pennsylvania Avenue probably would not have been known as Avenue de Lemera without Lemera Hospital. Even the the most prestigious presidencial ship would not have been renamed Bateau Lemera if the completely destroyed hospital of Lemera had not been used as launching site of the AFDL war". A dozen pregnant women, several patients who could not move from their beds and several medical workers were cowardly and brutally killed. The hospital was completely destroyed after being looted.

"The launch of this site coincides with the 13th anniversary of the destruction of the hospital once considered one of the largest hospitals in the Democratic Republic of Congo". With a capacity of 300 beds, facilities covering over 40 hectares and a team of over 10 doctors including Dr. Denis Mukwege, known for his pioneering work in treating victims of sexual violence. Without any doubt the hospital built by the Swedish Pentecostal Missionaries represented the pride of South Kivu and served a population of around 4 million inhabitants.

 

The organizers of the campaign believe that although it remains unclear at this time on whether President Joseph Kabila who was also a senior officer in the AFDL army led by his father, had attended the official ceremony of launching the war in Lemera Hospital, it is quite logical to say that he came to power because of circumstances created in Lemera. The hospital remains n catastrophic conditions 13 years after its destruction despite attempts by local people to use a few buildings remaining. As a consequence, the populations the hospital used  to serve are dying without access to basic medical care because there is not another hospital around Lemera to serve as an alternative.

The petition to remind President Kabila to rehabilitate the Lemera Hopsital can be signed at www. http://www.gopetition.com.au/online/31274.html . Additional information about the Lemera Hospital is available on the website launched www.hopitaldelemera.org  
 
MJPC is a nonprofit organization dedicated to working to add a voice in the promotion of justice and peace in the Democratic Republic of the Congo with particular emphasis in the East where thousands of innocent civilians, including children and women continue to be victims of massive human rights violations while the armed groups responsible for these crimes remain unpunished.  www.mjpcongo.org