None of this is surprising. I think despite a fragile hope that these elections would somehow give way to new leadership in Kinshasa, all signs point to JK holding onto power by any means necessary. The part I can't quite fathom is the talking yourself into it. How does he manage to convince himself of what he is doing? Any trek outdoors makes it clear that the population is not in support of this.
I wonder also at the coordination between so many players. How do they all face themselves each morning? They must resort to adding preprinted ballots, menacing voters, and other techniques of cheating and lying. Perhaps the money they stand to gain is worth it all. Perhaps they really believe in what they are doing.
I was reminded of a book I'd recently read about rewiring negative messages from the past. The book discusses the science behind changing messages we tell ourselves everyday that ultimately lead to defeat. One of the biggest criteria for changing old ideas is simply repetition. In order to create new neural pathways, one has only to repeat an action, a thought, a behavior enough times to create a new roadway for it to become habit. Helmstetter writes, "programming creates beliefs, beliefs create attitudes, attitudes create feelings, feelings determine actions, actions create results." His main idea being that it all starts with the stories we tell ourselves. If we truly want to create outer change, we must make changes to the input first.
It makes good sense. The mind has incredible powers of manifesting the information it hears. We're just not always aware of the information going in- or we don't take the necessary time to monitor, filter, and protect our thoughts from damaging information. If I am ready to believe this will work for me, then I must believe it is the way those holding onto power in the DRC get through each day.
They simply repeat to themselves that they are in power, they deserve power and their lives depend on it. They are willing to do anything, including murder their own citizens, in order to maintain access to the millions they cypher each year.
But in reality, simply repeating something doesn't make it true. Not when there are others involved, a whole country of people rallying against you. You can't just talk your way into a dictatorship- or can you?
The American government has ordered its citizens to leave the country. The email was rather blunt.
Security Alert - U.S. Embassy Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo (December 31, 2018)
Location: DRC, countrywide
Event: The government of the DRC shut down internet services on December 31 in the aftermath of the elections. Phone lines are still a functioning way of communication.
Actions to Take:
It goes on to list other steps, but really, after the first one what more information do you need? However, this is not the first time the government has blocked the internet and phone systems. I recall something quite similar during the last elections. And several times in between.
Depart the country.
So what makes this time so different that the US government has decided to call for departure from the country? Once again the Congolese are left to fight the battle themselves. Despite the many social media posts, there are few articles about the election process or its aftermath, and among them, the language seems tame.
The ruling party is pulling out all tricks for maintaining control. It seems like the international community is busy talking itself into alternate realities as well. It's up to the population now to take matters into their own hands. Courage to the Congolese for 2019.
