"He needs to preserve his life". The phrase echoes the tragedy of those who need to seek refuge. A silent figure on the stage, covered in coltan, bloody cell phones glued to his body; a distant war, for refugees so close.
Performance "No to the war in Congo", at the 1st International Refugee Day Festival, June 19, 2016, São Paulo.
afrosampas afro-sampas afro.sampas
Second largest country in Africa, one of the richest countries in the world in natural resources. Today, victim of its own riches by a war of almost 20 years and which has already resulted in more than 20 million deaths and disappearances - a war hidden in the eyes of the West.
DR Congo is a geostrategic country. Capitalist companies exploit their wealth without morality or respect for human beings. At the center of the dispute, which involves the government of Congo, Rwanda, Uganda and Burundi, is coltan, a mixture of metals. It is essential for the composition of the chips used in cell phones, notebooks, desktops and other electronics. Congo has no less than 80% of the world's reserves. The country is the scene of the bloodiest conflict in the world since the Second World War. The DR Congo's territorial space is similar to that of Brazil: two countries that have the greatest natural wealth in the world. The armed conflict in Congo is an extremely bloody war; kidnappings, rapes and massacres are routine.
RELATED ARTICLE: jornal.usp.br/artigos/et-toi-lafrique-et-toi-povo-preto-abre-os-olhos/
Performance: No to the Congo war, by Shambuyi Wetu
Songs: Biliwê (+ improvisation), by Yannick Delass
Screenplay: Josep Juan Segarra, Rose Satiko G. Hikiji, Jasper Chalcraft and Shambuyi Wetu
Camera: Josep Juan Segarra and Rose Satiko G. Hikiji
Edition: Josep Juan Segarra
Production: Laboratório de Imagem e Som em Antropologia (LISA)
Support: rIVER Movies
Project: Fazer musical e patrimônio cultural africano em São Paulo
Year: 2016
Duration: 7’56”