"Let us make us slaves of truth"

- as Dr. Denis Mukwege declared; the outstanding surgeon specializing in treating women, who has been gang raped by militia groups in DR Congo. Dr. Mukwege is at once a scientist, a diplomat and an activist speaking up against sexual violence in conflict, for which he received the Sakharov Prize in 2014.

Dr. Mukwege seen at the center of a panel. He owned the stage.
He would throw in that one sentence, which cut through all well-meaning words:
"DR Congo is known to be the "capital of rape" -
yet not a single person has been indicted by the International Court of Justice"
The photo was taken by LCL.

Dr. Mukwege was a keynote speaker at the Peace Conference 2016 organized by The Yennenga Progress, this year celebrating the 250th anniversary of free speech in Sweden.

Thembo Kash 2014 on the DRC warlords left alone by the international
community, giving them plenty of time and space to sell
the natural resources of DRC for weapons.
They grow weapons for limbs.

Speaking in active verbs, Dr. Mukwege underlined the need for change. Rape undermines the entire social structure, when families are deliberately torn apart. To which he paraphrased the Gospel according to John:

"Know the truth and the truth will set us free. Free from war. Free from rape. And the list is endless. Let us make us slaves of truth, then we shall be free."

Thembo Kash, July 20, 2014 on the constant "revision" of The Constitution,
who tries to speak her case that she was promised not to be touched again,
to which the answer is that she must stop believing in declarations
and look to actions taken instead.

The truth. A fundamental notion of cartooning too as defined by the Danish satirical magazine Corsaren when attacked in 1842:

Corsaren never engage in telling facts or pose anything as a fact, but while attempting to satirize and allude to that which has taken place, the truth is the condition for the existence of Corsaren.

Thembo Kash transforms the fact of rape into the context of The Constitution. The Constitution is in place in DRC, but rarely used as intended. Attempts to undermine the existence of it are constantly taking place, and Thembo Kash has created a powerful image uniting the tragedy of the individual with the whole of society. 

- And in turn how the courage of the individual using his freedom of speech can make a change for the greater good: In 2014 Dr. Mukwege spoke decisively against a change in the constitution, which would give President Kabila a chance to remain for a third term.

Dr. Mukwege is seen below padlocking the Constitution against another situation of rape. The two commentators agree it could be a stepping-stone for a change for the better in society. The presidential election should have taken place in December 2016, but Kabila has had it postponed until 2018: 

Thembo Kash, October 24, 2014.
"DO NOT TOUCH OUR CONSTITUTION"

Let us make us slaves of truth.



The cartoons shown are courtesy of Thembo Kash and must not be reproduced without his permission.