YPN film screening

What was this?

On 22 April 2008 YPN's 'Working For Peace' strand held their second film screening and discussion event in Portcullis House. The film in focus was 'Congo: Children of the Genocide' - an excellent portrayal of the continuing conflict in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).

What's the film about?

This film, part of Channel 4's acclaimed Unreported World series, is an extraordinary insight into the bloody conflict in eastern DRC. It depicts the terrible hold over the region by Hutu extremists, associated closely with the Interahamwe - the militia responsible for the Rwandan genocide. The DRC is one of the world's worst ongoing humanitarian crisis. Within the last 10 years, the conflict has resulted in around 5.5 million deaths and current estimates cite continuing casualties of up to 1,000 per day. With the help of the UN's largest and most complex peacekeeping mission the country was able to hold its first free and fair elections in 40 years in 2006. Despite this the country continues to face major challenges, particularly in the eastern region where there has been ongoing militia violence and abuse of civilians by armed groups and the national army.

Who took part?

The event featured a discussion of the issues raised in the film with the film's presenter, Sam Kiley, as well as Mark Lancaster MP and Marie-Claire Faray-Kele.

Sam Kiley, Journalist
Sam is an award-winning journalist and frequent contributor to leading UK newspapers and journals. He has been a reporter for 20 years, first working in Nairobi as The Times' Africa Correspondent, where his coverage of Somalia, Rwanda and Sierra Leone won widespread acclaim.

Sam made his first major film in 2002 for Channel Four’s flagship current affairs series Dispatches – entitled 'Truth and Lies in Baghdad' – before joining the channel full time making programmes all over the world for Dispatches and Unreported World. He has also made two series for Sky television, one of which – entitled 'Guns for Hire' – was an investigation into modern mercenaries in the Congo and Afghanistan, and he has recently produced a BBC2 observational documentary in Afghanistan.

Mark Lancaster MP
Mark is the Conservative Member of Parliament for North East Milton Keynes and, in July 2007, was appointed Shadow Minister for International Development. Mark is also a member of the All-Party Parliamentary Group on the UN (of which UNA-UK serves as the secretariat).

Before entering politics, Mark served briefly as an officer in the Queens Gurkha Engineers in Hong Kong. Since 2000, Mark has volunteered for active service as part of NATO peacekeeping forces in both Bosnia and Kosovo. He continues to serve in the Territorial Army and spent the 2006 summer recess on active service alongside British troops in Afghanistan.

Marie-Claire Faray-Kele, activist and campaigner
Marie-Claire is a Congolese research scientist in infectious diseases at Barts Hospital and the Queen Mary University of London, and is also an active campaigner for peace and women’s rights in the DRC.

Marie-Claire works with women’s groups in both the DRC and in the UK – such as the Women’s International League for Peace and Freedom and COMMON CAUSE UK, a platform of Congolese Women in the UK – to help bring an end to the sexual violence, arms trafficking, and illegal exploitation of natural resources that have blighted her country. Her current focus is the promotion of a national action plan in the DRC for the implementation of UN Security Council Resolution 1325, which aims to increase women’s representation and participation in peacebuilding activities.

For further information about the film, please click here.

'Congo: Children of the genocide' is a Quicksilver Media production. It was broadcast as part of Channel 4's 'Unreported World' series.


YPN SCREENING OF 'CONGO: CHILDREN OF THE GENOCIDE'		Sam Kiley in eastern DRC / image from Qucksilver Media MONUC Peacekeepers en route to Sake in DRC © UN Photo/Marie Frechon
What was this? On 22 April 2008 YPN's 'Working For Peace' strand held their second film screening and discussion event in Portcullis House. The film in focus was 'Congo: Children of the Genocide' - an excellent portrayal of the continuing conflict in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). What's the film about? This film, part of Channel 4's acclaimed Unreported World series, is an extraordinary insight into the bloody conflict in eastern DRC. It depicts the terrible hold over the region by Hutu extremists, associated closely with the Interahamwe - the militia responsible for the Rwandan genocide. The DRC is one of the world's worst ongoing humanitarian crisis. Within the last 10 years, the conflict has resulted in around 5.5 million deaths and current estimates cite continuing casualties of up to 1,000 per day. With the help of the UN's largest and most complex peacekeeping mission the country was able to hold its first free and fair elections in 40 years in 2006. Despite this the country continues to face major challenges, particularly in the eastern region where there has been ongoing militia violence and abuse of civilians by armed groups and the national army. Who took part? The event featured a discussion of the issues raised in the film with the film's presenter, Sam Kiley, as well as Mark Lancaster MP and Marie-Claire Faray-Kele. Sam Kiley, Journalist Sam is an award-winning journalist and frequent contributor to leading UK newspapers and journals. He has been a reporter for 20 years, first working in Nairobi as The Times' Africa Correspondent, where his coverage of Somalia, Rwanda and Sierra Leone won widespread acclaim. Sam made his first major film in 2002 for Channel Four’s flagship current affairs series Dispatches – entitled 'Truth and Lies in Baghdad' – before joining the channel full time making programmes all over the world for Dispatches and Unreported World. He has also made two series for Sky television, one of which – entitled 'Guns for Hire' – was an investigation into modern mercenaries in the Congo and Afghanistan, and he has recently produced a BBC2 observational documentary in Afghanistan. Mark Lancaster MP Mark is the Conservative Member of Parliament for North East Milton Keynes and, in July 2007, was appointed Shadow Minister for International Development. Mark is also a member of the All-Party Parliamentary Group on the UN (of which UNA-UK serves as the secretariat). Before entering politics, Mark served briefly as an officer in the Queens Gurkha Engineers in Hong Kong. Since 2000, Mark has volunteered for active service as part of NATO peacekeeping forces in both Bosnia and Kosovo. He continues to serve in the Territorial Army and spent the 2006 summer recess on active service alongside British troops in Afghanistan. Marie-Claire Faray-Kele, activist and campaigner Marie-Claire is a Congolese research scientist in infectious diseases at Barts Hospital and the Queen Mary University of London, and is also an active campaigner for peace and women’s rights in the DRC. Marie-Claire works with women’s groups in both the DRC and in the UK – such as the Women’s International League for Peace and Freedom and COMMON CAUSE UK, a platform of Congolese Women in the UK – to help bring an end to the sexual violence, arms trafficking, and illegal exploitation of natural resources that have blighted her country. Her current focus is the promotion of a national action plan in the DRC for the implementation of UN Security Council Resolution 1325, which aims to increase women’s representation and participation in peacebuilding activities. For further information about the film, please click here. 'Congo: Children of the genocide' is a Quicksilver Media production. It was broadcast as part of Channel 4's 'Unreported World' series.