February 13 – Former DR Congo captain Youssouf Mulumbu has waded into the debate over football clubs sponsoring Visit Rwanda by calling on them to reconsider the partnership.
Last week the Democratic Republic of Congo government urged Arsenal, Bayern Munich and Paris Saint-Germain to end their “blood-stained” sponsorship deals because of the ongoing conflict in the region.
Rwanda’s notorious M23 rebel group recently captured Goma, the largest city in eastern DR Congo and an area which is home to lucrative gold, coltan and tin mines. The fighting between M23 and Congolese troops has led to a string of human rights violations.
“The situation is very, very hard and very painful, and all this conflict is based on finance,” ex-PSG midfielder Mulumbu told the BBC World Service. “It’s not a religious or territory war. It’s a financial war and people need to know that.
“I received lots of messages from friends who are living in Goma. They just tell me they’re living in fear.
“There are kids living without their parents, women being raped and burnt in jail. The situation over there is unbelievable.”
“All I know is that on a sponsorship, there is a financial part. I think it will be a big step if we can cancel this Visit Rwanda [partnership].”
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