Rep. Bass Calls On DRC President Joseph Kabila To Step Down

Statement

Rep. Karen Bass (D-Calif.) made the following statement on Monday morning regarding recent developments in the Democratic Republic of Congo.

"As the people of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) wait to see whether President Joseph Kabila, in deference to the people of the DRC and his office, chooses to step down from the presidency on December 19, I join those in the United States, internationally and in the DRC calling on him to complete his term of office on the right side of history by stepping down.

"By doing so, President Joseph Kabila's final act as President of the DRC will be one aimed at seeking peace during a tumultuous time. His action will also help to create a path forward for the DRC in terms of a long-awaited election and will help to encourage the aspirations of the country's 86 million citizens.

"The stability of the DRC is critical to that of the surrounding region, and a concerted move towards a free and fair election in the DRC will be seen as evidence of political space in the country.

"Any other decision by President Kabila is guaranteed to result in the continued violation of human rights, increased violence, imprisonment, and extra-judicial killings. The DRC and the immediate region will be destabilized and once again the people of the DRC will be short-changed in terms of experiencing a viable democratic process. The choice is clear."

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