Man Sets Himself on Fire While Holding Sign ‘Stop the Genocide in Congo’

A video of a man from the Democratic Republic of Congo setting himself on fire to protest the ongoing genocide in the country has gone viral. 

The video posted to X, formerly known as Twitter, on Nov. 8 sparked outrage and sympathy from viewers across the globe. 

The unidentified man is seen standing in front of a crowd in Kinshasa — the nation’s capital — holding a sign saying “Stop the genocide in Congo.” 

The man proceeds to pour gasoline on himself before lighting a match and becoming consumed by the flames. Passerbyer can be seen trying to help the man but he pushes them away and falls to the ground. 

The protestor’s condition and state are unknown as well as his background and motive, per BNN reporting. 

Conflict in Congo

The man’s self-mutilation was an attempt to bring attention to the two-decades-long genocide in the eastern provinces of the DRC during which millions have been killed and displaced, per the Council on Foreign Relations. 

The conflict in the DRC revolves around the competition surrounding natural resources in the region like gold, colta, and cobalt — all of which are vital in various technologies and industries. The eastern DRC region is controlled by several armed groups, a handful of which are backed by neighboring countries such as Rwanda and Uganda. These neighboring countries seek to exploit the DRC’s resources and in turn, convolute the country’s politics. 

According to the Council on Foreign Relations, the armed groups have been accused of terrorizing the civilian populations in the eastern region. They’ve committed such atrocities as rape, murder, kidnapping and looting. They’ve also been caught recruiting child soldiers. 

The ongoing crisis has caused a humanitarian crisis in the country. The country’s infrastructure and government programs such as its healthcare system have crumbled — leaving millions without food, water, medicine, and shelter. 

International Involvement

The International Organization for Migration reported that the DRC has the greatest number of internally displaced people in the world, as almost 7 million people have been uprooted from their homes since October of this year. 

The IOM also reported the conflict has intensified over the past few months. The video of the man who set himself on fire has catalyzed a call to action from various parties expressing their solidarity for the Congolese people. 

This has started a call to boycott some of the products that use the resources from the DRC, such as laptops, smartphones, electric cars, and other technologically advanced products. 

Additionally, the United Nations has imposed sanctions and an arms embargo on a few of the parties involved in the conflict, however, these efforts have been violated by several actors.