The bishops of the Democratic Republic of the Congo warned that a constitutional amendment permitting President Félix Tshisekedi to seek a third term could trigger a civil war.
“We believe that any attempt to force through such a process carries enormous risks, including the balkanization of the country,” the bishops said in a June 20 statement. “In a context where political rivalries increasingly take on ethnic and tribal dimensions, the outbreak of another civil war is a real possibility.”
The nation has experienced numerous internal conflicts, including the Second Congo War (1998-2003), the deadliest conflict since World War II.