a uruguayan soldier of the United Nations Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (Monuscus) made a song with an artist from the African country. The subject titled Amani –what does it mean peace in the Swahili language – deals with the experience of the soldiers of the Uruguay IV Battalion, the connection with the Congolese and the human rights problems that affect the country.
The Uruguayan soldier is the 2nd Corporal Anakin Mendez, while the musician from the Congo is called Nacho Cornelio.
The music video shows the artists, each wearing the flag of the other’s country as a cape, and images of Congolese children playing soccer and sharing moments with the Uruguayan soldiers of the mission.
The Army’s Facebook account shared the video clip.
The Uruguayan is the one who starts: “The road is long and obviously it hurts, but hope is the last thing to be lost / Sometimes there is no strength left to fight / They look for a way to move forward / This is their land and they are going to take care of it / They no longer want war, they only ask for peace”.
Then the Congolese appears and asks in an African language to the “fathers” get work and that the “mothers” and “babies” “are not raped anymore”.
“We don’t want more murders” says Cornelius, and gives his “condolences to the people” from places like “Kishishe”, a town in eastern Congo where on November 29, 2022 the March 23 Movement (M23) killed more than 170 civilians.
“Hand in hand we will build the country / Unity / Together we will win”sings the Congolese.
“I loaded my hopes on a toleca,” says the Uruguayan corporal, referring to the wooden bicycles from the Congo. “I know they go slow, but that’s the goal / Here we are locals, that’s the answer / Don’t give me offers, my land is not for sale“.
“Today she didn’t sing for me, I sing for the people / Because everyone in this life has a dream / For people who think that this is a game / Let them know that a duel is lived every day“, sings Anakin Mendez.
The video clip was made by the local production company Ezenith Plus Studio. It was directed by Don Byemba.
