Screenshot from TV5 Monde's Youtube channel. During the recent Papal visit to the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) between January 31 to February 3, Pope Francis seemed to refer indirectly to the conflict which is ravaging the east of the country. The DRC has been in the grips of a conflict in Ituri and North Kivu, in the east of the country on the Rwandan border, for over two decades. On October 20, 2022, renewed tension flared up between the DRC authorities and the M23 rebels who accuse the Congo authorities of failing to follow the peace accords signed in December 2013. According to Bruno Lemarquis, head of the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), the two provinces house 237,000 internally displaced persons. While close to 54 percent of these individuals are living in foster families, thousands of others are finding refuge in schools, hospitals, churches and other improvised sites. More than 76,000 children have also had their schooling disrupted. The violations of the 2013 accords are leading to hundreds of deaths, and blocking the numerous bids to restore a potential peace in the African Great Lakes Region. This is the strained context in which Kinshasa welcomed Pope Francis for a Papal visit this year, in what is the largest Roman Catholic country in Africa. In his first address, the Pontiff delivered a political message, speaking out against those lurking in the shadows, stoking this conflict, as he says in this YouTube video: (…) après le colonialisme politique, un “colonialisme économique” tout aussi asservissant s’est déchainé. Ce pays, largement pillé, ne parvient donc pas à profiter suffisamment de ses immenses ressources. Le poison de la cupidité a ensanglanté ses diamants. Mais ce pays et ce continent méritent d’être respectés et écoutés. Ils méritent de l’ espace et de l’ attention. Retirez vos mains de la RDC, retirez vos mains de l’Afrique! Cessez d’étouffer l’Afrique. Elle n’est pas une mine à exploiter, ni une terre à dévaliser (…) (…) after political colonialism, an “economic colonialism,” just as shackling, was unleashed. This country, comprehensively plundered, is therefore unable to enjoy the benefits of its huge resources. The poison of avarice has stained its diamonds with blood. But this country and this continent deserve to be respected and listened to. They deserve space and attention. Hands off the Democratic Republic of Congo, hands off Africa! Stop choking Africa. Africa is not a mine to be stripped, or a terrain to be plundered(…)” Indeed, the DRC is the second-greatest country in Africa, in terms of land mass, whose underground mineral wealth stokes the lustful appetites of industrialists worldwide. Pope Francis's remarks were relayed by the criminologist and investigative journalist Steve Wembi on his Twitter account. #RDC: « Mais ce pays et ce continent méritent d’être respectés et écoutés. Ils méritent espace et attention. Retirez vos mains de la RDC, retirez vos mains de l’Afrique! Cessez d’étouffer l’Afrique. Elle n’est pas une mine à exploiter, ni une terre à dévaliser (…)»Pape François pic.twitter.com/IvKFo0qIG6 — Steve Wembi (@wembi_steve) January 31, 2023 #DRC: “But this country and this continent deserve to be respected and listened to. They deserve space and attention. Hands off the Democratic Republic of Congo, hands off Africa! Stop choking Africa. Africa is not a mine to be stripped, or a terrain to be plundered(…)” Pope Francis — Steve Wembi (@wembi_steve) January 31, 2023 Congolese have been quick to respond via Twitter. Some are favourable to the position of Pope Francis and believe in his words. In the view of Mbuyi Elonga, a geopolitical scientist, researcher and political analyst, and a Master's student in Politics and International Relations at the University of Louvain, the Pope was openly referring to the Rwandan President, Paul Kagame. Moreover, Kagame is accused by President Félix Tshisekedi and a section of the Congolese population of supporting the rebels of M23. Le Pape François s’adresse indirectement au dictateur @PaulKagame et je cite: «La RDC est le diamant de la création.. La violence et la haine sont des sentiments anti-chrétiens.. ». RDF/M23 arrêtez vos massacres au Congo🇨🇩 Retirez votre armée et milice terroriste M23 de la #RDC. pic.twitter.com/gSQ9hkkAzM — Mbuyi ELONGA (Géopoliticienne) (@MbuyiItela_fmi) January 31, 2023 Pope Francis is indirectly addressing the dictator @PaulKagame, quote: “The DRC is the diamond of all creation.. Violence and hatred are anti-Christian sentiments..”. RDF/M23 stop your killings in Congo🇨🇩 Withdraw your army and terrorist militia M23 from the #DRC.