Centre Lokole Receives Glowing Evaluation

Centre Lokole (CL) is the only organisation in DRC advocating conflict transformation to a mass-audience. It combines practical peace-building with the power of the mass-media (i.e. radio), to inform and encourage Congolese participation in the ongoing peace process, as well as influencing knowledge, attitudes and behaviour of the audience in ways that can facilitate peace. There is some evidence that CL's outputs have helped reduce general levels of tension, as well as contributing to specific instances where violence has been prevented.

The key achievement of CL's radio output is that it produces informative, relevant and stimulating material which is disseminated to mass audiences in parts of the country where few other sources of information or discussion reach. Programmes have contributed to transition processes by enabling people to become better informed about the transition and better able to assess and act on information, and by providing outlets for popular opinions and commentary.

It is the only organisation in DRC tackling elections from the standpoint of covering positive stories while being alert to the potential for conflict. CL's programme includes a wide range of activities which are not being attempted by other organisations. These include developing creative radio formats, especially drama; promoting the only production by and for children broadcast throughout the Kiswahili zone; and developing programme formats which allow ordinary people from all over the country to have their say. CL's approach sets an example to other organisations on how to use a multi- media approach with inventiveness and creativity, and, is a contribution to improved media standards throughout DRC.

Child soldiers
'Sisi Watoto' won first prize in the feature category for UNICEF and OneWorld's competition for radio programmes by children in 2004 and it continues to be one of CL's most effective and important achievements, especially in relation to child demobilisation. There is clear evidence of direct links between the programme and incidents in which children seek demobilisation, are brought to demobilisation centres by officers, are identified by child protection specialists as being at risk, or are dissuaded from re-mobilisation as a result of the programme.

Cultural activities & the creative arts to increase social harmony
In 2005 CL set up a theatre troupe, Jirani Ni Ndugu, and trained actors in participatory theatre techniques. This has become an important complement to the radio outputs. Jirani Ni Ndugu's recent tour, focused on refugee repatriation, put on at least one and sometimes two performances a day over a fortnight, reaching an estimated 8,000 people directly and perhaps five times that number indirectly. Its impact on these audiences was immediate and engaging. The participatory theatre approach is important methodologically as it presents and analyses popular perceptions of the issues concerned and offers a platform from which the audience can express its views.

CL is emerging as the leading practitioner of participatory theatre in Eastern DRC, if not the country as a whole. The application of the technique specifically to conflict transformation is innovative and deserves intensive assessment. No one else is using live, participatory theatre to promote peace in the same way as CL.

The CL 'brand' is becoming increasingly well known and that this attracts people to its theatre shows and smoothes relations with local authorities when the theatre troupes arrive in new areas of the country. . CL should pursue plans to expand into TV in order to reach opinion formers and a growing audience of ordinary people with TV sets, particularly in Kinshasa.

CL's approach is to promote understanding of the issues, and to find constructive stories and positive role models that create confidence in national processes and transitional institutions, while, at the same time, explaining and admitting that there are difficulties and tensions. For example, during the run-up to possible tensions around June 2005, one theme identified was the role of youth. The angle chosen was to give a voice to the youth to permit them to express their hopes, fears, and to provide them with strategies for resisting political manipulation. CL's greatest contribution in this area is probably to increase understanding among the public and to dispel myths and harmful rumours.

CL's programmes allow ordinary people to have their say and are also very strong and appealing. There are no other radio programmes to compete with 'Peace-builders' ('Batisseurs de la paix') and vox pop shows like 'Boyoka pebiso' and sections of 'Arbre à palabre', which elicit audience views about national and local questions. It is these programmes which were most often cited as evidence that CL is 'close to the people' and on the ground.

Looking Forward
The community-level work has not received the attention that it deserves, and potential synergies between the two have been underexploited. This is something that the upcoming strategic review should address. CL should look for ways to enhance synergies between community reconciliation work and media work. CL should give some thought to the question of whether, and how, its community work could be strengthened through collaboration with other peacebuilding organisations, especially those engaged in community-level work.

For additional information, contact Lena Slachmuijlder at lenas@lantic.net www.centrelokole.org www.sfcg.org