constitution and their opposition of political parties, it should be conducting in good faith, joseph kabilas undermine trust and credibility necessary for any dialogue. >> on the path of kabila is so blatant that it would be a total waste of time to push for yet another round of sanctions between kabila and his opposition. now there are few less dialogues to no longer be considered asthe only path for sustainable solutions . >> further, this government has almost certainly showed again and again that it's a delayed exit. and then to compromise, to divert attention from the fact that the government has no intention of organizing elections would remove him from power. this subject is the best way to ensure that the election will not be held and that if and when they are, they will be rust in the manner that they will never be free or fair. this is a dangerous path for the congo and one that i hope the us will also want to avoid. the only tenable solution lies in the row removal of kabila from the office and his replacement by respected civilians or teams organize the election. >> we the peopl

the country has seen widespread anger over president joseph kabila refusal to relinquish power after his mandate and that in the summer two thousand and sixteen colin baker has. one more year that is what the democratic republic of the congo's electoral commission has demanded to prepare an election that was already a year overdue the opposition had nearly rejected the process in the face of this relentless abuse of power joseph kabila and his servant the country's electoral commission have declared war on the congolese people. president joseph kabila was supposed to step down in december after fifteen years in power his refusal to go provoked months of violence and protests in the capital kinshasa which killed dozens the catholic church brokered a deal could be look at stay one year more organize elections and never hold power again now the combined opposition are blaming both the president and the electoral commission for the delay it's going to come up to the are we saying there won't be an election no but we have to find mechanisms that lead to these elections and that is what we

president joseph kabila was supposed to step down in december after fifteen years in power his refusal to go provoked months of violence and protests in the capital kinshasa which killed dozens the catholic church brokered a deal could be look at stay one year more organize elections and never hold power again now the combined opposition are blaming both the president and the electoral commission for the delay it's going to come up to the are we saying there won't be an election no but we have to find mechanisms that lead to these elections and that is what we're trying to do night and day seventy million congolese live in a nation almost the size of europe with poor roads and little power to run registration machines the commission says it requires months to set up nearly seventeen thousand registration centers then one hundred thousand polling stations the government said the election might cost one point eight billion dollars and new conflicts have started one point four million people have been displaced by fighting between militias in eastern the home of the father of the oppositi

president joseph kabila was supposed to step down in december after fifteen years in power his refusal to go provoked months of violence and protests in the capital kinshasa which killed dozens the catholic church brokered a deal could be look at stay one year more organize elections and never hold power again now the combined opposition are blaming both the president and the electoral commission for the delay. are we saying there won't be an election you know but we have to find mechanisms that lead to these elections and that is what we're trying to do night and day. seventy million congolese live in a nation almost the size of europe with poor roads and little power to run registration machines the commission says it requires months to set up nearly seventeen thousand registration centers then one hundred thousand polling stations the government said the election might cost one point eight billion dollars a new conflicts have started one point four million people have been displaced by fighting between militias in eastern the home of the father of the opposition and its current lead

testimony, mvemba phezo dizolele made a strong appeal, the first recommendation to impose sanctions on joseph kabila, his family and in a circle. i know the administration is very serious about this course. they hope this doesn't come to it but my sense from your testimony as it should be done now. by way of background i'm author of the bella cruz democracy act. i remember on this panel on this panel since the early 80s, sanctions against south africa which i supported and strongly supported, apartheid is an abomination that belongs in the dust heap of history, there was always concerned about the impact it would have on unintended victims who then get hurt by those broad-based sanctions. the bella cruz democracy act of 2004 which became the template, the whole idea was to single out bad actors starting often with the president, the president of that country and his henchmen and people who were benefiting and put visa bands on the man said you can't do business here. i was house sponsor, it became an amendment, became a lot and is a very good tool and i'm glad we have it but it still needs to be rea

mvemba phezo dizolele the first recommendation is to impose sanctions against joseph kabila in his inner circle. i note the same shame is very serious about discourse and i hope it doesn't come to that, but my sense from your testimony should be done now. by way of background, i am the author of developers democracy act. ony this panel, i've been on ths panel since the early 80s. when they voted on sanctions against south africa, which i supported and strongly supported is an abomination, there is always concern about the effect it would have on unintended victims who then would get hurt are those broad base stations. when the belarus democracy act of 2004 which became the template commendable idea was to single out the bad actors starting off in with the president shankill, president of the country and people who are benefiting and we also can't do business here. i was house sponsor of the actin became an amendment, and became law and is a very useful tool and am glad that we have it, but it's what needs to be utilized. the big question is not if it will be done, boy of legislation i'm

in fact the first sanction is to impose one on joseph kabila and his family. i know they're concerned about ocourse, they hope it doesn't come to it, but my sense from your testimony it should be done now. i've been on this panel since the early '80s, when we voted on sanctions against africa which i supported. the aparthide was an abom nngz, there was always the concern the impact would have on intended victims who would get hurt by those baud based sanctions. when we did the democracy act in 2004, the whole idea was to single out the bad actors starting often with the president, in that case it was luther shanko, the president of that country and his henchman and people who were benefitting. and we put visa bans on them, and we also said you can't do business here. and i was the house sponsor of the magnitsky act here. and it became amendment, became law and a very useful tool. i'm glad we have it, but the tool needs to be utilized. so the big question is not if will be done, and we have legislation i'm going to beal introducing joined by my good friend kare

in fact the first sanction is to impose one on joseph kabila and his family. know they're concerned about ocourse, they hope it doesn't come to it, but my sense from your testimony it should be done now. i've been on this panel since the early '80s, when we voted on sanctions against africa which i supported. the aparthide was an abom nngz, there was always the concern the impact would have on intended victims who would get hurt by those baud based sanctions. when we did the democracy act in 2004, the whole idea was to single out the bad actors starting often with the president, in that case it was luther shanko, the president of that country and his henchman and people who were benefitting. and we put visa bans on them, and we also said you can't do business here. and i was the house sponsor of the magnitsky act here. and it became amendment, became law and a very useful tool. i'm glad we have it, but the tool needs to be utilized. so the big question is not if will be done, and we have legislation i'm going to beal introducing joined by my good friend karen

want to say is there is possibility for the suffering of the congolese people rests with one man, joseph kabilahe shared with a shrinking small number of family members. they have captured the states with h with total impugnity at the expense of the people. a series of reports including the carter center, paradise papers, bloomberg news and the congo research group have documented and exposed the wide extent to which dr's natural resources of billions of dollars have been diverted to benefit this small group. the kabila regime has been characterized by plundering, looting and deadly violence. it is time for new leadership. kabila must go. his biography is a cinderella story with bloody twists. having grown outside congo showed up for the first time at the age of 26 during the war that eventually vanquished the late president. when he took over, he mnamed a two star general in charge of the ground forces. four years later after his father was assassinated the young younger kabila became president. the international community fully embraced him while others disapproved with total economic, financ

election she got next year, but the benchmarks to be put in place and the announcement on the part of joseph kabila, that there will be that election. now, it falls on us and the international community. so this is really good news. we finally have an election calendar, i think we have to welcome not only the announcement, but the since of the people in congo, asserting their rights, to be part of this process, they felt the consequences. more than anyone. i think the state department, the administration, and us on the committee, we have to monitor this progress, if deemed insufficient, we must use every tool we have to pressure the government in congo, now is the time if we do not address the political instability, then the violence and unrest across that country which has cost over 4 million lives so far, is only going to escalate. as we watch people flee. when we see the 2 million that are displaced on our trips there, living in camps. we know that the humanitarian situation is dire. and we encourage the witness's testimony today. too many people are suffering. chairman smith, i thank you for th