Fleeing the Congo for Phoenix

PHOENIX — Videlinata Istina Krishna grew up in a world most of us could never imagine, and she uses her life experiences to help those who have walked down similar paths.

Krishna, 24, was raised in the Republic of Congo in central Africa. She moved to Arizona in 2004 after spending four years in Cote d’Ivoire to get away from her war-torn country.

“We came here because of the war,” Krishna says. “They had to move us here.”

Krishna remembers when she first became afraid in her city Brazzaville, the capital of Congo. It was October 1997, Krishna was 13 years old. Bombs were dropped on her city.

The civil war had begun. Former military ruler Denis Sassou Nguesso seized power from President Pascal Lissouba in the Congo with help of Angolan troops, resulting in more than 10,000 deaths in Brazzaville alone. Although the war ended within the same month, shootings, bombings and other acts of violence continued for years.

Before the war, Krishna was allowed to go to school, ride the bus and go to the market for common items like milk.  But during the war, she was forced to stay inside and take care of the house while her mom went to work as a midwife at the city hospital. She remained at home watched after her two younger sisters.

“I cooked, and I cleaned,” Krishna says. “We were no longer allowed to go outside.”

She says had no knowledge of the tragic situation in her country besides it was too dangerous to go outside due to the bombing and shootings. People remained inside to hide from the violence, so there was not much talk or understanding about the civil war, Krishna says.

The civil war came to a halt in October 1997, but the violence did not.  In August 1998, militiamen loyal to the former government waged a guerilla war against President Nguesso. The militiamen and government conflict continued until May 2003, but the violence had staggering effects on the people and the economy.

More than 200,000 civilians were displaced due to the fighting in December 1998, according to the Global Security website. The government signed a cease-fire with the militiamen that month, but individual members continued to launch attacks. Since May 2003, the Republic of Congo has been in nearly stable, according to Global Security.

Krishna and her family left the Congo in 2000 amidst the fighting to find refuge in Cote d’Ivoire. They spent four years there before they could move to America, then moved to Arizona in 2004.

Once here, Krishna, then 20, started a new life by attending Glendale Community College to pursue an associate’s degree in the Arts. She then transferred to Arizona State University to study philosophy. Her goals are to go to law school after she graduates to study criminal law.

“Someone has to do it,” Krishna says. “It might as well be me.”

When Krishna transferred to ASU, she joined Community Outreach and Advocacy for Refugees (COAR), a nonprofit that aides resettled refugees in rebuilding their lives in America.

As a refugee herself, she knew the difficulty of moving to a new and different country.  Her first year she mentored high school refugee students in preparing for higher education; now she is the COAR Reaching Higher Mentor Coordinator, helping the mentors work with their students.

Wynter Fenn, president of ASU’s STAND, Students Anti-Genocide Coalition, tries to help people in countries like the Republic of Congo. Fenn, 19, says it is everyone’s responsibility to be aware of other people’s struggles all over the world.

“If you were in their position, you would want people to come to your aide,” Fenn says. “You can’t ignore it,” Fenn adds. “If we do, how it will get better?”

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