Canadian band Sum 41 have been talking about their time in the Democratic Republic of Congo where they were filming a documentary for War Child Canada. The band had to cut their time in the country after violence broke out between government soldiers and troops loyal to a renegade commander.
Drummer Steve Jocz has told reporters: "We went to Congo to show people what war is like, how harmful it is to civilians, and we ended up becoming war-affected ourselves".
Frontman Deryck Whibley added: "Our being there, hearing the bullets around us, the mortar fire, the injured being brought in for medical treatment, it reinforced our belief that more must be done to prevent war and protect innocent civilians."
The War Child documentary concerns the impact the longstanding civil war in the region has had on Congolese children. Since 1998, more than 3 million people, mostly women and children, have died in the conflict. The United Nations has more than 8,000 peacekeepers deployed in the Congo.
Commenting on the new outbreak of violence, and the subsequent evacuation of the band and the documentary production team out of the area, War Child Canada President Eric Hoskins told reporters: "While security is always our number one priority, no one, not even in the United Nations headquarters in Bukavu, predicted this sudden outbreak of factional violence. It happened without warning. We are grateful to the United Nations, the Government of Canada, and our many friends and colleagues who mobilized themselves and worked tirelessly to ensure our safe evacuation and return to Canada."
Summing up, the band's guitarist Dave Baksh said: "While we would never wish this experience on our worst enemies, we came through this crisis stronger and convinced way more than ever that war is a stupid aspect of life and that we have to work harder to stop the slaughter of innocent civilians, support aid to war-affected people, confront the arms traders, and help build on the work of the United Nations."