Fredericton man's hunger strike enters 5th week

A Fredericton man is entering the fifth week of a hunger strike to protest against human rights abuses in his native country of the Democratic Republic of Congo.

Frederick Mwenengabo has had nothing to eat since March 4 and he has been living on water since then.

He moves around his home now with the aid of a cane and shivers noticeably.

"I'm very weak actually. I can't feel part of my leg now. And my knees are feeling sometime pain in the muscles," he said on Monday.

Mwenengabo says the goal of his hunger strike is to pressure Prime Minister Stephen Harper into boycotting a summit of La Francophonie in Congo in October 2012.

He wants a warlord to be put on trial before the International Criminal Court.

As well, he is asking that Canada make an official request to the United Nations to proclaim an international day of remembrance for the millions slaughtered in the Congolese war.

Attracting attention to cause

He said his hunger strike has been attracting attention to his cause.

"I've heard from advocates of human rights from across the globe expressing solidarity," he said.

Mwenengabo said there was a phone call two weeks ago from Fredericton MP Keith Ashfield, who is the federal fisheries minister.

Mwenengabo said Ashfield promised to bring the hunger strike to the prime minister's attention.

But so far, the prime minister has not responded to Mwenengabo's hunger strike.

The abuses in Congo were front and centre at a peace conference in 2008.

The African country, which has been marred by violent conflict in recent years, also had to deal with disputed election results in 2011.

The recent elections in November were called "flawed, irregular and concerning" by Western countries, including Canada.

President Joseph Kabila was declared the winner of the disputed election over long-time opposition leader Etienne Tshisekedi.

Kabila was first thrust into the position of president a decade ago, after the assassination of his father, Laurent Kabila.

The elder Kabila was the rebel leader who toppled the country's dictator of 32 years, Mobutu Sese Seko.