Experiências socioculturais do sofrimento: refugiados congoleses no município do Rio de Janeiro

Abstract

This dissertation is a qualitative study, with an ethnographic approach, consisting of participant observation and interviews, carried out in the neighborhood of Brás de Pina – a territory which, at the time, had the largest Congolese population in the city of Rio de Janeiro. This study aims to investigate how this group deals with the experience of suffering and ill-being — not necessarily pathologically associated — to then understand the main challenges experienced by refugees and asylum seekers in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) when in Brazilian territory. The analysis assigns considerable importance to colonialism, as it understands that in this period are the roots of neoliberal logic that created deep inequalities and expelled millions of people from their homeland, especially in African countries such as the DRC. The situation in the DRC is one of the most complex and challenging in the world, with conflicts that have lasted for decades, spreading great consequences to different areas of the country. Undoubtedly, the challenges faced by the Congolese population during the migration process are diverse and sometimes require mental health care aid. Nonetheless, what this research seeks to point out is the importance of contextualizing the experience of suffering, understanding that their experience as refugees and asylum seekers is not necessarily linked to the past, but also connects with the scenario of violence and discrimination experienced in the country of arrival. From the intersectional analysis, it was possible to see that the discrimination experienced by this specific population, which exposes them to a marginal place in society, are continuities of an exploitation and domination logic that has been laying the foundations of a sexist and racist society since the colonial period — both in the DRC and in Brazil. In addition, the intersection of oppression and discrimination — in terms of race, nationality, social status, and gender — affects the lives of Congolese refugees and asylum seekers who live in Rio de Janeiro, hindering their social integration and intensifying their marginalization. This scenario has become an impetus for the Congolese population to leave Brazil, as they move to other countries in search of survival and a decent life.