Wednesday, October 13, 2010

USA Africa Dialogue Series - Congo women relive terror of mass rape: 'This is our cry for help'

Congo women relive terror of mass rape: 'This is our cry for help'

UN representative meets victims as international criminal court sends
team to investigate sexual assaults on villagers

Lindsey Hilsum in North Kivu, Democratic Republic of Congo
Wednesday October 13 2010
The Guardian


http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2010/oct/12/congo-unitednations


Shedla Abedi's age was no protection when the rapists came to her
village.

"Imagine - a young boy of 20, and me aged 62, old enough to be his
grandmother," she said. She pointed to a frail, older woman walking
with a stick. "Her too," she said, "And she's over 80."

The women of Kampala village, where 35 were raped, still sleep in the
forest at night, for fear the rapists will return. Earlier this month,
they gathered in the village to tell their troubles to Margot
Wallstrom, the UN secretary general's special representative on sexual
crime in conflict.

"This is our cry for help. We are in pain," said Abedi, to cheers and
applause. "You are our fellow women and we believe our enemies
wouldn't hesitate to rape you if they were given the opportuntity.
They are merciless."

The mass rape of more than 300 women [http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/
2010/aug/24/congo-rebels-rape-un-rwanda
" title="mass rape of more than
300 women], several men and children in villages deep in the forest of
the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo at the beginning of August,
has renewed momentum to tackle the sexual violence in what Wallstrom
has called "the rape capital of the world". On Thursday, she will
present the findings of her recent visit to the United Nations
security council.

The prosecutor of the international criminal court in The Hague is
sending a team to investigate the mass rapes, which occurred in a
dozen villages between Walikale and Kibua in North Kivu, between 30
July and 2 August.

Yesterday, Callixte Mbarushimana, executive secretary of the Forces D?
mocratiques pour la Lib?ration du Rwanda, one of the rebel groups
implicated, was arrested under an ICC warrant in Paris. The core of
the FDLR are Hutus who fled Rwanda after participating in the genocide
of Tutsis in 1994, and are accused of war crimes in the DRC.

ICC prosecutor Luis Moreno-Ocampo described the arrest as a "crucial
step in efforts to prosecute the massive sexual crimes committed in
the DRC". The court is expected to issue more warrants in the coming
weeks.Last week, UN peacekeepers arrested Lieutenant Colonel Sadoke
Kokunda Mayele, who was identified by several villagers as a commander
of the rapists.

Although a peace treaty in 2003 formally brought to an end the decade-
long war, which at its height sucked in troops from seven other
African countries, atrocities - primarily against women - have not
subsided. Militia groups and the Congolese army now fight over access
to mining areas around Bisie and Omate, where they exploit gold as
well as coltan and cassiterite, used in mobile phones and other
electronic goods. "It's not a problem which can wait until we get
peace. It's something we have to start resolving now in order to get
peace," said Wallstrom.

Rape is a way of humiliating and cowing local populations who may be
used as slave labour, but the scale of the August incident shocked
even local doctors who have seen many horrors. "It's the first time I
have seen something like this," said Dr Cris Baguma of the
International Medical Corps, one of the first organisations to help
the women. "I can't understand it, because they didn't kill people, it
was only for rape."

UN peacekeepers have been widely blamed for failing to prevent the
attack [http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2010/sep/02/un-ignored-congo-
rape-warnings-claim
" title="widely blamed for failing to prevent the
attack]. A preliminary internal inquiry found that the nearest
contingent of 80 Indian soldiers had no training in protecting
civilians ? even though that is their mandate ? and employed only one
Congolese interpreter. The UN is meant to support Congolese forces,
but they are often as brutal and ill-disciplined as the militia and
rebels they are fighting.

A confidential UN report, seen by Channel 4 News, said that "attacked
villages were vulnerable as all FARDC (Congolese army) soldiers left
in July 2010 to participate in 'lucrative' military operations in
Omate and Bisie mining area."

After the rapes, the government of President Joseph Kabila announced a
temporary ban on mining, which may be lifted later this week, when a
new "centre de negoces" should open at Mubi, near Bisie. The idea is
that government agents should tax the miners rather than leave them to
run a gamut of illegal roadblocks manned by rebels, militia and rogue
soldiers. But this seems unlikely to stop the brutality.

UN sources say that several battalions of government troops, which
have fanned out across the jungle around Walikale since the mass rape,
do not get provisions. They are now preying on the population, looting
and raping.

Responding to pressure from activists, the US Congress has approved a
financial reform law that requires US-listed companies to disclose
whether their products contain "conflict minerals" from the DRC.
"There has to be reaction from [the] EU, from countries all over the
world to support and follow suit," said Wallstrom. "There's also a
responsibility on consumers and those who manufacture these articles."

In Nyasi village, the women say they will only feel safe if UN
peacekeepers patrol more often and stay close. "I was raped by eight
men, and they kidnapped my five-month-old baby," said Sikiliza Buunda.
"I was screaming 'I'm dying'. The whole forest was on fire. Women,
children and men were all screaming throughout the forest. It was a
nightmare."

Her friend, Mawaza Misori, said: "We don't know the real reason these
people won't leave us alone. It's like the devil attacking for no
reason. We had the courage to speak out in public because we've had
enough. We're like dying people, who are no longer afraid because they
know they're at the end of their journey."

- Lindsey Hilsum's film on rape in the Democratic Republic of Congo
will be broadcast on Channel 4 News tomorrow at 7pm

guardian.co.uk Copyright (c) Guardian News and Media Limited. 2010

--
You received this message because you are subscribed to the "USA-Africa Dialogue Series" moderated by Toyin Falola, University of Texas at Austin.
For current archives, visit http://groups.google.com/group/USAAfricaDialogue
For previous archives, visit http://www.utexas.edu/conferences/africa/ads/index.html
To post to this group, send an email to USAAfricaDialogue@googlegroups.com
To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to USAAfricaDialogue-
unsubscribe@googlegroups.com

No comments:

Post a Comment

 
Vida de bombeiro Recipes Informatica Humor Jokes Mensagens Curiosity Saude Video Games Car Blog Animals Diario das Mensagens Eletronica Rei Jesus News Noticias da TV Artesanato Esportes Noticias Atuais Games Pets Career Religion Recreation Business Education Autos Academics Style Television Programming Motosport Humor News The Games Home Downs World News Internet Car Design Entertaimment Celebrities 1001 Games Doctor Pets Net Downs World Enter Jesus Variedade Mensagensr Android Rub Letras Dialogue cosmetics Genexus Car net Só Humor Curiosity Gifs Medical Female American Health Madeira Designer PPS Divertidas Estate Travel Estate Writing Computer Matilde Ocultos Matilde futebolcomnoticias girassol lettheworldturn topdigitalnet Bem amado enjohnny produceideas foodasticos cronicasdoimaginario downloadsdegraca compactandoletras newcuriosidades blogdoarmario arrozinhoii sonasol halfbakedtaters make-it-plain amatha