The sexual violence machine rolls on in East DRC

Operation “KIMYA 11” which was launched jointly three weeks ago by the armed forces of the Democratic Republic of Congo (FARDC) and MONUC on the high plateau on the plains of the Ruzizi (Lemera, Kidoti, Kiringye) in South Kivu and which consists of the disarming and forced repatriation of the FDLR (Democratic Liberation Forces of Rwanda) is having disastrous consequences for the civil population in general and the women in particular. According to the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) 35,000 people have already fled the fighting and 20,000 of them have gathered in the villages of Kamanyola and Luberizi, which border on Rwanda and Burundi respectively. More refugees from the combat zones are arriving each day in the town of Uvira, causing a serious logistics problem as the need for shelter was not foreseen by the local authorities. Some of these refugees are sleeping out under the stars and others spend the nights in schools with no support whatsoever.

This operation is being conducted without any plan to protect the civilian population and in particular the women, who are the main target in this type of conflict. According to information from the refugees, the women and girls are being subjected to sexual abuse by certain elements of the FARDC, the MONUC and the FDLR. And this recurrence of inhuman behavior by the fighting forces is a result of the impunity which has become commonplace in the DRC. The perpetrators of rape fear no-one. This is a deplorable situation which is undermining the dignity of women. For this reason, we call upon the protagonists to show respect to the civil population by putting an end to this kind of behavior, and the international community to put pressure on the Congolese government and the FDLR so that the perpetrators of rape can be brought to justice without delay.

Enough is enough.