Enough Project:Raise Hope for Congo: Conflict Minerals Campaign

Raise Hope for Congo part of the Enough Project has initiated a new campaign targeting the link betwen conflict minerals and the conflict in the DRC and violence against women.

Congo’s Conflict Minerals

Can You Hear Congo Now?: Cell Phones, Conflict Minerals, and the Worst Sexual
Violence in the World (pdf file)

Conflict Minerals Pledge

Activist Pledge:
By endorsing the Conflict Minerals Pledge, organizations and individuals commit to using their voices and consumer power to influence companies to sign the pledge. Specifically, they will:

1. contact the largest makers of cell phones, portable music players, digital cameras, PC’s, and video games, and urge them to sign the pledge;
2. commit to only purchasing electronics from firms that have taken and are abiding by the conflict minerals pledge; and

3. educate fellow consumers and activists about the crisis in Congo, the role of conflict minerals, and how they can be a part of the solution.

Take Action: Urge Electronics Companies to Sign the Conflict Minerals Pledge

The new blood diamonds? Article from Fortune Magazine

Other Raise Hope for Congo action:

Congo Advocacy  Coalition Letter To United Nations: Civilian Protection Now

More on Violence Against Women In the DR Congo

Here are a few more articles concerning the violence against women in the DR Congo.

Band of Congo Radio Reporters Aid Rape Victims

By Dominique Soguel
WeNews correspondent

In eastern DRC, a group of female journalists is managing to change the cultural acceptance of rape. Despite safety risks and chronic equipment problems, the members are persuading rural rape survivors to tell their stories and learn their rights.

Mass Stigma Scars Congo’s Rape Survivors

By Dominique Soguel
WeNews correspondent

A psychologist in a Congo hospital says decades of war have produced a rape-friendly culture with a double standard. While perpetrators go unpunished the victims, including children, are ostracized. Amnesty International has issued a new warning.

Secretary-General meets with female victims of DR Congo conflict

28 February 2009 – Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon visited today with women and girls who have been victims of sexual violence in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), a country that the United Nations says has witnessed some of the highest levels of such abuses in the world.

According to the UN Children’s Fund, rape has been used as a weapon of war in DRC and an estimated 200,000 women and girls have been assaulted over the past 12 years. While sexual violence is rampant and prevalent throughout Congolese society, the area that has been most affected has been the eastern part of the country, particularly the Kivu region.

UNICEF campaign launches US tour to highlight DR Congo rape crisis

11 February 2009 – The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) is kicking off a five-city tour of the United States aimed at highlighting the horrors faced by thousands of Congolese rape victims, while calling for an end to impunity for the perpetrators of the worst kinds of sexual violence.

Simple everyday tasks, such as gathering wood and fetching water, expose thousands of girls and women to vicious abuses in the conflict-ridden eastern region of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), “where rape is used as a weapon of war,” said UNICEF Executive Director Ann M. Veneman.

Outstanding Congo Resource

The US Holocaust Memorial Museum websites Conscience section is an outstanding resource for the situation in the DR Congo. The quality of the writing and photos are excellent. A related site of equal excellence is their “World is Witness” site.

Here are some highlights from both. A nice feature of the site is that when dealing with sensitive material there is a seperate link and warning.

The Current Situation in the DRC

The End of Nkunda?

An Eyewitness to Atrocities in Kiwanja

Situation Update: Goma Banditry

Women in War Zones

A Gallery of Photos These are excellent very high quality photos. These photos are haunting these are real people and real situations. The world must wake-up and stop this brutality, this obsenity, this horror.

Women of War in South Kivu

Afraid to Sleep in Walungu This is the story of one woman Lucienne and the brutality that she suffered. Her suffering is even written on her face and in her eyes. She was enslaved for months by the FDLR in Congo.

Horror and Hope at Panzi Hospital

Shattered Youth

Dr. Denis Mukwege on Democracy Now

Dr. Denis Mukwege the founder of Panzi Hospital in the Eastern DR Congo was a guest today 9 February 2009 on Democracy Now. Audio and Video of the show as well as the transcript of the show are available here at the Democracy Now website. Appearing with him was Eve Ensler who has been a vocal advocate to ending violence against women. Dr. Mukwege and his hospital specializes in treating the women who have been violently tortured and raped in the Eastern DRC.

Dr. Mukwege also comments on the Rwandan soldiers currently in the Congo.

French Aid Worker Raped in DRC

This article reports that a French Aid worker has become another of the many (probably thousands) of victims of rape in the DR  Congo.

I salute the many brave women that are serving “in the worst place to be a woman in the world”.  But even more so do I salute all the women living there who face the prospects and eal with the aftermath of this horriblr crime on a daily basis. There must no longer be impunity for the perpetrators of this violence against women and children. All resposible must be held accountable by local and international law. The world must cry out for an end to rape as a weapon of war and the culture of impunity.

Give: The Julie Project

The Julie Project is building a shelter for women and children victi,s of the war near the Panzi Hospital.

DR Congo News Roundup

Here are some articles from events this week in the DR Congo.

DR Congo Cholera Outbreak Map

This map shows that included in the area affected by the cholera outbreak are the two main regions affected by the fighting as well, North and South Kivu.

DRC: MSF Works To Stop Spread of Ebola in Western Kasai

The number of people with suspected Ebola hemorrhagic fever in the Mweka district of Western Kasai Province, in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), is now 38, including 12 who have died. This is the second outbreak of its kind in just over a year in Western Kasai; the current outbreak claimed its first life on November 27.

Last week, international medical humanitarian organization Doctors Without Borders/Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF), sent a team of expert medical and non-medical staff to the area. A team of 16 are now working around the clock to contain this deadly epidemic.

MSF in Democratic Republic of Congo

Contains an overview of MSF Medicines Sans Frontieres work in the DRC

Conflict in Eastern DRC

Has the most recent MSF articles on the situation in the Eastern DRC

Cholera Cases Down, But Needs Still High in North Kivu

17 December: There was no major fighting reported in North Kivu this past week, but sporadic skirmishes between armed groups continued to drive civilians out of their homes and into the forests for days or during the nights, where they hoped to avoid being harassed. The overall improved security for Doctors Without Borders/Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) medical teams allowed staff to redeploy to areas where they had been running projects, and carry out evaluations and mobile medical clinics in the surrounding areas. In all MSF projects in North Kivu, cholera cases have been decreasing.

Condition- Critical: Eyewitness: Nyramana, 29 years, Camp Nyanzale. Testimony of a young woman now being treated by MSF

Tumaini, 12 months old, 5.4 kilos

There is he again. Two weeks ago, he was discharged from our feeding centre and today he was readmitted. Once again he is extremely thin, a little, shriveled boy with big eyes. His mother stares at the ground. Her hands hang heavily next to her gaunt body. Defeated.

Women

I’ve seen different ones come by these past few weeks. Old women, young girls, women of my own age. Women from all of the different groups involved in this conflict. Their faces reveal shock, fear and shame. Sometimes they show no emotion at all. It’s also difficult for me to explain how this makes me feel: full of disbelief, powerlessness, incomprehension.
Disbelief because I cannot understand how a person, how a man can do this to a woman. Powerlessness because this is the reality in this world. A reality that keeps hitting me in the face and leaves me speechless in front of this woman. Incomprehension because I will never understand how such an experience affects a woman.

Kalembe

The hallway and grass field in front of the health centre are completely filled with mothers and children. Some already have a card meaning that they are already in our programme. Others have no card and have been brought here in the hope of getting help. Quickly I try to organise things. It is total chaos. The groups are all mixed up and more and more people keep arriving now that our car has been spotted. I suddenly realize that it will be impossible to see all of the children.

Uganda: Ban Denounces ‘Appalling Atrocities’ By Rebels in DR Congo

United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon today strongly condemned the “appalling atrocities” reportedly committed by the Ugandan rebel Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA) in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and southern Sudan, and demanded that they respect all rules of international humanitarian law

WFP Operational Update – Eastern Congo

31 December 2008 – In the latest expansion of operations in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) and its partner Caritas have completed the first round of emergency food distributions to 18,300 displaced people in and around Dungu in Orientale Province, near the Sudanese and Ugandan borders. The displaced are victims of recent attacks by the Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA).

UNHCR Appeals for More UN, Congolese Troops to Protect Civilians

The UN refugee agency is appealing to the Congolese government to send more troops to protect civilians in Orientale Province in the northeastern corner of the Democratic Republic of Congo. The Ugandan rebel Lord’s Resistance Army massacred hundreds of civilians in the area over the Christmas period.

It’s our duty to alleviate suffering

And while the attention is understandably focused on the politics that is at the root of these conflicts, we must not forget the silent victims, especially the women and children, who suffer the most.

We have a humanitarian responsibility to try our best to alleviate and prevent the suffering of those less fortunate than ourselves. When we allow situations to continue that are so horrendous and devastating, especially for children, it diminishes us all. Editorial by Dave Toycen who is president and CEO of World Vision Canada.

Congolese government vows to ‘destroy’ Lord’s Resistance rebels

KINSHASA (AFP) — President Joseph Kabila’s government vowed Wednesday to destroy the rebels of the Lord’s Resistance Army, condemned by the United Nations for a series of atrocities in the Democratic Republic of Congo.

Alan Doss responds to the CNDP’s allegations against the FARDC and calls on all to keep the peace

Kinshasa, 30 December 2008 — In the CNDP’s communiqué of 24 December 2008 and in a letter addressed by its leader Mr. Laurent Nkunda on 26 December last to Mr. Alan Doss, the Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General for the DR Congo, the CNDP protested what they described as the “redeployment of coalition troops” in the zones disengaged by the CNDP, situated in the vicinity of Goma airport.

UN to probe sex abuse allegations against DR Congo staff

KINSHASA (AFP) — The United Nations mission in the Democratic Republic of Congo (MONUC) said Wednesday it has called for an immediate inquiry into allegations of sexual abuse by UN peacekeepers in the east of the country.

Rwanda wants to ‘pacify’ eastern DRCongo: minister

GISENYI, Rwanda, 30 December 2008 (AFP)— Rwanda says it wants to “pacify” the east of the Democratic Republic of Congo where fighting between government forces and rebels, allegedly backed by Kigali, have raged since August.

“We shall see how we can stabilise and pacify the east of Congo and our Great Lakes sub-region,” Rwandan defence minister Marcellin Gapsinzi told reporters after meeting his Congolese counterpart Charles Mwando Monday in the Rwandan town of Gisenyi.

MONUC demands urgent investigations on allegations of bad conduct

Haut Uélé: MONUC is taking action to protect civilians following the LRA attacks

Following the attacks of the Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA) rebels on civilian populations in many territories of Haut Uele district in northeastern DRC since 25 December last, the United Nations Mission in the Democratic Republic of Congo (MONUC) has declared that it is now taking steps to both protect and assist civilians in the area.

DRCongo rebels accuse UN of lying over troop movements

KINSHASA (AFP) — Rebels in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo Friday accused the United Nations of lying about movements of government forces in areas covered by a truce.

They said that the alleged reoccupation of the zones put a question mark on talks between the government and the rebel National Congress for the Defence of the People (CNDP), led by renegade Tutsi general Laurent Nkunda, set to resume on January 7.

Congo Claims LRA Rebels Fleeing to Central African Republic

Congolese officials say Ugandan rebels are fleeing toward the Central African Republic in the face of a joint operation by Congo, Uganda and Sudan.

The Democratic Republic of Congo government said Friday that the rebel Lord’s Resistance Army has suffered heavy losses during the coalition offensive in the northeastern Orientale province.

WHO confirms 3 Ebola deaths in Congo

WASHINGTON (Reuters) – The World Health Organisation on Friday confirmed the Ebola virus had killed three people in the south of the Democratic Republic of Congo and said more deaths were being investigated.

Congo in crisis: Manna from heaven

World Relief has delivered food aid to local churches caught in the middle of Congo’s horrendous civil war.

War in the Democratic Republic of Congo has claimed more than 5 million lives in the past 12 years. Many have died of malnutrition and disease.

Pastors wept with joy as World Relief arrived in Rutshuru with aid kits for 260 of the most vulnerable families in their communities.

UN: Recruitment of Child Soldiers in Congo on Rise

The United Nations Children’s Fund says the recruitment of child soldiers is on the rise in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo. UNICEF says the escalation of conflict and upheaval of people from their homes and shelters is leading to further violations of human rights.

The Times: Mass Rape Spreads in Congo

Sadly, the epidemic of violence against women in the east of the DR Congo has now spread to the capital as well according to this article in the Times.

Resource: Stealth Conflicts

The author of the Stealth Conflicts blog and book recently placed a comment on this blog which alerted me to his blog and theory.  The blog has some very good articles on the situation in the DR Congo. The DR Congo is one of his “stealth conflicts”. I like his reasoning that the DRC is not forgotten it was never the focus of any attention in the first place.

I must admit. that although I try to follow international news, I was only vaguely aware of the situation in the DRC until rather recently. I was indeed quite shocked to see that the death tolls were so high and yet there was no media attention.

Please read the introduction to his book which is available online here as a Pdf. file. It is extremely insightful and his book certainly looks intriguing to say the list. I’ll have to see if the local library can order it in.

Here are some links from his blog on the DRC.

Ben Affleck and Gimme Shelter

What’s death got to do with it?

Conflict Death Tolls

He also has two articles online at the Journal of Humanitarian Assistance.

The Price of Inaction: The Media and Humanitarian Intervention

Stealth Conflicts: Africa’s World War in the DRC and International Consciousness

Some related articles by other authors at the Journal of Humanitarian Assistance are:

Humanitarian Assistance and Conflict in Africa

Assessing the Opportunity For Sexual Violence Against Women and Children in Refugee Camps

No war, no peace: a protection crisis continues in the DRC

Hell on Earth – Systematic Rape in Eastern Congo

Rape as a Weapon of War in the DR Congo

Here are some links to information on the the violence against women in the DR Congo and especially rape as a weapon of war.

Chasing the Flame: Congo the rape capital of the world.

New York Times: Rape Victims Help Jolt Congo into Change includes a video “Breaking the Silence”

Raise Hope for Congo: Ten Reasons Why Eastern Congo is the Most Dangerous Place on Eart for Women.  Some of these reasons include:

Predatory Security Forces

Lawless Militias

The Resource Curse

Poverty

Inaction

Quote from article:

The Congolese Government and the international community have failed to act to end the suffering of Congolese women. In spite of the promises President Kabila made over two years ago and the presence of the world’s largest United Nations peacekeeping force, armed groups continue to target civilians in eastern Congo. If the next president of the United States makes ending violence against women and girls in eastern Congo a priority at the beginning of the new administration, the Congo could have a real chance at peace. The United States should seize this opportunity to play a leading role in ending this violence and ensuring that Congolese women can once again feel safe in their own communities.

Times Online: Over 250,000 displaced as sexual violence erupts in DRC

Care International: Tens of thousands more women and girls at risk of rape and attack in DRC, warns CARE

Nicholas Kristof: The Weapon of Rape

Chasing the Flame: How to Report the Unthinkable

CNN: Woman: ‘They wanted to destroy my body and spirit’

Raise Hope for Congo: International Violence Against Women Act

Raise Hope for Congo : Rebecca Feeley: Sexual Violence in Context

Quote from Article:

Congolese women have been willing to share their most personal and painful memories with the world in the hopes that the world in turn would take the time to learn about the conflict here and work to end it. If we fail to translate the outrage we feel and force policymakers to take effective action, the awareness-raising on sexual violence in eastern Congo seems little more than voyeurism.

Women Thrive Worldwide: Help End Violence Against Women: Tell Congress to Pass I-VAWA Sign the Petition

Resources on the I-VAWA act from Women Thrive