UN urges DR Congo to reinforce justice system after mass rapes

[News_Editor]

UN urges DR Congo to reinforce justice system after mass rapes

2011-07-23 04:34:58 GMT+7 (ICT)

KINSHASA (BNO NEWS) – The United Nations (UN) on Friday urged the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) to reinforce its justice system and accountability mechanisms after dozens of women were raped and more than 100 houses were looted earlier this year.

A UN report released on Friday established that between December 31, 2010 and January 1, 2011, in the villages of Bushani and Kalambahiro of North Kivu province, at least 47 women were victims of sexual violence, some 100 houses were looted, 12 civilians were victims of inhuman or degrading treatment, and two were abducted. The exact number of rapes may be considerably higher, according to the report.

Although the investigation could not determine who committed the violations, elements of the Congolese armed forces have been pointed as the alleged perpetrators. Supposedly, 100 soldiers of the Forces armées de la République démocratique du Congo (FARDC) had attacked the inhabitants of these localities on the grounds that they were supporting enemy forces.

The UN report also established that the lack of significant progress of judicial investigations into the incidents is due to the limited resources available to the Congolese justice system and to the lack of clear information from the FARDC. The incomplete and fragile process of integration of some former armed groups into the FARDC poses a major obstacle to the identification of the perpetrators, the UN said. Nevertheless, the UN Stabilization Mission in the DRC (MONUSCO) said it will continue to provide support to the Congolese authorities in their efforts to bring perpetrators of human rights violations to justice.

The report also stressed the need to take urgent measures to prevent reprisals against victims and witnesses and to strengthen the protection of civilians given that some are still hiding in the forests or neighboring towns in fear of a new attack against their villages in retaliation for their collaboration with investigators.

"Rape and sexual violence have, for too long, been systematically used as weapon of war by various armed elements in the DRC," said UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Navi Pillay. She also recommended that in the future, integration of armed groups be accompanied by a vetting mechanism to ensure that alleged perpetrators of serious human rights violations are excluded from security forces.

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