Sexual violence in eastern DRC alarms UN chief

• Source: Xinhua
• [17:32 July 08 2009]
• Comments

Rebel groups and government security forces in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) continue to inflict widespread atrocities and sexual violence against civilians, according to a report by the United Nations secretary-general released here on Tuesday.

"Military operations against foreign armed groups and the remaining Congolese armed groups continued," said Ban Ki-moon in the report, "but the targeting of civilians by these groups contributed to high levels of additional population displacements and human rights abuses, including increased sexual violence perpetrated in some cases by government security forces."

Ban said that areas controlled by the Democratic Liberation Forces of Rwanda (FDLR) and the Lord's Resistance Army (LRA) have produced a high level of sexual incidents, calling it of "serious concern."

In particular, "an alarming increase in sexual violence has emerged in South Kivu since the beginning of 2009," Ban said, referring to a province in eastern DRC.

Despite recent changes to laws punishing sexual violence, the report said that military commanders, police investigators and magistrates continue to encourage families of rape victims to pursue out-of-court settlements, "perpetuating the pervasive culture of impunity."

Ban noted that in April, a military tribunal in Goma convicted 20 soldiers from the Armed Forces of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (FARDC) on a series of charges, including rape, but a number of them escaped while they were being taken to prison.

"I am very concerned about the situation in the eastern part of the (DRC), which remains very fragile" said Ban, adding that success depends on the ability to integrate FARDC soldiers in North and South Kivu.

"Many members of these units are unpaid, poorly trained and badly equipped," said Ban. "Command and control of the FARDC units is also extremely tenuous."

"In addition to the negative effects on military operations, this has resulted in increased desertions, mutinies, and a surge in unacceptable abuses against the very populations that these forces are expected to protect," he said.

Undoubtedly, the people of the DRC continue to pay a heavy toll for a country embroiled in bitter conflict. An estimated 1.7 million people are currently displaced in the eastern part of the DRC owing mainly to confrontations between FARDC and FDLR in North and South Kivu, said the report.

While humanitarian agencies and the UN have made some progress in providing food and emergency aid to displaced peoples, only $13million out of the requested 831 million dollars has been received for the country's primary humanitarian action plan, said the report.

Due to instability and the financial crisis, the DRC has had to heavily rely on international assistance. In March, the International Monetary Fund disbursed 195 million dollars to mitigate the impact of the crisis, which has led to the closure of40 mining companies and the layoff of over 300,000 workers in Katanga province alone.

The country is also expected to seriously suffer from inflation woes. The increase in the DRC's budget deficit, which is partly being financed by monetary expansion, has led to a dramatic increase in inflation from 4 percent in 2008 to a projected 25 percent for 2009.

In his report, Ban made a series of recommendations, including programs to better protect civilians from sexual violence, the timely payment of integrated FARDC units, and restarting meetings to strengthen bilateral relations between the DRC and neighboring Rwanda.