Mass Rapes Continue in the DRC

Doctors Without Borders has reported that up to 33 women were raped on New Years Day in one region of the Democratic Republic of Congo. The coordinated attacks took place in Fizi, South Kivu in the easter section of the country. According to an official with Doctors Without Borders, Annemarie Loof, "Women had been restrained with ropes or beaten unconscious with the butt of a gun before being attacked, some in front of their children. Up to four armed men were involved at a time and homes and shops were looted." Mass rapes are not a new tragedy in the DRC. A UN report concluded that at least 240 people were raped between July 30th and August 4th in the Walikale region of the DRC's North Kivu in 2010. Survivors of these attacks have accused the Congolese Mai-Mai militia and the FDLR of carrying out these horrific attacks. After a condemnation by the UN of DRC security forces last summer, it is obvious that not enough is being done to improve this tragic situation.

Mary Naset