Global General
UN actions 'not adequate' in preventing DRC rapes
(Xinhua)
Updated: 2010-09-08 06:40
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UNITED NATIONS - A top UN official on Tuesday said the UN actions "were not adequate" in preventing the mass rapes of women and children in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).
The statement came as Atul Khare, the UN assistant secretary-general for peacekeeping operations, briefed the UN Security Council on the investigation into the brutal attacks that took place in July and August, following his dispatch to the DRC from August 28 to September 2.
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From late July to mid August, the UN alleges that Congolese militants of the Mai-Mai group and Rwandan rebels of the Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda (FDLR) descended upon villages in the North Kivu province of the eastern DRC and engaged in the systematic assault of at least 240 civilians.
"It is essential that the perpetrators of this heinous crime are swiftly apprehended and brought to justice. Rapid and exemplary punishment would deter others who might repeat similar criminal acts," said Khare.
The rapes occurred near a base of the UN Organization Stabilization Mission in the DRC (MONUSCO) located in the North Kivu province. MONUSCO's delayed response to and its previous claim that it had been unaware of the attacks until August 12, have come under question.
In a press release issued late Tuesday, the UN confirmed that on July 30 MONUSCO was notified by the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) that FDLR combatants had taken control of the town of Mpofi (52 kilometers east of Walikale) and reportedly raped one woman.
According to Khare, "on August 5, MONUSCO received information indicating that 15 rape victims had sought medical attention at the International Medical Corps (IMC) supported health center. At that time, the perpetrators had already left the 13 villages they had besieged."
Accompanied by Roger Meece, UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon's special representative for the DRC, Khare traveled to the villages where the systematic rapes took place, most notably to the areas of Kibua, Lubonga, Luvingi, Walikale, Bukavu, and Uvira. The village of Luvingi had recorded the largest number of rape victims, over 103.
Khare noted that treacherous conditions in the areas where the attacks took place, present obstacles to MONUSCO's ability to respond and communicate with villages. The region from Walikale to Pinga road, like other areas in the North Kivu province "is not electrified and the un-tarred road is quite broken and difficult to traverse," he said.
"The average density of MONUSCO force in North Kivu is one peacekeeper per square kilometer. There is no mobile phone coverage and even the high frequency radio coverage is extremely patchy due to the mountainous and forested terrain," added Khare.
The top UN official called on the 15-member Council to consider imposing targeted sanctions on the leaders of the FDLR "both within and outside the country, if a chain of command is proven."
Meanwhile, a human rights investigation team was deployed from August 25 to September 2. to interact with all 13 villages in the attacked area. The team has obtained victim and witness testimonies, noted Khare.
Medical and psychological assistance to the victims is being provided by the human rights organizations, IMC and Heal Africa, with some transport assistance by MONUSCO. On September 1, MONUSCO launched operation "Shop window" that deployed forces aimed at protecting civilians throughout North Kivu.
Khare urged the UN peacekeeping mission to assess its response in the event of any future incidents. "We must do better," he said.