Goma, Democratic Republic of the Congo — Attention has been focused in recent weeks on the power struggle between government troops and M23 rebel forces in Democratic Republic of the Congo’s North Kivu province and the massive population displacement and suffering that followed. But terrible things have also been happening in neighbouring South Kivu province and the protection needs there are great.
According to the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), more than 47,000 internally displaced people have arrived in and around the towns of Minova, in South Kivu’s Kalehe territory, and Bweremana on the South Kivu-North Kivu border, in the past two weeks. UNHCR and its partners have received reports of serious protection incidents in the region, including rape.
Government troops, M23 rebels and other armed groups have all been accused of the rights abuses in South Kivu, including the rebel FDLR (Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda) and Mai Mai militia groups.
UNHCR believes the abuses are unacceptable and again appeals to all armed groups involved in the conflict to refrain from threatening and abusing the civilian population and to take measures to prevent rights violations and to investigate cases when they occur and punish those found guilty.
“We particularly condemn those who exploit the fluid situation in eastern Congo to commit grave human rights violations, especially rape. We are, however, encouraged by the fact that the government has arrested seven soldiers on charges of looting,” a UNHCR spokesman said.
An inter-agency mission, including UNHCR, visited the Minova area late last week and found disturbing evidence of human rights abuses linked to the latest conflict, including rape, looting and the presence of armed men in spontaneous IDP (internally displaced people) sites as well as schools.
The team heard that at least 72 women had been raped in or around Minova. All had received medical treatment, while 52 of the victims were given post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP) kits. These kits are given to rape victims to minimize the risk of HIV/AIDS infection, but they must be administered within 72 hours of the victim being raped.