Val Morgan: Sexual violence in the Congo must be tackled

Published on Thursday 7 October 2010 22:21

I WAS heartened to read in the International section of The Scotsman of the militia commander in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo arrested for his alleged involvement in leading the gang rapes of more than 300 people. I have travelled to the region and heard first-hand accounts of the scale and brutality of the sexual violence which has been the shameful hallmark of this conflict.

Injuries included fistula, leaving many women sterile and incontinent, deep trauma, and, of course, death. There is also the associated stigma attached to survivors of sexual violence and their offspring.

Many women and young girls are disowned by their families and cast out from their communities, further compounding their suffering.

A report by the Scottish Catholic International Aid Fund (SCIAF) highlighted that between January and March 2008 there were 4,066 reported cases of sexual violence in the South Kivu province of eastern DR Congo alone. South Kivu has a population equal to one-third of that of Scotland, where 1,123 cases where reported over the whole year. The Congolese figures do not represent a true picture of the problem as many cases go unreported.

The root causes of the problems must be addressed.

The chaos resulting from the war and a woefully under-resourced legal system have meant perpetrators have enjoyed near total impunity. I visited one police station where sexual violence survivors had to bring their own pencil and paper if they wanted a case investigated. I attended a smashed-up court room with only one part-time judge to deal with sexual crimes.

The full pressure of the international community must be brought to bear on all parties in the conflict to establish a lasting and just peace. The necessary legal resources to fund the police and courts must be put in place with the support of the international community, including the UK. Rebel commanders and others must turn in the cowards who carry out these heinous crimes so they can face the full consequences of their actions.

• Val Morgan is media and communications officer at SCIAF.