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| 'It was like dying': a raped woman in Congo DRC speaks out | 'It was like dying': a raped woman in Congo DRC speaks out |
| (7 months later) | |
| Marie was 13 when she and her mother fled their village as it was attacked by Rwandan Hutu militia, but they were caught. Marie was taken into the bush where she spent eight months being repeatedly raped. | Marie was 13 when she and her mother fled their village as it was attacked by Rwandan Hutu militia, but they were caught. Marie was taken into the bush where she spent eight months being repeatedly raped. |
| "It was like dying, one would come and then another. There were five of them, and they said 'this is our wife'," says Marie. | "It was like dying, one would come and then another. There were five of them, and they said 'this is our wife'," says Marie. |
| Now 26, this softly spoken woman lives with other abused women at a rehabilitation centre outside Goma, the main city in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo. Here, those who have experienced rape receive counselling and learn skills such as sewing, cooking and farming under the care of Wamama Simameni (Women Stand Up Together). The project is run by Heal Africa, which also has a hospital in Goma for women who have been raped. | Now 26, this softly spoken woman lives with other abused women at a rehabilitation centre outside Goma, the main city in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo. Here, those who have experienced rape receive counselling and learn skills such as sewing, cooking and farming under the care of Wamama Simameni (Women Stand Up Together). The project is run by Heal Africa, which also has a hospital in Goma for women who have been raped. |
| The women live in simple wooden cabins with bright blue doors and windows, lined up in a row, barrack-style. A round stone building with a conical thatched roof in the middle of the grounds serves as a place to gather and talk. With its bleating goats and vegetable patches, the centre is an oasis of rural tranquillity compared with the hustle and bustle of Goma down the road. | The women live in simple wooden cabins with bright blue doors and windows, lined up in a row, barrack-style. A round stone building with a conical thatched roof in the middle of the grounds serves as a place to gather and talk. With its bleating goats and vegetable patches, the centre is an oasis of rural tranquillity compared with the hustle and bustle of Goma down the road. |
| Cabbage, leeks and manioc (cassava) are grown on the extensive grounds. Marie sews school uniforms and cooks beignets. She cannot work in the fields because of the injuries she suffered. "Since the rapes, I've had many operations, but I've not healed and I can't farm any more," she says, speaking through an interpreter, and avoiding eye contact. | Cabbage, leeks and manioc (cassava) are grown on the extensive grounds. Marie sews school uniforms and cooks beignets. She cannot work in the fields because of the injuries she suffered. "Since the rapes, I've had many operations, but I've not healed and I can't farm any more," she says, speaking through an interpreter, and avoiding eye contact. |
| Marie is one of thousands of women who have experienced sexual violence in Congo. The UN puts the figure at more than 200,000 since 1998, hence the country's reputation as the "rape capital of the world". | Marie is one of thousands of women who have experienced sexual violence in Congo. The UN puts the figure at more than 200,000 since 1998, hence the country's reputation as the "rape capital of the world". |
| The country has been troubled by armed militias for much of its history. Former leader Joseph Mobutu's attitude towards his soldiers was summed up when he said: "You have guns, you don't need a salary." | The country has been troubled by armed militias for much of its history. Former leader Joseph Mobutu's attitude towards his soldiers was summed up when he said: "You have guns, you don't need a salary." |
| It was an approach that led government troops to prey upon the civilian population, and little seems to have changed today. When M23 rebels entered Goma in November, government troops looted as they fled instead of defending the city. | It was an approach that led government troops to prey upon the civilian population, and little seems to have changed today. When M23 rebels entered Goma in November, government troops looted as they fled instead of defending the city. |
| Mobutu's downfall came after Rwanda's Tutsi government, led by Paul Kagame, decided he had to go because of his support for Hutu genocidaires who had crossed into Congo after the 1994 genocide. | Mobutu's downfall came after Rwanda's Tutsi government, led by Paul Kagame, decided he had to go because of his support for Hutu genocidaires who had crossed into Congo after the 1994 genocide. |
| In the ensuing wars that sucked in Zimbabwe, Angola, Uganda, Chad, Namibia and Burundi, millions died in "Africa's first great war". The International Rescue Committee (IRC) says 5.4 million people died between 1998 and 2007. Very few – 2% – died from combat. Most died from displacement, hunger and sickness. Besides the death toll, there were the rapes. Although no longer at the level of the war years, rape is not a thing of the past. | In the ensuing wars that sucked in Zimbabwe, Angola, Uganda, Chad, Namibia and Burundi, millions died in "Africa's first great war". The International Rescue Committee (IRC) says 5.4 million people died between 1998 and 2007. Very few – 2% – died from combat. Most died from displacement, hunger and sickness. Besides the death toll, there were the rapes. Although no longer at the level of the war years, rape is not a thing of the past. |
| Increased sexual violence | Increased sexual violence |
| Heal Africa says the number of women and children raped rose sharply last year because of a surge in rebel militia activity. It registered 2,517 cases in the first half of 2012. | Heal Africa says the number of women and children raped rose sharply last year because of a surge in rebel militia activity. It registered 2,517 cases in the first half of 2012. |
| In December, Médecins sans Frontières (MSF) treated 95 cases of sexual violence at the Mugunga 3 camp for internally displaced people. On the edge of Goma, in the shadow of the active Nyiragongo volcano, Mugunga hosts some of the 30,000 people who fled their homes following the upsurge of fighting that began in April. | In December, Médecins sans Frontières (MSF) treated 95 cases of sexual violence at the Mugunga 3 camp for internally displaced people. On the edge of Goma, in the shadow of the active Nyiragongo volcano, Mugunga hosts some of the 30,000 people who fled their homes following the upsurge of fighting that began in April. |
| Conditions are harsh. The volcanic terrain is hard and jagged, hardly ideal for pitching the small tents, which become mosquito traps in the hot, humid weather. | Conditions are harsh. The volcanic terrain is hard and jagged, hardly ideal for pitching the small tents, which become mosquito traps in the hot, humid weather. |
| Yet mosquitos are the least of people's worries. They have to make the monthly rations last as long as possible, and the threat of sexual violence is pervasive. MSF has criticised the glaring lack of security and urged the authorities to step up their efforts. During a recent food distribution, a few local guards in blue uniform lolled about, but they leave when it gets dark at 6pm. There were no UN guards in sight. | Yet mosquitos are the least of people's worries. They have to make the monthly rations last as long as possible, and the threat of sexual violence is pervasive. MSF has criticised the glaring lack of security and urged the authorities to step up their efforts. During a recent food distribution, a few local guards in blue uniform lolled about, but they leave when it gets dark at 6pm. There were no UN guards in sight. |
| Women are vulnerable to attack when they leave the camp or travel to neighbouring villages in search of wood or food. But women are also attacked inside the camp itself. "Violence is omnipresent," says MSF psychologist Marie Jacob. "It is violence based on power, the law of the strongest, the law of a person with a weapon." | Women are vulnerable to attack when they leave the camp or travel to neighbouring villages in search of wood or food. But women are also attacked inside the camp itself. "Violence is omnipresent," says MSF psychologist Marie Jacob. "It is violence based on power, the law of the strongest, the law of a person with a weapon." |
| Relief groups do what they can. The IRC hands out "post-rape" kits, consisting of antibiotics, antiretroviral drugs against HIV and Aids infections, and pregnancy tests. But medication needs to be taken within 72 hours after the attacks and getting the word out is tricky. | Relief groups do what they can. The IRC hands out "post-rape" kits, consisting of antibiotics, antiretroviral drugs against HIV and Aids infections, and pregnancy tests. But medication needs to be taken within 72 hours after the attacks and getting the word out is tricky. |
| "It's delicate, you can't just go around the camps shouting about their availability," says Sinziana Demian, media officer with IRC, which also provides psychological and medical advice in the camps. | "It's delicate, you can't just go around the camps shouting about their availability," says Sinziana Demian, media officer with IRC, which also provides psychological and medical advice in the camps. |
| Damaged children | Damaged children |
| It is not just those who have been raped who need help. The perpetrators, including thousands of former child soldiers brutalised by years of fighting and of committing atrocities, are also deeply damaged. | It is not just those who have been raped who need help. The perpetrators, including thousands of former child soldiers brutalised by years of fighting and of committing atrocities, are also deeply damaged. |
| Jean, 18, was a child soldier – one in every 10 child soldiers in the world is believed to be in Congo. Unlike many child soldiers who are forcibly recruited, he was a volunteer, angered by the mistreatment of people in his village by Rwandan troops. At the age of nine, he joined the Mai-Mai, local militias that target Tutsi communities who have lived for decades in Congo, in retaliation for the presence of Rwandan troops on Congolese soil. | Jean, 18, was a child soldier – one in every 10 child soldiers in the world is believed to be in Congo. Unlike many child soldiers who are forcibly recruited, he was a volunteer, angered by the mistreatment of people in his village by Rwandan troops. At the age of nine, he joined the Mai-Mai, local militias that target Tutsi communities who have lived for decades in Congo, in retaliation for the presence of Rwandan troops on Congolese soil. |
| Over the next six years he drifted from one militia group to another. At one point, he and his fellow militias set up base in Virunga national park, famed for its gorillas in the mist, where they survived by eating monkeys and sometimes even elephants. | Over the next six years he drifted from one militia group to another. At one point, he and his fellow militias set up base in Virunga national park, famed for its gorillas in the mist, where they survived by eating monkeys and sometimes even elephants. |
| At one point he was captured by another armed group, the FDLR, composed of remnants of the Hutu army in Rwanda. In the ever-shifting alliances in eastern Congo, when allies can quickly become enemies, the FDLR forced Jean to show where their former Mai-Mai allies were hiding. When his commander was killed, Jean stripped off his uniform, buried it with his gun and fled to Goma. | At one point he was captured by another armed group, the FDLR, composed of remnants of the Hutu army in Rwanda. In the ever-shifting alliances in eastern Congo, when allies can quickly become enemies, the FDLR forced Jean to show where their former Mai-Mai allies were hiding. When his commander was killed, Jean stripped off his uniform, buried it with his gun and fled to Goma. |
| He is now training to be a mechanic as part of the Children's Voice project, supported by the NGO World Vision, which works with war orphans and former child soldiers. Jean readily admits to having raped many times. "Our commander forced the soldiers to rape the women. When I raped women I felt the spirit of Satan within me," he says. | He is now training to be a mechanic as part of the Children's Voice project, supported by the NGO World Vision, which works with war orphans and former child soldiers. Jean readily admits to having raped many times. "Our commander forced the soldiers to rape the women. When I raped women I felt the spirit of Satan within me," he says. |
| The militias also acted as hired assassins in village feuds. "We would be paid to kidnap and kill people. We would take them to the forest and kill them, and we killed many people over time," he said. "Our commander would give each of us $100 afterwards. We would spend the money on drinks or on women as we never knew when we would get killed ourselves." | The militias also acted as hired assassins in village feuds. "We would be paid to kidnap and kill people. We would take them to the forest and kill them, and we killed many people over time," he said. "Our commander would give each of us $100 afterwards. We would spend the money on drinks or on women as we never knew when we would get killed ourselves." |
| Jean, who is desperate to get a job, says he will rejoin the army or a militia if he doesn't find work in Goma. With renewed conflict in eastern Congo, there has been an increase in forced recruitment of children or former child soldiers into armed groups, so the prospect of taking up arms again is real. | Jean, who is desperate to get a job, says he will rejoin the army or a militia if he doesn't find work in Goma. With renewed conflict in eastern Congo, there has been an increase in forced recruitment of children or former child soldiers into armed groups, so the prospect of taking up arms again is real. |
| Jean and Marie have experienced violence in different ways. But they share one thing. Both are social pariahs, who cannot return home. | Jean and Marie have experienced violence in different ways. But they share one thing. Both are social pariahs, who cannot return home. |
| "I cannot go home because of what I did," Jean says. "My mother had to leave too and lives near Goma, but I have to be careful when I want to see her because there are people from the village in that neighbourhood and they know my face. My father left for Uganda and won't even look at me." | "I cannot go home because of what I did," Jean says. "My mother had to leave too and lives near Goma, but I have to be careful when I want to see her because there are people from the village in that neighbourhood and they know my face. My father left for Uganda and won't even look at me." |
| Marie dare not go back to where she lived as she is terrified of being attacked again. Besides, the community wouldn't accept her – a cruel, but common, attitude towards women who have been "shamed". | Marie dare not go back to where she lived as she is terrified of being attacked again. Besides, the community wouldn't accept her – a cruel, but common, attitude towards women who have been "shamed". |
| Asked how she feels towards the men who brutalised her, she says she first wanted revenge and wanted to kill them. "But I have learned that this is not necessary," she says. "I know I can lead a good life, a new one, and look to the future. I have forgiven them, maybe they didn't know what they were doing." | Asked how she feels towards the men who brutalised her, she says she first wanted revenge and wanted to kill them. "But I have learned that this is not necessary," she says. "I know I can lead a good life, a new one, and look to the future. I have forgiven them, maybe they didn't know what they were doing." |
| • Names have been changed | • Names have been changed |
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