Alert

ALERT: DEATH THREATS MADE AGAINST CONGOLESE WOMEN’S RIGHTS ACTIVIST

The Coalition for Women’s Human Rights in Conflict Situations, Rights & Democracy, Québec Native Women, Fédération des femmes du Québec, Regroupement québécois des centres d’aide et de lutte contre les agressions à caractère sexuel (CALACS), Table de concertation des Grands Lacs, Amnistie internationale Canada francophone, Regroupement provincial des maisons d'hébergement et de transition pour femmes victimes de violence conjugale and Association Québécoise des organismes de coopération internationale (AQOCI)

Call on the government of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), local authorities and United Nations Mission in the DRC (MONUC) to ensure the protection of Julienne Lusenge, an activist committed to women’s rights and the struggle against sexual violence, and to prosecute those who have made threats against her.

While on a mission in Europe organized by Paris-based International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH) to promote the struggle against impunity and sexual violence in the DRC, Julienne Lusenge, the coordinator of Solidarité féminine pour la paix et le développement intégral (SOFEPADI), was informed that she had been the target of death threats on March 31, 2008. When she refused, they responded: “If you do not open the door, you will leave Beni the way you left Bunia. Furthermore, it will be you who opens Julienne’s door for us.” These threats allude to Ms Lusenge’s flight in October 2002 from Bunia as a result of harassment from militias that she had criticized, particularly for their acts of violence against women.

Two unidentified individuals appeared at the home of one of her colleagues and demanded Ms Lusenge’s home address.

The threats made against human rights activists and, more specifically, women’s rights activists are particularly serious and indicative of the climate of impunity and violence that reigns in the Eastern DRC. Insecurity created by the proliferation of armed groups that continue to operate beyond the reach of State and MONUC control (the UN Mission in RDC) is compounded by the muzzling of activists by government representatives and high-ranking officials.

These situations must be denounced in the strongest possible terms.

They violate international law as well as international and regional commitments undertaken by the DRC. Not only do they violate women’s dignity, they undermine the hope and capacity of Congolese society to put an end to sexual violence.

Freedom of expression, freedom of assembly and the right to physical integrity must be ensured by government authorities in order to maintain a functioning, strong and active civil society capable of participating in building peace and democracy.

Consequently, signatory human rights organizations have joined forces to:

DENOUNCE the climate of insecurity in which human rights activists operate in the DRC and especially those struggling against women’s sexual violence;

URGENTLY CALL ON the Government of the DRC and the appropriate authorities to take all necessary steps to protect human rights activists and their families from all acts of retaliation, physical attack, intimidation and threats;

DEMAND that the police and magistrature investigate and prosecute those responsible for the threats against Julienne Lusenge, and ensure the protection of her family and colleagues at SOFEPADI in Beni and Bunia;

CALL ON representatives of the UN and regional organizations concerned about these violations to take the necessary measures to protect human rights activists and to work with national authorities and civil society to reinforce the rule of law.

Montréal, Wednesday, April 9, 2008

FIDH: Massive rapes in Democratic Republic of Congo:

A shame for the humanity - 5/11/2007 At the international day of the Elimination of all forms of violence against women, the FIDH and its organizations members in RDC: ASADHO, the Voters 's League and Group Lotus, call for the international mobilization against sexual violence in DRC. With the "Democratic transition", one could have hoped for the decrease of the number of such crimes, but they continue to be perpetrated with the same intensity. Six month’s babies as well as 70 years old women don't escape to the terror. Those crimes not only distinguish themselves by their intensity but also by their cruelty. Their authors, militiamen, insurgents, rebels, but also of the members of the Congolese army, enjoy a quasi-absolute impunity.

We require the means of systematic and exemplary repression of the criminal authors of sexual violence to be put in place.

We require that that repression aims all criminals, whatever they are, whatever is their function, and where that they are" specified Souhayr Belhassen, Chairwoman of the FIDH. http://www.fidh.org/spip.php?article4930

The increase of the violence in the North-Kivu accentuates the risk of ethnic nature - massacres. Amnesty International, September 10, 2007 -

The organization pulled out the alarm facing the increasing risk of the violence giving space to interethnic massacres and other attacks to Human Rights. Many people who escaped from the fights have reported rapes and other homicides of civilians to Amnesty International. The recruitment and the use of children by the armed groups is still going on in the North and South Kivu. http://web.amnesty.org/library/index/fraAFR620142007?open&of=fra-COD

An article of IRIN (Humanitarian Affairs Coordination Office) explains", The International Committee of the Red Cross (CICR) expressed its concerns facing the violence perpetrated against the civilians, and notably of the women and children, in South Kivu, the Eastern of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), where abductions, executions, rapes and depredations are frequently reported to the organization. "RDC: The civilians alwaysimprisonedin the violence in the South Kivu - IRIN - July 3, 2007 - http://www.irinnews.org/fr/ReportFrench.aspx?ReportId=73062

French

Petition Without your support, our action will lose momentum. Without our partnership, your action will have little impact. Help us change the direction of the fight against sexual violence in the DRC. Thank you for reading and signing our petition by clicking here.	Skip to Main Content Campuni ya wanawake wa kongomani kwa kupiganisha ubakaji katika jamuhuri ya Congo Congolese Women’s Campaign Against Sexual Violence in the DRC Every day, 40 women are raped in the Eastern Congo. It's a well-known reality that has been documented and reported by media, NGOs, international institutions and States. But nothing changes, sexual violence is still widespread. So what more can be done?
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	Alert ALERT: DEATH THREATS MADE AGAINST CONGOLESE WOMEN’S RIGHTS ACTIVIST The Coalition for Women’s Human Rights in Conflict Situations, Rights & Democracy, Québec Native Women, Fédération des femmes du Québec, Regroupement québécois des centres d’aide et de lutte contre les agressions à caractère sexuel (CALACS), Table de concertation des Grands Lacs, Amnistie internationale Canada francophone, Regroupement provincial des maisons d'hébergement et de transition pour femmes victimes de violence conjugale and Association Québécoise des organismes de coopération internationale (AQOCI) Call on the government of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), local authorities and United Nations Mission in the DRC (MONUC) to ensure the protection of Julienne Lusenge, an activist committed to women’s rights and the struggle against sexual violence, and to prosecute those who have made threats against her. While on a mission in Europe organized by Paris-based International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH) to promote the struggle against impunity and sexual violence in the DRC, Julienne Lusenge, the coordinator of Solidarité féminine pour la paix et le développement intégral (SOFEPADI), was informed that she had been the target of death threats on March 31, 2008. When she refused, they responded: “If you do not open the door, you will leave Beni the way you left Bunia. Furthermore, it will be you who opens Julienne’s door for us.” These threats allude to Ms Lusenge’s flight in October 2002 from Bunia as a result of harassment from militias that she had criticized, particularly for their acts of violence against women. Two unidentified individuals appeared at the home of one of her colleagues and demanded Ms Lusenge’s home address. The threats made against human rights activists and, more specifically, women’s rights activists are particularly serious and indicative of the climate of impunity and violence that reigns in the Eastern DRC. Insecurity created by the proliferation of armed groups that continue to operate beyond the reach of State and MONUC control (the UN Mission in RDC) is compounded by the muzzling of activists by government representatives and high-ranking officials. These situations must be denounced in the strongest possible terms. They violate international law as well as international and regional commitments undertaken by the DRC. Not only do they violate women’s dignity, they undermine the hope and capacity of Congolese society to put an end to sexual violence. Freedom of expression, freedom of assembly and the right to physical integrity must be ensured by government authorities in order to maintain a functioning, strong and active civil society capable of participating in building peace and democracy. Consequently, signatory human rights organizations have joined forces to: DENOUNCE the climate of insecurity in which human rights activists operate in the DRC and especially those struggling against women’s sexual violence; URGENTLY CALL ON the Government of the DRC and the appropriate authorities to take all necessary steps to protect human rights activists and their families from all acts of retaliation, physical attack, intimidation and threats; DEMAND that the police and magistrature investigate and prosecute those responsible for the threats against Julienne Lusenge, and ensure the protection of her family and colleagues at SOFEPADI in Beni and Bunia; CALL ON representatives of the UN and regional organizations concerned about these violations to take the necessary measures to protect human rights activists and to work with national authorities and civil society to reinforce the rule of law. Montréal, Wednesday, April 9, 2008 FIDH: Massive rapes in Democratic Republic of Congo: A shame for the humanity - 5/11/2007 At the international day of the Elimination of all forms of violence against women, the FIDH and its organizations members in RDC: ASADHO, the Voters 's League and Group Lotus, call for the international mobilization against sexual violence in DRC. With the "Democratic transition", one could have hoped for the decrease of the number of such crimes, but they continue to be perpetrated with the same intensity. Six month’s babies as well as 70 years old women don't escape to the terror. Those crimes not only distinguish themselves by their intensity but also by their cruelty. Their authors, militiamen, insurgents, rebels, but also of the members of the Congolese army, enjoy a quasi-absolute impunity. We require the means of systematic and exemplary repression of the criminal authors of sexual violence to be put in place. We require that that repression aims all criminals, whatever they are, whatever is their function, and where that they are" specified Souhayr Belhassen, Chairwoman of the FIDH. http://www.fidh.org/spip.php?article4930 The increase of the violence in the North-Kivu accentuates the risk of ethnic nature - massacres. Amnesty International, September 10, 2007 - The organization pulled out the alarm facing the increasing risk of the violence giving space to interethnic massacres and other attacks to Human Rights. Many people who escaped from the fights have reported rapes and other homicides of civilians to Amnesty International. The recruitment and the use of children by the armed groups is still going on in the North and South Kivu. http://web.amnesty.org/library/index/fraAFR620142007?open&of=fra-COD An article of IRIN (Humanitarian Affairs Coordination Office) explains", The International Committee of the Red Cross (CICR) expressed its concerns facing the violence perpetrated against the civilians, and notably of the women and children, in South Kivu, the Eastern of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), where abductions, executions, rapes and depredations are frequently reported to the organization. "RDC: The civilians alwaysimprisonedin the violence in the South Kivu - IRIN - July 3, 2007 - http://www.irinnews.org/fr/ReportFrench.aspx?ReportId=73062 French
	(c) 2008 - Coalition for Women's Rights in Conflict Situations

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ALERT: DEATH THREATS MADE AGAINST CONGOLESE WOMEN’S RIGHTS ACTIVIST