Brussels, 08/07/2011 (Agence Europe) - The European Parliament (EP) has roundly condemned the mass rapes, acts of sexual violence and other human rights violations perpetrated recently in the South Kivu region. One hundred and seventy people were the victims of rapes or physical violence in the villages of Nakiele and Abala in the South Kivu region of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) between 10 and 12 June of this year. Members of the same armed group which stands accused were involved in similar acts in January 2011. MEPs regret the lack of courage on the part of the international community.
With is adoption on Thursday 7 July of a resolution on the DRC, the EP calls on the government of the DRC to consider the fight against mass rape and sexual violence against women as a national priority. It welcomes the UN's decision to carry out an inquiry into these events and calls for “immediate, independent and impartial investigations” to be conducted. MEPs also deplore the fact that war criminals are still holding high command positions.
Parliament calls on the Commission to release additional funds to combat sexual violence and to “work to create houses for the victims of sexual violence”. A pilot project should be set up to improve medical assistance to victims of sexual violence in the DRC, the EP suggests.
It expresses its concern that MONUSCO (UN Mission to the DRC) could not use its mandate and rules of engagement more actively to provide protection against such mass rapes, including the atrocities committed by its own forces. The EP remains deeply concerned at the current humanitarian situation in the DRC and at the under-funding in this region owing to the reduction in funding from certain bilateral donors. It deeply regrets the fact that, at present, the funds allocated are reaching only few victims, and calls on the Commission to maintain the funding allocated to humanitarian aid in the eastern DRC.
The Commission is called on to come forward with a legislative proposal on conflict minerals which fuel the war and mass rape in the DRC, with a view to combating impunity, similar to the Dodd-Frank Act (especially section 1502), which imposes new reporting requirements on manufactured products for which conflict minerals are used.
MEPs state that the conflict resolution plan for South Kivu, which gives priority to the military solution, has proved to be a failure. The solution to this conflict must be political, the EP asserts. (L.C./transl.rt)