UN: Rape continues in eastern Congo, big challenge for UN

Feb 7, 2011, 18:34 GMT

New York - Dozens of rape cases committed in January by armed groups operating in the Democratic Republic of Congo's eastern provinces were challenging the UN civilian protection programme, a UN official said Monday.

About 50 to 80 rape cases perpetrated by a Rwandan-backed rebel group known as FDLR were registered in South Kivu, said Roger Meece, the UN special envoy for Congo. The Congolese Armed Forces (FARDC) were responsible for 'too many' other cases of sexual violence against women in the area, he said, without providing a figure for rapes committed by the government forces.

Meece, who briefed the UN Security Council on the situation in Congo, said Congolese police were also involved in at least 35 cases of sexual violence in Fizi, in eastern Congo.

Meece also said the Uganda-based Lord's Resistance Army remains a 'major threat' with its brutal tactics and operations in Congo.

'The protection of civilians clearly remains our major priority and focus, driven particularly by operations of foreign and domestic armed groups in the eastern portion of the country,' Meece said.

The UN mission in Congo, criticized for inaction when a rebel group raped some 300 women in North Kivu in July, has taken steps to deter the crime. But it also pointed out that the area is too vast for the small UN forces.

In addition, Meece said the capacity of civilian and military justice systems are 'significantly' weak to prosecute the rapists, and the UN has taken action to bolster government justice system with support from countries like Canada.

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