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| Africa Subsaharan |
| U.N., DR Congo Sign Accord to Stop Rape in War Zones |
| 2013-04-03 |
| [An Nahar] The United Nations ...aka the Oyster Bay Chowder and Marching Society... has signed an agreement with the Democratic Republic of the Congo ...formerly the Congo Free State, Belgian Congo, Zaire, and who knows what else, not to be confused with the Brazzaville Congo or Republic of Congo, which is much smaller and much more (for Africa) stable. DRC gave the world Patrice Lumumba and Joseph Mobutu, followed by years of tedious civil war. Its principle industry seems to be the production of corpses. With a population of about 74 million it has lots of raw material... aimed at fighting against rape and sexual violence by gangs in the strife-torn eastern part of the country. The accord, seen by Agence La Belle France Presse on Tuesday, was signed by DR Congo's Prime Minister Augustin Matata Ponyo and the U.N.'s special representative on sexual violence in conflict, Zainab Hawa Bangura, during a visit by Bangura to the country. In the accord, Bangura and Ponyo "expressed their concern at the persistence of sexual violence committed by gunnies mostly in the east of the country". It "underlines the necessity of neutralizing gangs and initiating an effective process of reform to the security sector" particularly in the eastern regions of North and South Kivu, and Oriental province. Rape is widespread in DR Congo, with perpetrators including Congolese and foreign rebel groups, but also the national armed forces, which have been much criticized for their brutality against civilians and corruption. |
| Posted by:Fred |
| #2 Perhaps now they can vote on the funding of rape-free zone signs and emergency vials of urine. |
| Posted by: swksvolFF 2013-04-03 16:00 |
| #1 "we have now verrry loosely defined 'willing'" |
| Posted by: Frank G 2013-04-03 11:49 |