23rd June 2011

Reports are coming in from MSF that up to 100 women have been raped and more attacked in the village of Nyakiele near Fizi, South Kivu. The group allegedly behind the attack is the same one that attacked Fizi on New Years Day

Around 100 women have been raped in an attack on a village near Fizi in South Kivu according to reports by Medicins Sans Frontiers. The attack took place between the 10th and 12th of June in the village of Nyakiele about 40km north of Fizi. Fizi was the site of another mass rape on New Years day.

Jean-Marie Ngoma, a member of the provincial parliament, told the UN-backed Radio Okapi that more than 60 women had been raped in the village of Nyakiele alone. Megan Hunter, from medical charity Medecins Sans Frontieres, said that a team deployed in the area's health centres in the past two days had so far treated more than 100 people who said they had suffered rape or other forms of trauma.

The attackers have also reportedly plundered the local health centre, stole the population's belongings and farm animals and forced the locals to carry the loot for them.

Radio Okapi reports that the attacks have been blamed on a group of about 150 and 200 rebels who had been integrated into the Congolese army before deserting this month. These Pareco rebels led by Col Kifaru Niragiye, had deserted from a military training centre near Fizi on 9 June to protest against the reorganisation of the local military command.

Col Kifaru was the military sector commander on New Year's Day, when his troops were accused of raping more than 60 women in Fizi town in his absence. Nine of those men, including Col Kifaru's deputy Lt Col Kibibi Mutware, were later found guilty of crimes against humanity and jailed.

Rape is a common occurence in Eastern DRC which has been dubbed, 'the rape capital of the world'. The region has had several armed groups marauding the countryside since war officially ended in 2003. These groups, often plunder villages for supplies and recruits and often rape is used to control local populations and, horrifically, as an entertainment for troops.

To hear soldiers explain their involvement in mass rapes, and how they feel after retraining, watch this short film