Democratic Republic of Congo and mass rape in the South Kivu Province

The European Parliament,

-         having regard to the United Nations Security Council Resolution (1325) on Women, Peace and Security of 31 October 2000.

-         having regard to the Rome Statute establishing the International Criminal Court adopted in 1998, and particularly Articles 7 and 8 thereof, which rape, sexual slavery, enforced prostitution, forced pregnancy and forced sterilisation or any form of sexual violence as crimes against humanity and war crimes and equate them with a form of torture and a serious  war crime, whether these acts are systematically perpetrated or not during international or internal conflicts,

-         Having regard to its previous resolutions on rape against Congolese women, <OptDel></OptDel>

-         having regard to Rule 122 of its Rules of Procedure,

A.     Outraged by the new mass rapes, which took place recently in the Minebwe area of the South Kivu  where 170 women were victims, during a raid on three villages  by an armed group,

B.     Whereas the war and unrest in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo has resulted in widespread and alarming scale of sexual violence against women committed by armed rebel groups as well as by  government army and police forces, 

C.     Where the International Community and several organisations world wide continue denouncing this atrocities, whereas time has come to go beyond  condemnations and responsibilities should be taken at national and international level,  

D.     Whereas rape and other forms of sexual violence have become endemic in DRC,  whereas  it is impossible to establish with any degree of accuracy the exact numbers of women and girls – of all ages – who have been affected by sexual violence and mass rape,  

E.      Whereas atrocities against women are structured around rape, gang rape, sexual slavery, murder which have a far reaching consequences on   physical and psychological destruction of women,

F.      Whereas sexual violence leaves survivors with serious health problems such as fistulae and sexually transmitted diseases including AIDS  

G.     Whereas many rape victims are re-victimized because they are rejected by their own families and communities while the perpetrators enjoy impunity,

H.     Whereas the illegal exploitation of the DRC's natural resources continue fuelling the war of which Kivu has become  violent rivalry zone among armed groups with the consequence of large scale rape,

1.      Considers that time has come to go beyond condemnation and responsibilities should be assumed by the Congolese government, by the EU and the UN to take concrete actions to end these atrocities.

2.      Calls on the government of DRC to consider  mass rape and sexual violence against women as a national  priority and put in place  mechanisms such as establishing transitional justice  to promote  truth,  accountability for  sexual violence as well as organising national campaign to heighten public awareness of the mass rape against women, 

3.      Demand the Commission and the Democratic Republic of Congo to review DRC's   Country Strategy Paper  and the National Indicative Programme  of the 10the EDF (2008-2013)  with the objective of putting the issue of mass rape and sexual violence against women as national priority to combat impunity,

4.      Underlines that EU's development fund to DRC  should be allocated, as a matter of priority, to provide medical, legal and social support for  victims of sexual abuse and empower women and girls as a way to prevent further sexual abuse,  

5.      Reminds that the UN Security Council 1325 resolution  emphasizing the responsibility of all states to put an end to impunity and to prosecute those responsible  for crimes against humanity, and war crimes including those relating to sexual and other violence against women and girls,

6.      Calls on the Commission to come out with legislative proposal on conflict minerals, which fuels the war and mass rape in DRC to combat impunity,  similar to Dodd-Frank  Act (especially section 1502), which imposes new reporting requirement on manufactured products for which  "conflict minerals" are used,  

7.      Calls on the EU to establish a binding legal framework for the responsibility of private companies from the EU operating in DRC, with a view to combating the illegal exploitation of the country's natural resources,

8.      Instructs its President to forward this resolution to DRC government , Council, the Commission the AU, UN