Rape of a minor girl and her mother, who was subsenquently killed and mutilated

The International Secretariat of the World Organisation Against Torture (OMCT) requests your urgent intervention in the following situation in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC).

Brief description of the situation:

The International Secretariat of OMCT has been informed by reliable sources, including the African Association for the Defence of Human Rights (ASADHO), member of the SOS-Torture network, of the rape of a girl of 13 years of age and the rape followed by killing and mutilation of her mother Mrs. Malenga Ramazani, 37 years-old and mother of five children, in Kichula, a village located near mount Mitumba, in the Eastern Province of South Kivu.

According to the information received, on 13 October 2006, around 3 p.m., Mrs Malenga Ramazani was hoeing in her field with her daughter, when five men belonging to the Congolese Army (Forces Armées Congolaises) wearing uniform, led by Shabani Maneno of Brigade n° 118, commanded by colonel Ngufu, encircled them. After threatening them, they raped the minor girl and took the mother to the top of the hill « elahuli n’icupa ». There she was raped repeatedly by 9 men during 3 days until she passed out due to the traumas and pains. Then they shot her in the vagina and started mutilating it. Her daughter, once released, could inform about the facts. Suffering of a vaginal trauma and conjunctivitis, the girl was taken to Bujumbura (Burundi) for gynaecological and ophthalmologic care.

The technical team of Ferufavide-Absl[1] then found the body of Mrs Malenga Ramazani and after gathering evidence, with the family’s authorisation, filed a complaint before the competent jurisdiction for the violations perpetrated against the girl and her mother. Despite the fact that at least one of the perpetrators has been identified, namely Shabani Maneo, they still have not been arrested and no investigation had been ordered.

The International Secretariat of OMCT is gravely concerned by the increase in sexual violence in the Democratic Republic the of Congo and recalls that according to article 4.c of the Declaration on the Elimination of Violence against Women, all States have a duty to “exercise due diligence to prevent, investigate and, in accordance with national legislation, punish acts of violence against women, whether those acts are perpetrated by the State or by private persons.”

Furthermore, OMCT recalls that as a State party to the Convention on the Rights of the Child (ratified in 1990), the Democratic Republic of the Congo should respect its article 19.1 that establishes the duty to “take all appropriate legislative, administrative, social and educational measures to protect the child from all forms of physical or mental violence, injury or abuse, neglect or negligent treatment, maltreatment or exploitation, including sexual abuse, while in the care of parent(s), legal guardian(s) or any other person who has the care of the child.” Moreover, article 19.2 specifies that “such protective measures should, as appropriate, include effective (…) for other forms of prevention and for identification, reporting, referral, investigation, treatment and follow-up of instances of child maltreatment described heretofore, and, as appropriate, for judicial involvement.”

In addition, OMCT is deeply concerned the authors of these violations may not face criminal proceedings and continue enjoying freedom and impunity.

Action requested:

Please write to the Congolese authorities and ask them to:

1. Guarantee the physical and psychological integrity of the minor girl victim of rape, in particular by ensuring her access to the necessary protective measures and medical and psychological care;
2. Order a thorough and impartial investigation into the circumstances of the severe violations described above, in order to identify those responsible, bring them to trial and to apply the civil, penal and/or administrative sanctions provided for by law;
3. Guarantee adequate compensation to the girl and her family;
4. Guarantee the respect of human rights and fundamental freedoms throughout the country in accordance with national laws and international human rights standards, especially by implementing the recommendations issued by the UN Committee against Torture during its 35th session (see paragraph 12 on violence against women, CAT/C/DRC/CO/1).

Addresses:

• Le Président de la République, S.E. Joseph Kabila, Présidence de la République, Kinshasa-Ngaliema, République Démocratique du Congo, E-mail: upp@ic.cd
• Le Vice-Président de la République en Charge de la Commission Politique, Défense et Sécurité, M. Azarias Ruberwa Manywa, Cabinet du Vice-Président de la République, avenue roi Baudouin ex-3Z, Kinshasa/Gombe, République Démocratique du Congo, E-mail : vice_presidence.rdc@ic.cd
• Le Ministre des Affaires Etrangères et de la Coopération Internationale, M. Ramazani Baya, Cabinet du Ministre, bâtiment du Ministère des Affaires Etrangères, Kinshasa/Gombe, République Démocratique du Congo
• Le Ministre de la Justice et Garde des Sceaux, M. Kisimba Ngoy, Ministère de la Justice et Garde des Sceaux, BP 3137, Kinshasa Gombé, République Démocratique du Congo, E-mail: minjustrdc@yahoo.fr
• Le Ministre de l’Intérieur, Ministère de l’Intérieur, Fax: +243 88 02 042, E-mail: mininterieur@yahoo.fr
• La Ministre des Droits Humains, Mme Marie-Madeleine Kalala, Cabinet du Ministre, Boulevard du 30 juin, Kinshasa/Gombe, République Démocratique du Congo, Fax: 00 243 12 20 664, Email: min_droitshumains@yahoo.fr ou mindroits_humains@yahoo.fr
• Observatoire National des Droits de l’Homme (ONDH), Cabinet du Président, avenue Sendwe, Kinshasa/Kalamu, République Démocratique du Congo, Tel: +243 98313740 / + 243 98271199 / + 243 98407633
• M. Théo Kiakwima, Directeur adjoint de l’Agence Nationale des Renseignements, Tel: + 243 995 8610
• Ambassadeur, Antoine Mindua Kesia-Mbe, Mission permanente de la République démocratique du Congo, Avenue de Budé 18, 1202 Genève, Suisse, e-mail : missionrdc@bluewin.ch, Fax : +4122 740.16.82
• Chef de la mission diplomatique auprès de l’UE, Jean-Pierre Mavungu, Mission permanente de la République du Congo, 6 avenue de Foestraets, 1180 UCCLE
• Ambassade de la République Démocratique du Congo à Bruxelles, Rue marie de Bourgogne, 30 – B 1040 Bruxelles, Belgique. Tel : + 32 2 375 47 96, Fax : + 32 2 372 23 48

Please also write to the diplomatic representations of the Democratic Republic of Congo in your respective countries.

Geneva, 1st November 2006

Kindly inform OMCT of any action undertaken quoting the code number of this appeal in your reply.

[1] Femmes rurales face aux violences et au développement, a local NGO based in South-Kivu.