Fighters in Congo have raped at least 40,000 women and girls over the past six years, yet the health system in the central African country can offer the victims little help, Amnesty International said on Tuesday.
Although war in the Democratic Republic of Congo was declared over in 2003, fighting has continued sporadically in the east with some horrific rape cases occurring in June this year, according to the human rights group.
Amnesty called for an expert team to assess the needs of the health sector, urged Congolese authorities to take a much tougher line against sexual violence and demanded a national and international effort to improve security in the east.
All of the more than 20 groups involved in Congo’s conflict had committed rape and sexual violence, it said in a statement.
As one example of many crimes, Amnesty cited testimony from the youngest of three sisters raped by up to 20 members of a faction which seized the eastern town of Bukavu in June.
“Jeanette was raped by seven soldiers in the storeroom, Francine by eight soldiers in the shop,” 16-year-old Edith said.
“They put me in the bathroom. I fought with five of the soldiers when they tried to make my brothers watch me being raped. But they beat me so hard.”
Only two eastern hospitals can treat survivors of sexual violence, Amnesty said, and hospitals often have no water or electricity and lack doors, windows and beds because of looting.
“The government and the international community must act now to ensure access to medical care for thousands of rape survivors and ensure that the rehabilitation of the health care system is a priority,” Amnesty campaign director Stephen Bowen said.