There are something sinister going on in South Kivu Province in the Democratic Republic of Congo. This time the UN Experts Report of 31st December 2018. The interviews and the witnesses clearly states what is happening within the Raia Mutomboki of the Kokodikoko faction. These events are really horrific and really showing the tragedies that is happening because of warlords. Warlords who uses child soldiers and who takes woman captive, because they got guns.
That is what is happening. The hurt and damage it does, the cult-like aspiration of Kokodikoko, as he has dances and insults, as they prepare to violate the woman. They are clearly celebrating the crimes together in the militia. That shows the illness of the group and their actions.
Just read the horrific story:
“Based on interviews in June, September and October 2018 with 17 victims, 1 witness, civil society members, local authorities, local researchers, 1 ex-Raia Mutomboki element and staff from non-governmental organizations and MONUSCO, the Group found that the Kokodikoko faction of Raia Mutomboki, led by Masudi Alimasi Kokodikoko, committed mass gang rapes, serious sexual crimes amounting to torture and sexual slavery against at least 17 women around Lubila in Shabunda territory in September 2018. The Group also found that Kokodikoko and his group used child soldiers. All of those acts constitute serious violations of human rights and international humanitarian law, and are sanctionable acts under subparagraphs (d) and (e) of paragraph 7 of Security Council resolution 2293 (2016)” (…) “A total of at least 17 women, between the ages of 15 and 70, including 2 women not abducted in Lubila, were held captive in the cave. During four days the Raia Mutomboki elements repeatedly gang-raped the women. They also introduced various tools into the vaginas of several of the women, severely injuring some. Women who resisted being assaulted were additionally mistreated” (…) “Raia Mutomboki elements shouting “Tchai! Tchai!”14 (Tea! Tea!) usually announced the beginning of the rapes. Before the rapes, Raia Mutomboki elements also danced and sang. Some of the songs, described as full of insults, spoke about penises, vaginas and penetration. The songs expressly mentioned the name of “Chief Kokodikoko” and praised him. During this last ritual, Kokodikoko was either in the middle of his elements or on the side watching them” (UNSC, 2018).
This report of the UN Experts are really saying a lot. It is showing the sinister acts of the Raia Mutomboki led by Kokodikoko, who has no trouble doing this to woman. Raping them and making ceremonies of it. Where he takes them, detain them in caves and gang-rape them. This after interviews of people witnesses to this acts.
These acts should not be pushed to the side. They need to be told, as the victims of these crimes deserves justice. They deserves to punished by the law and meet the courts of law. These cases should be put away. That this acts are happening is worrying, that the militia can do this and we can wonder if the FARDC or the MONUSCO can deal with group in South Kivu.
Something should around the way of warlord Kokodikoko, we have wait and see. But this isn’t what we want to hear, but what we need to hear. Because, the realities are bleak, they are dark and not beautiful. We could wish for it to be differnt, but that is not the reality. We still need to challenge men like this, who uses their position and their weapons to this savage way of sinister acts against innocent woman. Peace.
Reference:
United Nations Security Council (UNSC) – ‘Letter dated 18 December 2018 from the Group of Experts on the Democratic Republic of the Congo addressed to the President of the Security Council’ (31.12.2018)