Balancing the Scales of Justice for Sexual Violence Victims in Kivu

DR CONGO -- The newly launched Rally for the Independence of Kivu (R.I.K.) www.rikivu.org threatens to declare the independence of Kivu if Kinshasa fails to end the violence in the provinces of Kivu (Maniema, North & South Kivu) where increasingly sexual violence has become another undeclared war perpetrated by all warring parties against the civilian population.

Among other things, the Rally for the Independence of Kivu (R.I.K.) is demanding the Government of the DR Congo to:

•End the unacceptable violence immediately in the provinces of Kivu,

•Implement a Sexual Violent Victims Compensation Assistance Program that will offer sexual violence community prevention education, monetary compensation and life-term free medical insurance (physical
and psychological) to victims and families of sexual violence in the provinces of Kivu,

•Bring to justice perpetrators of sexual violence without excuses to ensure that those guilty of committing sexual violent are dealt with seriously and

•Stop the insanity of rewarding violent criminals by appointing the powerful ones to government posts.

According to the spokesperson of RIK, Amede Kyubwa, "the cycle of violence that engulfed the provinces of Kivu since 1996 has been deliberately exacerbated by the guilty inability of Kinshasa to
bring perpetrators to justice."

RIK calls upon to Kinshasa to restore peace and security in the provinces of Kivu where impunity has become institutionalized, even though not officially recognized.

"We strongly believe that rewarding sexual violent criminals is encouraging them and denying justice to millions of children and women victims of sexual violence and rape in the provinces of Kivu."

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