Case COD 011106.CC.VAW
CHILD CONCERN/ Violence AGAINST
WOMEN
Rape of a minor girl and her mother/ Torture, murder and
mutilation of the mother/
Lack of
investigation
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).
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
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:
i.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;
ii.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;
iii.
Guarantee
adequate compensation to the girl and her family;
iv.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
Please also write to the diplomatic representations of
the Democratic Republic of Congo in your respective
countries.
Kindly inform OMCT of any action undertaken quoting the
code number of this appeal in your reply.