Madam, - As violence escalates in the Democratic Republic of Congo ( The Irish Times, November 18th) it is now believed that it is more dangerous to be a woman than a soldier there.
Violence against women is rampant and rape is being used as a weapon of war. In North and South Kivu over 1,000 new cases of sexual violence are reported each month. The real number of cases is certainly higher. While 70 per cent of reported rapes are perpetrated by rebels, 16 per cent are carried out by government troops. In remote areas around Goma, women are being attacked by rebel forces in their homes, in the fields or while hiding from would-be assailants.
Terrified women are taking to the road with their children on dangerous journeys that leave them open to attack. In camps there is little or no humanitarian support, so the only way for women to feed their hungry children is to leave the camp, putting themselves at risk of rape. What is happening to Congolese women now has been called "femicide".
Infants and elderly women are among the victims. Rapes are often committed in front of family members. Such sexual violence tears the fabric of family life apart. Many women cannot return to their homes after an attack.
Thousands of children have been abducted for use as child soldiers, labourers, or sex slaves. Recently a village in northern DRC was raided and 500 children were abducted by a rebel group.
It is clear that the Congolese state cannot protect its citizens. The military forces are corrupt and ill-disciplined; soldiers prey on the very population they are supposed to protect.
Last week the EU issued a statement condemning human rights violations, It urged the DRC government to ensure responsible behaviour from its armed forces and protect civilians. But the EU's actions fall short of what is needed.
Ireland must act now, together with its EU partners, to send in the European rapid response force to support the existing UN peacekeepers.
Protection for women and children must be a priority; they are the most fragile victims of this protracted conflict and must be urgently shielded from the terror of rape, killing and kidnap. - Yours, etc,