Help Secretary Clinton Keep The Plight of Women In The Congo On The Public’s Radar

Secretary Clinton just completed her seven nation trip to Africa and while there, highlighted one of the most under-reported humanitarian/human rights failures in the world today- the continued violence in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and specifically, the use of gender-based violence/rape as a weapon of war there. I posted highlights of Hillary’s trip to the IDP camp in Goma here and here. And of course, the State Department’s online Travel Diary also has tons of information on her trip.

This issue is obviously important to Hillary Clinton as she has long been an advocate for the rights of women and children worldwide and her comments upon her return to the US about being even more committed to the plight of those suffering in such war-torn areas as the DRC (among others), perhaps could be seen as a call to arms:

“I leave Africa after this remarkable trip even more committed,” Mrs. Clinton said before leaving Cape Verde…

[snip]

“And we’ve seen the worst humanity can do to itself,” she added, presumably referring to Congo, where Mrs. Clinton met some of the victims of the various armed groups that continue to rape, kill and brutalize civilians there…

Perhaps if we could do all we can to help keep the issue of rape as a weapon of war (in the DRC) on the radar as much as possible, it could help Hillary in her efforts as Secretary of State, to combat the epidemic of rape, violence, disease and hunger currently ravaging the DRC.

Along those lines, the organization, Raise Hope for the Congo, is doing amazing work trying to get the message out about the role various conflict minerals play in fueling the crisis there. The organization is part of The Enough Project, which works to end genocide and crimes against humanity anywhere around the globe (check out this YouTube video to see an example of the ways ordinary people are making an impact).

The Enough Project highlighted the importance of Secretary Clinton’s trip to Goma, DRC:

Secretary Clinton’s visit to the Democratic Republic of Congo this week has focused much-needed attention on the impact of the world’s deadliest war on the country’s women and girls. The secretary has done an admirable job sounding the alarm on the scourge of sexual violence that has raged in Congo throughout more than a decade of conflict; her efforts and the ways in which she speaks about this sensitive and emotionally charged issue are neither simplistic nor condescending, and many diplomats and everyday outsiders who follow the conflict in Congo (myself included) would do well to follow her example.

In a front-page story in Tuesday’s Washington Post, timed with Secretary Clinton’s arrival in the Democratic Republic of Congo, correspondent Stephanie McCrummen took a hard look at the massive problem of sexual violence in eastern Congo. Like Secretary Clinton, McCrummen does not mince words in describing the crisis, nor does she attribute it to one single cause. Although the situation in Congo is too complex to boil down into one article, the local perspectives McCrummen features provide a nuanced and realistic, if grim, illustration of the conflict’s underpinnings.

In this chilling quote in the Post article, the Congolese army lieutenant interviewed by McCrummen outlines some of the major factors contributing to this complicated problem from his own perspective:

“The truth is like this,” said one officer, sitting under a shed and sipping a powerful local brew. “What is making soldiers to do these bad things is their treatment by the army. Imagine, one can of sardines?! And you send a soldier away for 10 years?! So, I’m hungry, I’m in need of a wife and I have no money” to pay for a prostitute, he said. “If I see a woman walking on the road, and I love her, I will take her. I will help myself.”
The lieutenant, who did not give his name, is in charge of teaching his soldiers about human rights. “Now,” he said, “buy me a beer so I don’t have to rob you.”

[snip]

Increased attention is part of the solution. But the killing and the now embedded practice of using rape as a weapon of war won’t end just because outsiders have woken up and noticed what is happening in eastern Congo. As my colleague Laura noted in her post yesterday, Secretary Clinton struck the right tone during her visit to Congo this week, because she spoke frankly about the country’s complex challenges. In particular, she said that there is “no excuse any longer;” the US expects the Congolese government to do more to protect its people and provide them with security and services. At the same time, Clinton emphasized that the US and other countries, as well as the United Nations, are ready to assist the Congolese government in their efforts.

Secretary Clinton’s visit to Congo and some of the media coverage surrounding the visit have done a great deal to not only raise awareness about the conflict in Congo, but to raise the level of discussion of the conflict and its root causes.

You can sign the Conflict Minerals Pledge, here, to let some of the largest electronics corporations know that they need to stop utilizing conflict minerals in their products. And, if so inclined, you can also show your support for the bill recently introduced in the Senate, The Conflict Minerals Act of 2009 (S. 819), by calling/writing you Senators to urge their support of the bill. Project Enough summarizes the key elements of the bill as follows:

We welcome the introduction of the Congo Conflict Minerals Act of 2009 in the United States Senate. Senators Brownback, Durbin, and Feingold, the original co-sponsors of the bill, have demonstrated important leadership and welcome dedication to the cause of peace in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and should be congratulated for their efforts. This bill would bring the resources of the U.S. government to bear on a critical driver of war in eastern Congo: the multi-million dollar trade in conflict minerals.

Conflict minerals—cassiterite (tin ore), gold, coltan and wolframite (a source of tungsten) that are used in electronic devices such as cell phones and laptops—are a major source of funding for armed groups in eastern Congo, including the Congolese national army and an array of rebel groups who regularly commit horrific atrocities against civilians. If passed, this bill would provide the authority and direction for the United States government to help ensure that the mineral trade stops contributing to human rights violations, including killings of unarmed civilians and sexual violence, while at the same time developing mechanisms to allow the Congolese people to benefit from these resources.

This bill is an important first step, and we strongly recommend that members of the House incorporate even stronger enforcement provisions when a House version of this bill is introduced.

What would this bill do?

The bill directs the State Department to support multilateral and U.S. government efforts to break the link between the trade in minerals and armed conflict in eastern Congo. Specific measures include:

· support for further investigations by the UN Group of Experts on Congo;
· mapping of which armed groups control key mines in eastern Congo;
· development of a U.S. government strategy to address conflict minerals;
· inclusion of information on the negative impact of mineral exploitation and trade on human rights in Congo in the annual human rights reports; and,

· guidance for companies to exercise due diligence.

In a further positive direction, the bill demands greater transparency and accountability from companies: all companies listed on U.S. stock exchanges – including major electronics companies which are among the largest end-buyers of some of these minerals would have to disclose the origin of their supplies to the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. For those minerals coming from Congo or neighboring countries, companies would need to disclose the precise mine of origin. Finally, the bill calls for expanded U.S. efforts to improve conditions and livelihoods for communities in eastern Congo who are dependent upon mining…

I am none too pleased to see that my electronics manufacturer of choice, Apple, is on the list of companies that likely utilize conflict minerals in their products.

And as always, Eve Ensler of VDAY continues to do her amazing work on behalf of the women and children of the DRC and you can find out more information about what she is doing to fight the use of rape as a weapon of war, here.

The Secretary of State can’t do it alone- she needs our help turning her words into action.

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