In Congo, Secretary Clinton Completely Neglects Surging LRA Violence
Last
week, as part of her trip to Africa, US Secretary of State Hillary
Clinton made a historic visit to the city of Goma in eastern DR Congo,
making her the first US Secretary of State to visit war-affected areas
of the country (home to the deadliest war since World War II). Though
her trip brought a great deal of much-needed attention to the plight of
civilians in eastern DRC - especially the prevalence of violence
against women and the role of minerals in fueling the conflict - the
Secretary failed to use her trip to bring any attention to the surging
violence against civilians being carried out by the LRA just a few
hundred miles north of Goma.
Since the launching of a regional military offensive against the LRA last December, the rebel group has wreaked havoc in northeastern Congo, destroying villages, raping and killing civilians, and kidnapping children. More than 1,200 people have been killed, and over 700 were abducted in LRA attacks, which have also led to the displacement of over 300,000 Congolese civilians. The UN reported 55 separate attacks against Congolese communities in July alone.
Last month, 93 Representatives and 23 Senators signed a letter to Secretary Clinton urging her to make ending LRA violence in DRC a top priority by devoting increased resources and diplomatic leadership to protecting civilians from the LRA and supporting efforts to apprehend Joseph Kony, the LRA's brutal leader. We will continue to promote and to echo this call, as it doesn't appear as though Secretary Clinton has yet heard it.
You can check out more analysis of the Secretary's trip here.
Since the launching of a regional military offensive against the LRA last December, the rebel group has wreaked havoc in northeastern Congo, destroying villages, raping and killing civilians, and kidnapping children. More than 1,200 people have been killed, and over 700 were abducted in LRA attacks, which have also led to the displacement of over 300,000 Congolese civilians. The UN reported 55 separate attacks against Congolese communities in July alone.
Last month, 93 Representatives and 23 Senators signed a letter to Secretary Clinton urging her to make ending LRA violence in DRC a top priority by devoting increased resources and diplomatic leadership to protecting civilians from the LRA and supporting efforts to apprehend Joseph Kony, the LRA's brutal leader. We will continue to promote and to echo this call, as it doesn't appear as though Secretary Clinton has yet heard it.
You can check out more analysis of the Secretary's trip here.