Denis Mukwege: DR Congo anti-rape doctor attacked
Unknown gunmen have tried to kill a Congolese doctor widely praised for his work helping rape victims, he has told the BBC.
One of his security guards was shot dead in the attack in the Democratic Republic of Congo town of Bukavu.
Dr Mukwege has won several awards for his work.
Human rights campaigners have accused several armed groups operating in eastern DR Congo of using rape as a weapon of war.
Last week, one hospital in the region said it had recorded 5,000 cases of rape this year.
In 2010, UN special representative on sexual violence in conflict Margot Wallstrom said the country was the "rape capital of the world".
Four armed men broke into Dr Mukwege's home and waited for him to return home, says PMU, a Swedish religious organisation which works with the Panzi hospital founded by the doctor.
They then shot at and narrowly missed the gynaecologist before fleeing in his car, which they soon abandoned.
"They wanted to kill me," Dr Mukwege told BBC Afrique, adding that his work had angered some people in the region.
"It upsets them when we denounce their crimes," he said.
Numerous armed groups have been operating in eastern DR Congo for almost 20 years.
The latest unrest broke out in April and has forced some 500,000 people from their homes.
Amnesty International is unhappy to say the least.
“This atrocious attack is one of a number of recent attacks by unknown armed men targeting humanitarian workers and human rights defenders in North and South Kivu,” said Sarah Jackson, Amnesty International’s Deputy Africa Director.
The United Nations is equally pissed off.
27 October 2012 – The United Nations envoy on sexual violence in conflict has voiced her outrage at the attack against a doctor in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) widely admired for his work with rape survivors, and called on the Government to bring the perpetrators to justice. “I am appalled and outraged by the cowardly attack against Dr. Denis Mukwege and his family,” Zainab Bangura said in a statement, referring to the incident which took place on Thursday night and which was also condemned by Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon.
“Not only a skilled surgeon who has treated tens of thousands of survivors of sexual violence, Dr. Mukwege is also a role model and advocate in his own country and internationally who has courageously and tirelessly dared to speak out against the horrific crime of sexual violence,” she added. The Special Representative called on the Government of the DRC to spare no effort to keep Dr. Mukwege and his family safe and to swiftly bring those responsible to justice.
“Not only a skilled surgeon who has treated tens of thousands of survivors of sexual violence, Dr. Mukwege is also a role model and advocate in his own country and internationally who has courageously and tirelessly dared to speak out against the horrific crime of sexual violence,” she added. The Special Representative called on the Government of the DRC to spare no effort to keep Dr. Mukwege and his family safe and to swiftly bring those responsible to justice.
“Not only a skilled surgeon who has treated tens of thousands of survivors of sexual violence, Dr. Mukwege is also a role model and advocate in his own country and internationally who has courageously and tirelessly dared to speak out against the horrific crime of sexual violence,” she added. The Special Representative called on the Government of the DRC to spare no effort to keep Dr. Mukwege and his family safe and to swiftly bring those responsible to justice.
Physicians for Human Rights are shocked.
" Physicians for Human Rights has been shocked to learn of a violent attack today at the home of our close colleague and friend, Dr. Denis Mukwege, in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo. We fear for the safety of Dr. Mukwege, a world-renowned obstetric surgeon who is founder and medical director of Panzi Hospital in Bukavu, where he and his staff have helped treat over 30,000 survivors of sexual violence."
The question of course is why ? I am having a great deal of difficulty believing that the doctor was targeted by a Congolese rapist on the grounds that he objects to sexual violence. It is reasonable to assume that this is a political crime.
Nicholas Kristof blogs at the New York Times .
" Dr. Mukwege presumably was targeted because of a strong speech he gave at the United Nations last month, denouncing mass rape in Congo and the impunity for it. President Kabila has long been angry at Dr. Mukwege, and the UN speech can’t have helped. Meanwhile, Dr. Mukwege has also offended Rwanda with his denunciations of Rwanda’s role in the slaughter and rape in eastern Congo."
Kabila and Kagame are offended. Good on one level insofar as if either of them was behind this atrocity then they can chalk up another failure to the long list each man has been accumulating.
Who ever was responsible has made a huge stuff up. Until I read Alex Engwete blog today ( link below ) I had never heard of Dr Mukwege. The man is a saint. I have no doubt this man will win a Nobel Peace Prize.
Enough Project details some of his past awards.
" Mukwege is the recipient of numerous international awards, including the U.N. Human Rights Prize, African of the Year, King Baudouin International Development Prize, the Olof Palme Prize, and the Clinton Global Citizen Award. He has been nominated several times for the Nobel Peace Prize."
This guy is a Sir Edmund Hillary, Mother Teresa and Nelson Mandela all rolled into one a combination, any criminal who knew who he was would have given him a mile wide birth. Africa is a big place but I doubt it would be big enough to hide in for your everyday garden variety criminal had they killed Dr. Mukwege. I think Dr Mukweghe's account rules out stupid criminals and smart ones would be steering clear.
The evidence circumstantial though it is at this stage looks to be pointing away from attempted murder and towards attempted assassination and there is a huge distinction between the two.
One would expect an assassination to be carried out competently that this was a total clusterfuck would usually rule out a nation state. Fortunatley for Dr Mukwege if it turns out to be a nation state it will be either Rwanda or the DR Congo both nations that seem to excel in clandistine clusterfucks.
Hat Tip Alex Engwete
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