Saturday, July 30, 2005
Unimaginable Horror
U.N. Report Details Rampant Sexual Violence in Darfur: "Sudanese security forces and other armed groups continue to rape and abuse displaced women in Darfur with impunity, according to a U.N. report on sexual violence in the troubled Sudanese province.
Louise Arbour, the United Nations' high commissioner for human rights, wrote that victims are routinely subjected to humiliating treatment at the hands of the authorities if they say they have been raped. Sudanese police frequently fail to register or investigate sex crimes, and courts sometimes try rape victims as adulteresses if they cannot prove they are telling the truth, she wrote.
'Rape and gang rape continue to be perpetrated by armed elements in Darfur, some of whom are members of law enforcement agencies and armed forces, and the government appears either unable or unwilling to hold them accountable,' the 29-page report said. 'Many women do not report incidents, out of fear of reprisals, and are discouraged from reporting by the lack of redress for sexual violence.'"
Life without war is hard enough in places like Darfur. Now with daily war, killings and rape as a tool of war, it seems unfathomable. In fact, it thankfully is unfathomable. We are very lucky. When so many are eager to shut the UN down or pull our money from the institution, this report and others like it remind us that they are doing some good work. There are few others who could get in to see what is happening, and we should know. More importantly, we should care!
Louise Arbour, the United Nations' high commissioner for human rights, wrote that victims are routinely subjected to humiliating treatment at the hands of the authorities if they say they have been raped. Sudanese police frequently fail to register or investigate sex crimes, and courts sometimes try rape victims as adulteresses if they cannot prove they are telling the truth, she wrote.
'Rape and gang rape continue to be perpetrated by armed elements in Darfur, some of whom are members of law enforcement agencies and armed forces, and the government appears either unable or unwilling to hold them accountable,' the 29-page report said. 'Many women do not report incidents, out of fear of reprisals, and are discouraged from reporting by the lack of redress for sexual violence.'"
Life without war is hard enough in places like Darfur. Now with daily war, killings and rape as a tool of war, it seems unfathomable. In fact, it thankfully is unfathomable. We are very lucky. When so many are eager to shut the UN down or pull our money from the institution, this report and others like it remind us that they are doing some good work. There are few others who could get in to see what is happening, and we should know. More importantly, we should care!
