Interview with Chouchou Namegabe Nabintu after her Senate testimony on Congolese women and rape

Chouchou Namegabe Nabintu, DRC (photo credit: Vital Voices)

Chouchou Namegabe Nabintu’s passion and drive shines through from the moment that I spoke to her. On Wednesday, Chouchou Namegabe Nabintu testified at the “Confronting Rape and other Forms of Violence Against Women in Conflict Zones Spotlight: DRC and Sudan” hearing before the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations. I spoke with her yesterday to get a sense of how the hearing went and also to gain more insight on the situation women face in conflict zones in the DRC.

As an advocate for women of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) who have become victims to rape and sexual violence, Ms. Nabintu told the Senate Committee for Foreign Relations on Wednesday that the women of the DRC have waited a long time for American policy-makers to turn their attention to this serious situation. Since the 1990’s, Ms. Nabintu has shined a spotlight on human rights violations and specifically rape as a weapon against women. In talking to her, she clearly wants to inform the American people of what is happening on the ground. The ferocity of her advocacy shines through as she explains that exploitation in the region and the continual violence that women face in a tactical war that instills fear through women’s bodies has destroyed communities.

How was your testimony received before the Senate Committee for Foreign Relations?

For me, I was satisfied, because I found that people heard what I said. It was for me an opportunity for advocacy for women’s education of rape, economic war and all such things that I wanted to say in front of the policy makers. It was for me a big opportunity so I was satisfied. I was heard. The Senators said that there would be a commission to go to Congo to get the reality of what is going on the ground. They are open to all new information so that they can involve more US government efforts. I am satisfied.

I see a situation where rape is used as a weapon to destroy a community. I shared women’s testimonies of the victims. This is to break the silence. People who are working on the issue know the reality. This is a good thing. I found that there are many American people who are informed.

Why is the big media not involved?

What did you think of some of the other presenters at the hearing?

They were good. The people who are working on the issue know the reality. I know Eve Ensler’s work. They do the big campaigns. I would like to work with V-Day to strengthen the voice of women in Congo, and to create radio for them to give women a voice.

I heard John Prendergast. (Co-Founder of The Enough Project) They have a big program on the Congo. I don’t know which Congolese local organizations that they work with. It’s a good thing. I would like to see the impact of their efforts.

Regarding the first panel, they were talking about the issue, it was about finding solutions. I’d like to see how American people are getting involved on this discussion.

Can you tell me about the impact your advocacy will have in the Congo?

It will help Congolese people. I give concrete propositions for actions. I think that if those actions will be advanced it will bring a big change to the Congolese people. They will get security, peace and live without war. If all my propositions will be followed it will make a big difference for the Congo. I trust in women and the change will come through women.

Can you tell me about the impact of international organizations and non-governmental organizations on the ground?

It can pass through the local non-governmental organizations and then the situation can change. There are people in extreme poverty. For us, the time is now to work. We have to get this opportunity for the US get involved in the fight. To work now.

The international organizations come with proposals, they don’t have the real needs of the population. So it’s a big problem. Some of them identify the real problems and then it is more effective.

Which international organizations are working in the Congo?

For international, I have worked with Women for Women, La Francophonie, and UNDP.  There are a few development organizations for example. There are a few European NGO’s and not many American NGO’s. There are too many to mention. The best place to start is www.interaction.org which is a network of American relief and development non-governmental organizations. You can search for those working in DRC.

Many do humanitarian work and development work. But it’s not sufficient.

What are some of the local organizations?

The RFDP, which stands for Reseau des Femmes Pour la Defense des Droits et la Paix. In English it is Women’s Network for Justice and Peace.

The other is Centro Olame in Bukavu.

What impact have they had?

RFDP, they have started their own thing, to give assistance, working with the community and the victims. They help victims, to break the silence by using media to get the voices of the victims heard.

Centro Olame gives the floor to the victims.

I have worked with these organizations that fight against sexual violence.

How can people help?

The first thing is to talk about and break the silence and to make it known. Write to government to make actions quickly. Act now. You should push for help for security for them and mobilize to help the victims. Continue to put the light on women.

Yesterday, testifying before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, you said, “The women ask WHY? Why such atrocities? Why do they fight their war on women’s bodies? It is because there is a plan to put fear into the community through the woman, because she is the heart of the community. When she is pushed down, the whole community follows.” Can you expand on this?

We don’t understand how women’s bodies are being used when they are heart of the community. Once you destroy, it is a tactical war. They want to make the population feel displaced and alarmed on the lands where there are minerals. They make fear in the community.

Do you think that restorative programs that hold the values of restorative justice (encounter, amends by offenders, reintegration and inclusion) can be implemented at the community level so that while efforts toward pursuing justice through the ICC are pursued women can turn to their community for support and healing? Have you seen such efforts in the communities?

There is a big need by the Congolese, because there is corruption and tomorrow you see victims having a hard time. Congolese can use restorative justice and justice can be restored. For the ICC, there are no serious charges that have been made and we still need to pressure the International Criminal Court to include rape and sexual violence in the charges filed against the war criminals. There are rebel leaders who have not been convicted. And in the Congo at the local level, there is corruption. A person can be arrested and tomorrow released.

The victims need to be trained on how to give testimony. Victims have to show medical proof, even though we know the victims don’t have medical assistance. It can be a big problem. Congo needs to have a system that helps the victims to bring them justice. To bring a collective justice.

Mvemba Phezo Dizolele wrote an article in December 2008 in Forbes that pointed out what the US can do in the conflict in the Congo. He wrote that the problem has been about the rush for control of natural resources. He also wrote that “The conflict in eastern Congo is a direct result of a botched U.S. Congo policy that has given the governments of Rwanda and Uganda carte blanche in their bloody designs over Congo's mineral resources.” Do you agree?

The problem is also the big powers that are supported by these governments. The economic war benefits Rwanda and other international countries. There is a need to stop this war. If the international community wants it to end, they can. They are exploiting cobalt, copper, uranium and various minerals.

The economic war must stop. You have to stop the exploitation.

Mvemba Phezo Dizolele also says the US should not give Rwanda a free pass. The elections in 2006, according to him, legitimized the government in Kinshasa, but failed to bring peace to eastern Congol. Instead, he wrote that new militias emerged as proxies for Rwanda and Uganda so that they can still access the natural resources. Do you agree?

Rwanda is a protector of the US. Now it is putting its army base in Kigali, the capital, to control central Africa.

Finally, what are the next steps that you are going to take?

I will be working toward continued advocacy. I will next be in the Netherlands for a youth conference for young people advocating for peace and justice in DC. She also is developing partnerships with V-Day, UNIFEM, UNDP, and others to help to reach more women in the rural areas of eastern DRC, to provide women with access to justice, and to stop the culture of violence against women and the impunity of the perpetrators.