The United States of America today expressed concerned on the recent attack against Congolese human rights activist Denis Mukwege.
Reports say Dr. Mukwege was assaulted outside his home and his guard was killed defending him.
The US State Department issued a statement that calls on the Government of the Democratic Republic of the Congo to investigate thoroughly the events of the October 25 attack on Dr. Denis Mukwege, of Panzi Hospital.
The US calls for the prompt response of local law enforcement officials and the UN, and urges Congolese authorities to hold the perpetrators of the violence accountable.
A skilled surgeon and gynecologist, Dr. Mukwege has worked tirelessly for the health of women in the eastern Democratic and advocated for peace in a troubled region.
“The United States expresses our deep concern over the attack.” -US State Department
The US government expressed relie that Dr. Mukwege is safe, and offers its condolences to the family of his guard, Joseph Bizimana, who was killed while defending Dr. Mukwege.
Dr. Mukwege is a world-renowned surgeon and director of Panzi Hospital in Eastern Congo’s South Kivu province. The clinic has treated over 30,000 survivors of sexual violence.
Dr. Mukwege is a founding member of the Advisory Committee of the International Campaign to Stop Rape & Gender Violence in Conflict. The campaign was launched earlier this year to curb the widespread rates of gender violence around the world.
In 2010, a UN human rights team confirmed that more than 300 civilians were raped between 30 July and 2 August 2010 in the Walikale region in eastern DRC by members of armed groups including the Mai Mai Cheka and the Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda (FDLR).
UN asserts that the use of sexual violence as a weapon or tactic of war, or as a means to wage terror against political opponents, is unacceptable.
