Président Joseph Kabila
Gabinet du Président
Palais de la Nation
Kinshasa/Gombe
Democratic Republic of the Congo
Your Excellency
It came to my knowledge through Amnesty International that Justine Masika Bihamba, a human rights worker in Congo, and her family, were assaulted by six army soldiers in their own house on 18 September 2007. Justine and her family were targeted by the DRC military because of her work as the coordinator of the women’s human rights NGO, Synergie des femmes contre les violences sexuelles (SFVS).
Justine Bihamba’s children were threatened and one of them was sexually assaulted with a knife.
When Justine Bihamba returned home she called immediately the authorities. Latter, Justine and her children searched on the neighbourhood with the military police and identified the six soldiers who attacked them as those guarding an army officer.
On 27 September of 2007, Justine made a legal complaint against the soldiers. Her complaint didn’t have any concrete consequence. One year after the attack, the responsibles haven’t been arrested or brought to trial. Justine Bihamba and her six children have been threatened since then. They live in fear and Justine’s two daughters fled abroad.
Therefore I would like to appeal to your Excellency to call for an immediate, full and impartial investigation into the attack on Justine Masika Bihamba’s family, including the sexual assault and attempted rape of her daughter, with the perpetrators brought to justice. I would also like to call on your Excellency to ask for the immediate protection of human rights defender Justine Masika Bihamba and her family.
Yours Sincerely
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