This week, the UN Security Council voted unanimously in favour of a resolution classifying rape as a weapon of war. The US-sponsored resolution was adopted unanimously by the 15-member council. It described sexual violence as “a tactic of war to humiliate, dominate or instil fear” in society. The document said that the violence “can significantly exacerbate situations of armed conflict and may impede the restoration of international peace and security.” During the debate in the council, UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon said: “Responding to this silent war against women and girls requires leadership at the national level.” “National authorities need to take the initiative to build comprehensive strategies while the UN needs to help build capacity and support national authorities and civil societies,” he added. US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said the world now recognised that sexual violence profoundly affected not only the health and safety of women, but the economic and social stability of their nations. There has been an upsurge of insurgents in recent years who maraud our continent; raping our young sisters. They abduct young schoolgirls and turn them into their wives. A case in point is Uganda’s Lords Resistance Army headed by dreaded Joseph Kony, who has been fighting President Yoweri Museveni’s leadership for the last two decades. There have been consistent reports by all human rights activists throughout the world that the rebel group has raped thousands of women in the region. Many victims are now left for dead after contracting HIV/Aids from the rebels. Early this month, regional security chiefs agreed that DRC and UN forces should step in and launch active offensive against LRA forces. In Rwanda, regional army chiefs were by press time yet to decide on the operational plan of routing negative forces from eastern DRC and the region at large. The army chiefs meeting is organised under the auspices of the Tripartite Plus Joint Commission (TPJC), a regional platform that brings together Uganda, Burundi, DRC and Rwanda. The operational plan was developed by DRC armed forces in collaboration with the Joint Planning Cell which is composed of all member states. If the operational plan is approved, it will lead the way to the disarmament of rebel forces and hopefully secure a better life for many African women. Ends
