Women's Rights Speaker from DRC at The College of New Jersey 11/10/08

On Monday, November 10, the Mercer County Amnesty Local Group and the Amnesty chapter at The College of New Jersey will host a presentation on violence against women by Dr. Roger Luhiriri from the Democratic Republic of Congo. There will also be opportunities for those attending to learn about and support the International Violence Against Women Act (IVAWA).

Dr. Luhiriri is currently in residence at the Human Rights Advocates Program at Columbia University. The Program's website provides the following biographical information about him:

Dr. Roger Luhiriri serves as a specialist physician in traumatic fistula at Panzi Hospital, the only center for victims of sexual violence in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). Dr. Luhiriri also helps to guide the hospital’s other services for survivors of sexual violence, including psychological support, vocational training, and childcare. As a representative of Panzi Hospital, Dr. Luhiriri has built alliances between the Hospital and other nongovernmental organizations in the immediate area to encourage local participation in conflict resolution.

In addition to his work at Panzi Hospital, Dr. Luhiriri collaborates with Synergie des Femmes pour les Victimes des Violences Sexuelles (SFVS), a coalition of women’s organizations addressing sexual violence against women. To address a growing need to support the caregivers of sexual violence survivors, Dr. Luhiriri has introduced
a new Program of Psychological Assistance for Social Workers and Doctors. Dr. Luhiriri recently advocated this new initiative at Toronto University’s Stephen Lewis Foundation, where he studied women’s human rights.

The event will take place at 6:30 in Forcina Hall 130 at The College of New Jersey in Ewing. Directions to TCNJ are available at http://www.tcnj.edu/~pa/about/directions.html.

Zimbabwe’s new government has to tackle culture of impunity

As many of you may know, AIUSA's Northeast Regional Office is focusing on the issue of impunity in Zimbabwe this year. Amnesty's International Secretariat has posted the following statement on its website:


Zimbabwe’s new government has to tackle culture of impunity

23 September 2008

Zimbabwe’s President Robert Mugabe signed a power-sharing agreement with the Movement for Democratic Change’s leaders on Monday, 15 September 2008 in an attempt to resolve the political crisis that has been developing since 2000 and escalated sharply in the last six months.

The crisis has been characterised by a series of politically-motivated violations of civil, political, social and economic rights against real and perceived opponents of President Mugabe. Those who instigated or committed these violations have enjoyed almost total impunity.

In the run-up to the 27 June presidential election run-off, the country saw a wave of state-sponsored human rights violations that left at least 165 people killed, thousands tortured and nearly 30,000 people internally displaced. How Zimbabwe’s unity government will tackle important questions of justice and impunity remains unclear.

Amnesty International has said that the validity of the deal would be seriously compromised if it includes amnesties or pardons that prevent human rights violators being brought to justice, the emergence of the truth, and full reparations to victims.

"Nothing should be agreed that would prevent the full emergence of the truth – and those responsible for the gross human rights violations that took place must be brought to justice," said Simeon Mawanza, Amnesty International's expert on Zimbabwe who recently returned from speaking to victims of state-sponsored violence in the country.

"The victims of human rights violations are demanding justice for the crimes they have suffered – and they deserve no less than that. It will be a great betrayal of these victims if national, regional and international leaders were to support pre-trial amnesties for perpetrators of human rights violations."

Simeon Mawanza added that Zimbabwe has clear obligations under international law and that the country must not fail to fulfil those obligations, particularly in this critical point in their history."

Any durable solution to the crisis in Zimbabwe must have the respect and protection of human rights at its foundation," Mawanza said.