Women Call for Truth, Justice Before Reconciliation

By Ruth Nabakwe, Panafrican News Agency (Dakar), 3 April 2001

Paris, France—Women from Congo Brazzaville, Angola and the Democratoc Republic of Congo meeting in Paris have denounced what they termed as attempts by the authorities in these countries to sweep the truth and justice under the carpet.

The women noted that the massacres, rape and torture of civilians, which took place in the region during the civil war, should not be allowed to go unpunished if the country is to have reconciliation.

During a conference focusing on the crises in the central African country, the participants said that women and children had borne the brunt of the conflict for which any future deterrent action could only be possible if the perpetrators were made to face the Law.

It's all very well to talk about dialogue without exclusion, but what about the truth and justice? they queried.

Selonge Boudzoumou, a psychologist from Congo Brazzaville, told PANA Tuesday that the on-going dialogue in Brazzaville was a masquerade which sought to protect perpetrators of crimes against humanity.

For the dialogue to be meaningful, the truth must come out on the murder of thousands of civilians massacred between 1998 and 1999 during the civil war in Congo Brazzaville as well as on what action would be taken against soldiers who raped thousands of women during the war.

Other women expressed concern that the massacres were mainly perpetrated by the military in the South and Central parts of Congo Brazzaville where opponents to the regime had their support.

Many of us have lost our loved ones. We still do not know about the whereabouts of some of our relatives and families.

We want answers to these issues and yet we have not received any indication that (President) Denis Sassou Ngueso intends to delve into the subject through the on-going dialogue, they lamented.

Many of the women condemned what they said was continuing French military support to the Nguesso regime.

We denounce the delivery of arms and the presence of French military instructors in Congo Brazzaville, they said in a statement issued after the meeting.