Your Excellences, Mr. Ambassadors,
I would have liked to begin my speech with the usual formulation, “I have the honor
and privilege of taking the floor before you.”
Alas! The women victims of sexual violence in Eastern DRC are in dishonor. I
constantly with my own eyes see the elder women, the young girls, the mothers
and even the babies dishonored.

How can I say this to you, representing the international community, when the
international community has shown its fear and lack of courage during these 16
years in the DRC.
I would have liked to say, “I have the honor of representing my country”, but I
cannot.
In effect, how can one be proud of belonging to a nation without defense,
fighting itself, completely pillaged and powerless in the face of 500,000 of
its girls raped during 16 years; 6,000,000 of its sons and daughters killed
during 16 years without any lasting solution in sight.
No, I do not have the honor, nor the privilege to be here today. My heart is
heavy.
My honor, it is to be with these courageous women victims of violence, these
women who resist, these women who despite all remain standing.
Today, thanks to the report of the UN experts, the Mapping Report of the High
Commissioner for Human Rights of the United Nations, and many other credible
reports, no one can continue to hide behind the argument of the complexity of
the crisis. We know now the motivations behind this crisis and its different actors.
What is missing is the political will.
But until when? Until when must we continue, helpless, to witness other
massacres?
Excellences, Mister Ambassadors ; it is with great humility that i tell you
this.

Shelving all these credible reports will harm the credibility of the various UN
resolutions requiring the protection of women in times of conflict and will
entirely discredit our dear institution, which is supposed to ensure the non-repetition
of genocide.
We cannot silence the truth as it is persistent. We should rather confront it
to avoid betraying our ideals.
I have the honor to say that the courage of women victims of sexual violence in
the Eastern Congo will in the end overcome this evil. Help them restore peace!
Thank you.
Denis Mukwege
Medical Director
Panzi Hospital
Bukavu-RDCongo