Canadian Sisters Call for Action from Minister of Foreign Affairs Cannon
Please join our Canadian Sisters in calling on the Canadian Government to do more for Congo:
OUR RESPONSE TO THE MINISTER OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS, LAWRENCE CANNON, STATEMENT ON RECENT ATTACKS
Dear Minister Cannon,
We applaud you for expressing our governments recent concern regarding the plight of eastern Conglolese civilians and the recent attacks they have endured. Thank you for the interest you have taken in this forgotten region.
However, the hard reality is that Canada is not doing anywhere near enough to stop the violence in the Congo. Congo is the deadliest conflict since World War II, the rape capital of the world. Condemnation and concern are not enough. With millions dead, it is a no excuses game.
We call on you, as the Minister of Foreign Affairs, to immediately assist in coordinating an effort with fellow donor governments and the Congolese government to develop a comprehensive national security sector reform plan for Congo. We are also sending a similar letter to the U.S. Secretary of State, Hilary Clinton. Please initiate contact and work together for the good of the raped and tortured women, men, and children of the Congo.
Further, the leadership of the notorious FDLR militia, responsible for these attacks, live in the United States and Europe. How can our condemnation of these attacks be meaningful as long as the terrorists that are responsible are harboured so close to home? We must initiate an immediate, coordinated effort with the United Nations and other “host” governments to dismantle FDLR diaspora networks and swiftly bring these war criminals to justice.
Enough is enough.
Warmly,
A Thousand Sisters
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Canada Expresses Deep Concern over Safety of Eastern Congolese Civilians
http://www.international.gc.ca/media/aff/news-communiques/2010/270.aspx?lang=eng
Ottawa, Canada
August 26, 2010
The Honourable Lawrence Cannon, Minister of Foreign Affairs, today issued the following statement expressing Canada’s profound concern over recent reports of sexual violence against women and children in a village in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC):
“Canada is deeply concerned by allegations that members of two armed rebel groups raped more than 150 women during a July 30 attack in the province of North Kivu in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo. MONUSCO, the United Nations Organization Stabilization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, is investigating the incident.
“Canada reiterates its condemnation of the ongoing violence in the eastern DRC, including sexual and gender-based violence, and remains greatly concerned for the safety of the population there, especially women and children. We call on all parties to the conflict to respect international humanitarian law and ensure the protection of civilians.
“Canada once again urges the Government of the DRC to take concerted measures to prevent such criminal acts and to ensure that those who commit serious violations of international humanitarian and human rights law are brought to justice.”
For further information, media representatives may contact:
Melissa Lantsman
Office of the Minister of Foreign Affairs
613-995-1851
Dear Minister Cannon,
We applaud you for expressing our governments recent concern regarding the plight of eastern Conglolese civilians and the recent attacks they have endured. Thank you for the interest you have taken in this forgotten region.
However, the hard reality is that Canada is not doing anywhere near enough to stop the violence in the Congo. Congo is the deadliest conflict since World War II, the rape capital of the world. Condemnation and concern are not enough. With millions dead, it is a no excuses game.
We call on you, as the Minister of Foreign Affairs, to immediately assist in coordinating an effort with fellow donor governments and the Congolese government to develop a comprehensive national security sector reform plan for Congo. We are also sending a similar letter to the U.S. Secretary of State, Hilary Clinton. Please initiate contact and work together for the good of the raped and tortured women, men, and children of the Congo.
Further, the leadership of the notorious FDLR militia, responsible for these attacks, live in the United States and Europe. How can our condemnation of these attacks be meaningful as long as the terrorists that are responsible are harboured so close to home? We must initiate an immediate, coordinated effort with the United Nations and other “host” governments to dismantle FDLR diaspora networks and swiftly bring these war criminals to justice.
Enough is enough.
Warmly,
A Thousand Sisters
Please read this letter from “A Thousand Sisters” – an organization that is doing all it possibly can to help the people of the Congo, but without your help and the help of other heads of state and foreign affairs, it can be a losing battle, please believe how urgent it is that you act as immediately to ensure that not another woman or child in the Congo has to suffer another day of fear, humiliation and pain.
Thank you for your compassion and understanding.
Trudy Veitch
Holyrood, NL
Dear Minister Cannon,
We applaud you for expressing our governments recent concern regarding the plight of eastern Conglolese civilians and the recent attacks they have endured. Thank you for the interest you have taken in this forgotten region.
However, the hard reality is that Canada is not doing anywhere near enough to stop the violence in the Congo. Congo is the deadliest conflict since World War II, the rape capital of the world. Condemnation and concern are not enough. With millions dead, it is a no excuses game.
We call on you, as the Minister of Foreign Affairs, to immediately assist in coordinating an effort with fellow donor governments and the Congolese government to develop a comprehensive national security sector reform plan for Congo. We are also sending a similar letter to the U.S. Secretary of State, Hilary Clinton. Please initiate contact and work together for the good of the raped and tortured women, men, and children of the Congo.
Further, the leadership of the notorious FDLR militia, responsible for these attacks, live in the United States and Europe. How can our condemnation of these attacks be meaningful as long as the terrorists that are responsible are harboured so close to home? We must initiate an immediate, coordinated effort with the United Nations and other “host” governments to dismantle FDLR diaspora networks and swiftly bring these war criminals to justice.
Enough is enough.
Warmly,
Penny McGuire
Pembroke, Ontario
Minister Cannon,
It is imperitive that you use your influence to help the women and children of the Congo. We need to see action immediately. The suffering, rape and murder of these women needs to end now. Thank you.
Sorry, Minister Cannon, I misspelled your name. “One is too many,” it is also a mistake not to act when called upon to do so.
Not one more weeping mother. Let the women know we hear their cries and will take action to dry their eyes.
Minister Canon,
With due respect, it is submitted that issuing a statement and not following through with swift, bold and immediate action is akin to doing absolutely nothing.
We as Canadians, as a country, as a people, need to step forward and help the weeping mother’s of the Congo. We need to bring the criminals involved in acts of violence against innocent women and children to justice.
We can not under any circumstances whatsoever, in any way shape or form allow the rape, murder and suffering of women and children in the Eastern DRC to continue.
Genocide is preventable. We are in a position to end the pain of the weeping mother’s of the Eastern DRC!
While Canada sleeps the mother’s of the Congo weep. We have a responsibility to ACT!
Thank you for your urgent and immediate action.
Minister Cannon,
I appreciate the press statement urgin the DRC government to take action. However, they need more pressure from the international community to take action. Their government is slewed with corruption and attackers can continue to attack without fear of punishment. I urge you to use your position to put continued and increasing pressure on the DRC to hold perpetrators accountable and to help rebuild the DRC.
Thank you.
Minister Cannon –
I was incredibly saddened to hear of the recent atrocities committed against women and infants in the Eastern DRC. Thank-you for your words of concern and support, however I urge you and our government to take bold action to help prevent further atrocities. We can no longer ignore the plight of the people of the Congo.
Thank-you,
Michelle Rainford
Toronto,ON,Canada
Minister Cannon –
The conflict in Congo can no longer be ignored. The situation is worsening, as evidenced by the recent attacks in Rivungi where nearly 200 women and children were raped, the village brutalized. Please, we urge you to join Secretary Clinton in doing all you can to stop this violence from continuing to escalate, and assist in putting an end to the FDLR. The people of Congo can suffer no longer.
Thank you.
Monica Johansson
Waterford, CT