Video - Rape in a lawless land
Rape in a Lawless Land
Leah Chishugi, a nurse and survivor of the genocide in Rwanda, travels into the heart of eastern Congo to record the testimony of more than 400 women and girls abused by marauding militias.
Leah Chishugi (correspondent), Christian Bennett (editor), John Domokos (director) and Michael Tait (producer)
guardian.co.uk, Friday December 5 2008
This is absolutely harrowing. Thank you so much for making us all aware of this absolute travesty! These women are so brave, I can’t believe what they’ve had to go through. It’s reduced me to tears. I’m going to circulate this among all my friends. Thank you.
This is heart breaking so much suffering poor women how can we help its increadable all that goes on without us knowing we are so involved in our everyday lifes and forget that we are so lucky and how ever little we all may do could maybe make a big difference at least to help these people with their everyday life to be able to live in peace with yourself after such a terrible expirience if at all possible !
How can we help !
Dear Leah
Thankyou for opening my eyes to the suffering of these woman and children. The starting point to changing somethinbg is knowing about it.
Sensei will beproud of you
love
Chrissy Kelly
Dear Leah
Your strength and perseverance going back to Congo is truly inspiring. I hope with the help of Galen Ayres, Singer and others that the world will open its eyes. Apparently President Clinton’s number one regret was not to go to the aid of Rwanda. I am hoping the world doesn’t close its eyes a second time.
Thank you for your courage. With Love
Mary Strugar
Dear Leah,
I found this hard to watch. How can parts of OUR world be still so unconscious? The horrors of what these women and children have had to live through?! It is hell on earth.
Could this video go on to youtube? to gain a wider audience and consequently more support?
I will chant for these people with all my heart.
Anna M
Dear Leah, there are no words to describe the immense suffering inflicted on these women. Their testimonies leave me crying and ashamed that human beings could inflict such atrocities on one another. To do this to women is an even greater abomination. The woman you held has incredible courage to be able to speak and function after all that she endured; I wanted to hold her too; be nearby for the rest of her life so that she knows we care. What can we do? They need and deserve so much.
I can’t stop thinking about those women and children. We would never sand for such abuse in this country yet these women
face this as their life. What can I do?
Dear Leah, you have done a wonderful service for these women. Their stories of terrorism,death, and rape all too often never reach the outside world. Your compassion has without a doubt lifted their hearts, just to having someone care enough to ask them what happened to them. These simple acts of kindness are such powerful medicine for the human spirit. Please keep me informed of your efforts on their behalf, and any way I too can support these woman. I will be chanting for these women and for you - Nam Myho Renge Kyo. Sending blessings of love and light.
Sincerely -Naimah
I am a new mother and know that my suffering of sleep deprivation in combination with running my own buissness is so different than knowing if you and your child will be safe and survive day to day. I wish I had more power to do something. Please let me know how I can help. I feel your pain and am so sorry for these horrible crimes.
Dear Leah,
My dear Leah, you’ve done amazing thing to let the world know that there is still human being acting like animals and having no respect for life in this century.The first time I saw the video I could not spleep. I hope everyone seeing this video will take a stand to help these women and children. They need and deserve so much
Dear Leah
I also heard your interview on the BBC radio. It just sadden me to hear what is going on in the Congo. How can these people who are doing such atrocity get to know that what they are doing, there are no winners in these type of situation. Whoever, they are buying their arms from need to stop selling it to them. They are just killing innocent people trying to make there point. The government need to have pressure put on them to step down they are not unable to protect their people!! The world do not understand what is going on in the Congo or they would do more to help!!! All we here about is Zimbabwe and to put pursure on Robert Mugabe, what about ours???
Marlene
I am very happy that you made a decision to render some help for your people. I pray that God will be with you and your family and everyone in Congo. God bless.
Dear Leah,
I am very saddened of the painful stories I listen to this morning on the BBC network Africa Program regarding the rebels in DRC. Killing innocent and helpless civilians and raping the women (Babies, children the young and elderly women)is a criminal offence that should be punishable by death. The war crime court should not leave no stone unturned because the good rebel is the dead one.
Sumo
March 2, 2009
Dear Leah,
I am very saddened of the painful stories I listen to this morning on the BBC network Africa Program regarding the rebels in DRC. Killing innocent and helpless civilians and raping the women (Babies, children the young and elderly women)is a criminal offence that should be punishable by death. The war crime court should not leave no stone unturned because the good rebel is the dead one.
Sumo
Dear leah,
I read your article in a sunday magazine and felt compelled to look up the website! the storys of horror that these women have gone through sicken me to the core! like these women im anunabe to comprhend how humans can treat their own race like this?
I am a student with limited funds till i have qualified this june, so am unable to make a financial donation till then. however i certaily intend to.
if there is any other way i can help then please dont hesitate to contct me.
your compassion for these women has touched my heart!
thomas. xx
Its so unfortunate and touching,so sad and un believable because in a few weeks back i listened to the nalated storiies from both you and the suffering congo people you talked with realy with the litle i have,no possible means to reach there.I pray hard for God’s mercy upon our dear brothers and sisters.please keep alerting us over BBC .I greatly apreciate.Be blessed.
I read your article in the LOOK magazine and was so shocked and disturbed that I visited your website. We hear about rape alot in this country also, but reading about how horrificly it is done in other countries like africa is unbelivable. I’m only 15 years of age and the way you have and are helping these women is so heart warming, if only there was enough people like you to make a real change.
I read this story when I was looking through the “LOOk” magazine. I was so upet that this is happening to people in this world. We take so much for granted in England and sometimes we forget that this is happening. I will remember these women and children in my prayers and will spead this story to friends and family.
u r a very strong woman and i hope this all comes 2 a end i feel so sad 2 here wot these animals do 2 these woman and kids im 19 years old and i dont think i would eva forget about these stories. ur a good person and i would never forget u this has realy touched my heart. god bless u
i also saw your story in LOOK magazine, and have recently been following the news from the congo, and last week did a presentation on it in a seminar. The genocide going on here is disgusting, and i am amazed at how much you hsve done for these women - trekking into territory where even the peacekeepers will not go is an extremely admirable and important act.
when i finish my degree i would love to set up a charity/ do this sort of humanitarian work - you are truly an inspiration to all, with an important cause and the right attitude.
well done, and good luck! The more people in the world like yourself, the more likely it is that these atrocities will stop forever! xx
I read your article in the look magazine. These horific stories of women and children who have lost their husbands/fathers, been repeatedly raped and have to live a nitemare are very disturbing and cannot imagine what they are going through. My heart goes out to them sincerely and pray it will come to an end. The work you are doing is amazing, well done x
i feel so bad bot this it is a awful thing 2 do wen i watched this video i felt really sick inside! i feel so sorry 4 people!!!
Dear Leah,
I read about your courage and the women of the Congo’s terror in ‘look’ magazine yesterday, and I felt compelled to visit the website to find out more about what you have already have done and what you aim to achieve.
I have not been disappointed! Your website is informative and has opened my eyes to what degree of terror that these woman & children have to face on a regular basis.
I am fourteen, and live a comparatively easy life. I cannot imagine living with the constant fear and memories of rape, and for these women to live with their memories, with no counselling or other help only carries on the extreme torture of rape.
It takes a very strong woman to have a level of courage to return to a place that perhaps doesn’t have the fondest of memories. I am glad however, that you do have the courage. I idolise women like you who have courage, ambition and strength to do what is right and try to change the appalling conditions some people are forced to live.
It only takes one person to give these women even a bit more hope, or a bit more strength - and if you had given just one woman that you still would have succeeded. Your choice to go on and pursuit and publicise what you believe in has and will continue to open so many peoples eyes, and that can only be good for the world.
I wish you luck within this charity and charities alike,
“It is more blessed to give than to receive. (Acts 20:35)”
Dear leah
I saw your article about the terrifying and horrifying things that are going on in congo. i read it and i was in tears i cannot believe this is going on still! why isnt anyone helping them! It makes me so sad to think of these women suffering day and night and living in fear constantly . Im so very sorry that this has happened and more needs to be done . You are doing an amazing thing and i admire you so much as a person and as a survivor too. May many more people see this and help these poor innocent people they do not deserve this atall! The goverment needs to step up! xxx
I also saw the documentary “The Greatest Silence: Rape in the Congo” in Oslo yesterday. We have to help these women, - and their children to education. The solution shown in the documantary, to make women feel safe in a center, where they can talk about their trauma is a good idea. Local work is important. Talking about the men, I am afraid that their lack of morality might spread like a disease. There is a lot of work to be done to restore human dignity. Leah Chishungi, you cannot do this alone. This is a good start. Good luck!
Dear Leah!
This film show women and children who has experienced things I cant even image someone could do. Thank you for telling their story and fighting for their rights. You are truly an inspiration for me!
You are an incredibly brave and inspiring woman, thank you for opening my eyes. Keep it up!
I wonder if there is Jesus in eastern Congo. What happened was just from the table of satan. No human being that has God in him would do this.
Blessings to you Leah,
I read about your brave and courageous story in the special report section of ‘You’ magazine in February 2009. I have not let go of the article ever since! Words cannot truly express the pain in my heart for these suffering women and children.
When I read the horrific nightmares that these women have endured without any relief it hurts me so deeply…even now my heart still cries for the horrendous pain of these women. Truly Jesus is returning soon? It is too difficult for me to fathom the sheer wickedness and evil that has been committed against these innocent women. I cannot begin to imagine what their mental state is in.
I keep them in my prayers,feverently praying that God’s true people will come forth and begin to help the women of East Congo who have been neglected and abandoned by their own goverment and the international community. I do know that where there is Christ there is hope and there is healing.I am a firm witness of this. But even as a steadfast born-again child of God I honestly don’t know how I would be able to get through the emotional, mental and physical trauma that these brave women have had to endure.
Leah, I thank God for saving your life through the Rwandan Genocide and I pray that He keep using you as powerful tool to enlighten the world about the devastating conditions and horror that these women have experienced. No human being should ever have to go through such nightmare and we must ensure that it doesn’t happen to any soul ever again!
I will continue to pray for you and the women and children of East Congo and for you to be blessed while doing a mighty work in the lives of these hurting souls.
I also pray for an opportunity to meet with you oneday if it is God’s will.I am also from East African heritage- Uganda and I have experienced the death of my mother from HIV/Aids related illness in 1994.
Most importantly I pray that through the love and compassion expressed through us as God’s people, the women of East Congo can be regain their hope, faith and trust in God through Jesus the Saviour of all.
What happened to them is not of God but purely of the devil. The scriptures tell us:” He who sins is of the devil…Whoever has been born of God does not sin…
“In this the children of the devil are manifest: Whoever does not practice righteousness is not of God, nor he who does not love his brother. 1 John 3:8,9,10.
Be encouraged my sister, God is in control and only His light will bring hope, love and peace into the hearts of our East Congo sisters.
May God bless you and keep you and your family.
with love
Clara