The Greatest Silence: Rape in the Congo (Sunday, Sep 19th)

Hi everyone,

You would think when a UN Envoy referred to Congo as the “rape capital of the world” earlier this year, the result would be a decrease in violence due to all of that increased well-focused attention. Yet, what we see in reality are headlines such as this: Congo mass rape numbers rise to 240.

“Some 240 women, girls and babies may have been raped after rebels recently seized a town in the Democratic Republic of Congo, the UN says…

They say local people may have been afraid of rebel reprisals or ashamed by the rapes… Some of the women report being abused by several men in front of their husbands and children.”
– BBC, September 2 2010

Somehow this complicated conflict with an estimated 5.4 million deaths resulting, has failed time and time again to get the attention it is desperately in need of. With this in mind, we would like to invite you to our upcoming screening of The Greatest Silence: Rape in the Congo. We are grateful to have partnered with Mesa Verde UMC, Amnesty International–Irvine and several other local organizations for this event. All details are below.

Warmly,

Barbara & Anshul
Orange County for Darfur, a project of Living Ubuntu
ocfordarfur.org | calendar | blog | facebook

The Greatest Silence: Rape in the Congo

“Why is this happening? Why use sex in order to humiliate and defeat someone? To threaten someone so they flee their village? Why use sex? This is the monstrosity of the century.”
– Dr. Denis Mukwege, Panzi Hospital

Sunday, September 19
6:30p refreshments
7:00p screening & discussion

Mesa Verde United Methodist Church
1701 W. Baker St
Costa Mesa, CA 92626

Cost:
Free

Since 1998 a brutal war has been raging in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). Over 5 million people have died. Tens of thousands of women and girls who have been systematically kidnapped, raped, mutilated and tortured by soldiers from both foreign militias and the Congolese army. Why doesn’t the world know about these women? Why do they suffer in silence?

Visit http://livingubuntu.org/events for more information.
Please help us in planning effectively for the event and RSVP on the website.

sponsors and partners:
Mesa Verde United Methodist Church
Amnesty International, Irvine
University Synagogue
St. Mark Presbyterian
Sisters of St. Joseph
Irvine United Congregational Church Advocates for Peace and Justice

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