Goma, 25 August 2010 - The Special Representative of the Secretary General of the United Nations in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and Head of the Stabilization Mission in DRC (MONUSCO), spoke at the daily briefing held at United Nations headquarters in New York. He spoke through video conference from Goma, where he was on mission about the " horrific events " that occurred in Kibua, North Kivu, where over 150 people from a dozen villages have been victims of rape . He announced that he would go on the ground the following day.

The Special Representative Meece began his remarks by condemning this new tragedy in Walikale, about 100 km northwest of Goma, and sent his sympathy "to those who have lived under this threat during years" .

He, then, brought clarification on the presence and activities of MONUSCO permanent military base in Kibua where 80 peacekeepers from the Indian contingent ( Indbatt I) are stationed with " a mandate to protect civilians the best way possible " in a field of 3,000 km2, with only one road . As to the Congolese army, FARDC are implanted in Mpofi (25 km west of Kibua ) and Kashebere (35 km east of Kibua ) where a battalion and a brigade headquarters are respectively deployed.

"There is no information in our possession that could have foreseen the occurrence of mass rapes"

In this context , Mr. Meece has raised several times " that no information in our possession have foreseen the occurrence of mass rape" from 30 July to 2 August 2010 in 15 villages within 21 km from Mpofi to Kibua despite the information received in July and August by the Mission on the movements of the Democratic Liberation Forces of Rwanda ( FDLR) and Mayi -Mayi in the region .

In the aftermath of the events, on August 2 , Meece reported that Indian peacekeepers had carried out a patrol along this axis , and met with local people and village leaders . No information had been supplied to them on the tragedy that had just occurred there, nor the extent of rape .

It was only on 12th August that the NGO International Medical Corps (BMI), which had treated some victims, informed the North Kivu Brigade of the serious events that had occurred.

Also, from August 13 to August 17th, the Joint Protection Team in North Kivu, composed of several sections of MONUSCO and NGOs Heal Africa - visited the site and carried investigations. The Joint Team confirmed the rape of some 154 women who went to medical facilities to receive care and counseling .

In light of these events , the Special Representative Meece stressed that MONUSCO would review ways to ensure further protection of civilians in this part of Walikale, including strengthening the presence of peacekeepers and increasing patrols.