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Share your thoughts about the HBO Documentary Films' production THE GREATEST SILENCE: RAPE IN THE CONGO.
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Posts:
2
Registered:
4/11/08
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(27 of 42)
Re: THE GREATEST SILENCE: RAPE IN THE CONGO
Apr 11, 2008 1:21 AM
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I wanted to add one other thing to my post. I have communicated with a Congolese friend living in California who is doing great things for DRC. He manages a list serve online that has been providing me with a lot of information. He is also in the process of producing a film about DRC and he could use our support in that endeavor. One reason so many people are more aware of places such as Rwanda is because of the large Hollywood movies that put it in the spotlight. He is working to do this for DRC so that more of us that care can be informed, and the story of DRC can reach more people.
Please support my friend in his work. His name and email address is Said Kakese Dibinga [skdibinga@yahoo.com].
Thank you!
Cami
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Posts:
2
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4/11/08
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(26 of 42)
Re: THE GREATEST SILENCE: RAPE IN THE CONGO
Apr 11, 2008 1:07 AM
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I am very glad to see this documentary produced and aired on HBO. Thank you to Lisa Jackson for her courageous journey to DRC, and my condolences to her for the attack she suffered. It's inspiring to see her strength and resolve to give the women and girls of DRC a voice.
I see there are many people asking what they can do. I want to share what my family is doing. We have many Congolese friends that were resettled in USA as refugees because of the war in DRC. They had lived in neighboring Tanzania for 11 years in a refugee camp and were resettled last year in Phoenix, Arizona. The IRC is a large relief group that is doing great work in DRC and many other countries as well. The IRC resettled our friends here and they are doing the same in many other large cities in the US. My husband and I volunteer with The IRC (www.theirc.org) and also a small local refugee agency called the Refugee & Immigrant Relief Center (www.rircaz.org). The refugees have escaped the war but have sufferred traumas and are now struggling to learn our language and culture and to succeed in spite of the struggle they have endured. We help with their English classes, provide transportation to medical appointments, and provide them with social and cultural opportunities so they can acclimate to this new world. Most importantly, we welcome them and provide them with moral support and friendship. They are gracious and loving people and they are stronger and more joyful than anyone you could ever meet. The children are beautiful and full of life. If you want to help, google "refugee resettlement" in your local area and look for an agency with volunteer opportunities.
I will whare with you a link to a short video (3 minutes) of our friends singing a beautful song in our home.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PhXqnlBILzk
I hope you enjoy our friends. They have enriched our lives.
Amani! ("peace" in Swahili)
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Posts:
2
Registered:
4/10/08
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(25 of 42)
Re: THE GREATEST SILENCE: RAPE IN THE CONGO
Apr 11, 2008 1:01 AM
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Thank you for pointing out this contact. I too will write.
I have told several people about this and wonder what more we can do together to help these women and their children.
How can we turn our election this year into one where this too is an issue? Hillary who is a woman and Barack of African American descent, why is there no mention of international affairs such as this crisis?
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Posts:
2
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4/9/08
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(24 of 42)
Re: THE GREATEST SILENCE: RAPE IN THE CONGO
Apr 10, 2008 11:14 PM
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Yes, as many people have already said, why aren't there more people who have posted something? When I first went to the site, I thought there would be many more blogs.
Since seeing this documentary, I have told all of my friends about this. I think that the small thing that everyone is capable of doing is spreading the word, the more people who know about this, the better!
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Posts:
5
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4/9/08
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(23 of 42)
Re: THE GREATEST SILENCE: RAPE IN THE CONGO
Apr 10, 2008 9:57 PM
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As a previous poster noted, it is terribly sad how few people have posted about the film here, though I know this is just one outlet for motivated viewers to discuss the issue, and I also see how passionate those that have written here are about the situation. People do care!
There was a phone-in conference call last night with Lisa Jackson, but sadly I could not attend. Did anyone else get to take part, and what was learned from it?
Readers here might be interested to read an article by New York Times author, Jeffrey Gettleman, dated 10/07/2007, and titled "Rape Epidemic Raises Trauma of Congo War." I found it here (apologies to HBO for giving an external link in my post):
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/10/07/world/africa/07congo.html?pagewanted=1
It is remarkable how closely his writing mirrors the work of Lisa Jackson -- the same region, the same hospital, even the same doctor. So the disgusting situation has been brought to the public's attention before in a fairy high-profile way, yet it has not received the outrage and condemnation it deserves.
I have written to Mr. Gettleman (you can email him from the NY Times website) to inquire as to how much reporting has been done since October 2007, to try to better understand why the women and children of the DRC are so badly ignored by the rest of the world and to urge him to give the subject as much followup coverage as he can.
If any others can do the same, or have discovered other better ways of communicating with those who can help give a voice to condemning this tragedy, I urge you to report back here so that we can unite in our efforts to get the word out. Surely every little thing helps.
Gavin
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Posts:
1
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4/10/08
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(22 of 42)
Re: THE GREATEST SILENCE: RAPE IN THE CONGO
Apr 10, 2008 8:46 PM
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Thanks Lisa Jackson,
I'm from Congo;We need people like you Lisa to spread the truth only the truth. NO WAR , NO PEACE,NO FOOD,NO HEALTH and NO LIFE for theses congolese women. Congolese are forgotten because of WHAT our country have(Colton,diamond,uranium,gold,petrol..) but not because WHO we are.
Lisa,we suggested that you create a NGO to rescue these women and children. I am volunteer to work for the issue.
God Bless you
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Posts:
2
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4/10/08
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(21 of 42)
Re: THE GREATEST SILENCE: RAPE IN THE CONGO
Apr 10, 2008 6:56 PM
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My first reaction was to change the channel know that this would be a most difficult subject. I am glad I did not. It was a very compelling, disturbing story and one that I am glad I did not turn away from.
I too would like to get involved but feel hopeless in the sense that sending money or food does not guarantee that these women will ever see it. I thought about trying to adopt one of the children that have been abandoned by their families and only remind the mother of the trauma.
Seeing this makes me wonder why there isn't more of a serious uproar. Why are the policitians, celebs, etc. not screaming for help? Are our corporations profitting too much from the materials in the Congo so we are turning our heads? Why?
I would love to become part of an organization that helps bring help and resources directly to these women.
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Posts:
1
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4/10/08
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(20 of 42)
Re: THE GREATEST SILENCE: RAPE IN THE CONGO
Apr 10, 2008 4:09 PM
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Inspired by the film but don't know how to act...
Solidarity with Threatened DRC Women's Human Rights Activist
Justine Masika Bihamba is the President of the NGO organisation Synergie des femmes pour les victimes des violences sexuelles (SFVS), a leading organization in the Democratic Republic of Congo that provides direct support to thousands of survivors of sexual violence. Justine & her family survived a recent murder attempt & are still under threat. The purpose of this site is to raise funds for their escape from the DRC and promote awareness of her situation and that of women in the DRC.
http://hopeforjustine.blogspot.com/
--
Edited by olearypd at 04/10/2008 1:09 PM PDT
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Posts:
1
Registered:
2/3/03
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(19 of 42)
Re: THE GREATEST SILENCE: RAPE IN THE CONGO
Apr 10, 2008 9:50 AM
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I thank Lisa for the documentary on the rape in the Congo.
I really want everyone to also remember, just for the record. The war in the Congo started in 1996. We have lost more than 8 million Congolese since then. Not to be political, I will ask that the American people do hold their leaders accountable (Clinton's administration) on their involvement in the first war.
I also want everyone to understand that the rape in the Congo is about 30% of what the real issue is over my home country.
The conflict in the Congo is not complex. There are solutions to it. The perpetrators of these rapes are known by the United Nations and any international observers in the Congo. They know where they are and who they are. They also know who is funding them. You can read the 2002 United Nations report (S/2002/1146) titled "Final report of the Panel of Experts on the Illegal Exploitation of Natural Resources and Other Forms of Wealth of DR Congo" (google). There you will see specific companies listed on Annex III and can understand that the conflict in the Congo is caused by the scramble over control of our minerals.
For the world, the biggest help is not to send troops in the Congo. There is already the largest peacekeeping mission in the history of the United Nations. Some of those soldiers have had sexual misconduct with minors and had the audacity to post the photos of their actions online(google it up too). What Congolese people need, as for me, is that the world hold their leaders accountable. A lot of them are involved and you can get that information online.
People have to rally and speak out about abuse. I have been screaming for years but no one listens because, they say... people don't care about the Congo until it hits home and they can relate.
So please, help us help the Congo.
As a courtesy gislain23@gmail.com
I hope that this documentary does not end up just like the Katrina issue.
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Posts:
2
Registered:
4/9/08
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(18 of 42)
Re: THE GREATEST SILENCE: RAPE IN THE CONGO
Apr 10, 2008 12:28 AM
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good for you cooper, i also think we need to figure out how to help that police officer to have an actual office where she has a pc and printer and can access the internet to help the women she talks to in finding therapy, she has no literature to hand out , i sell stuff on ebay and give to the coalition to help darfur but would like to find a way to send that money to the hospital and doctor,etc. contact me if you think of any way we could do that, that one black police officer is trying to help almost alone, i have a better office in my home then she does, and so many women are waiting for beds at that hospital...cherlight@peoplepc.com
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Posts:
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4/9/08
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(17 of 42)
Re: THE GREATEST SILENCE: RAPE IN THE CONGO
Apr 9, 2008 11:48 PM
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I just saw the documentary last night and have not stopped thinking about it since.
For my political science class I wrote my final paper on rape used as a weapon, and can not begin to describe how it effected me. Watching last night gave me the chance to add in new information to the paper and to me having watched these interviews it made the stories so much more real than just reading the articles off line.
I just wanted to come on here and show support for what Lisa Jackson did. It's really made it clear to me that this something that I can get passionate about, something that I can try and help with. So my first step was calling and starting the process to volunteer with the local Sexual Abuse Support group near my school.
Just, thank you! Thank you for making this and thank you for attempting to open the eyes of the world to this problem... Problem just seems like an insufficient term for what is going on.
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Posts:
2
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4/9/08
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(16 of 42)
Re: THE GREATEST SILENCE: RAPE IN THE CONGO
Apr 9, 2008 11:22 PM
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I forgot to add in my last post how utterly shocked I am that only 15 of us have posted in response to the film. Lisa Jackson is right. This is a great silence indeed. This situation is so horrific that the helplessness to do anything real to abate the crisis makes me numb. But I can't get them out of my heart.
Another aspect of the crisis discussed in the film that is very disturbing were members of MONUC committing rapes against the women and girls they are supposed to be protecting. Sadly this is not suprising. Today the number of sexual assaults against women in Iraq by American soldiers (prosecuted by the military) was published; almost 800 cases of rape, of which almost 700 were our male soldiers raping our female soldiers.
I am trying to stay Present. Without awareness I can have no compassion.
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Posts:
2
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4/9/08
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(15 of 42)
Re: THE GREATEST SILENCE: RAPE IN THE CONGO
Apr 9, 2008 10:51 PM
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If you, Lisa Jackson ever read this please accept my deepest sorrow for what happened to you at the hands of your rapists.
Gratitude, thanks and praise for HBO's Sheila Nevins and to Lisa Jackson for THE GREATEST SILENCE: RAPE IN THE CONGO. I just posted a query on the www.one.org regarding the femicide in the Congo and asked that the consider it a part of their Campaign to save children in Africa.
What should we do? I know there were several organizations mentioned in the film, particularly the Nun's consciouness raising group with Congolese rape survivors interests me. I also think the comment about whomever uses a cell phone and now is conscious about what's going on must protest in several ways. The first thing I have done is stop using my cell phone. I've cancelled my plan and written a letter to my carrier about my distress regarding the way the necessary minerals for use in their product are mined. I've asked for a truthful explanation of how they acquire these minerals. I don't expect an answer or at least an honest one.
Next I must calculate how much I have spent on cell phones, plans x the number of years I've been a user and donate that back to the Nun's group. I guess the best way to do that is to contact Lisa Jackson through HBO to find the least burdensome way to help these women directly.
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Posts:
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4/9/08
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(14 of 42)
Re: THE GREATEST SILENCE: RAPE IN THE CONGO
Apr 9, 2008 8:08 PM
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If we do not derive any lessons from this catastrophe, there will be many more to come, in Africa and around the world, as countries and interest groups battle for increasingly scarce resources. This is particularly true for the Congo, where even the water in the Congo river is seen as a potential comodity to be piped to the Middle East.
If we do not hold our own government (in this case, the Clinton Administration) historically accountable for its role --backing the invasion that triggered this fiasco, blocking the efforts of the World Food Program early on to relieve famine in occupied areas, protecting corporate interests, etc. -- then the silence will continue in this country and people will continue to believe what the media in this country told them: that it was an ethnic conflict or a civil war. This didn't just happen like a natural disaster, and we bear responsibility also.
The bottom line is that this will continue happening in the Congo unless the world finds a way to insure that the country's resources remain firmly in the hands of the Congolese people. That was what it was about: diamonds, gold, lumber and coltan, and many multinational corporations "made a killing" during the war.
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Posts:
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4/9/08
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(13 of 42)
Re: THE GREATEST SILENCE: RAPE IN THE CONGO
Apr 9, 2008 7:06 PM
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This is the most disturbing and sickening thing I have ever heard. I cried throughout the program. My heart goes out to these women and children who have undergone this cruel and inhuman acts. I really appreciate Lisa's courage in filming this program and informing the world of how much evil is out there. I am an African and I didn't know that such cruelty and evil acts ever existed. WE need to step-up and do something about it. These warriors need some form of education to enlighten them on humanity. Lisa Jackson thank you for sharing. God bless you.
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