Sudanese refugees 'raped in Chad'

Jasmine Anderson
10/1/09
11:16pm


This article relates directly to the video “Rape in the Congo”, it is about the increase in the number of Sudanese women being raped. These Sudanese women have escaped the conflict in Darfur and now live in camps in Chad. When they leave the camps to get water, some have been attacked. Some are even getting attacked inside the camps, by aid workers. Although, Chad’s government has denied that these rapes happened. Many people from Darfur have been escaping, some 250,000 since 2003; they’re leaving because of the rapes happening back in their home land. Most of the time women do not report the rapes, or the attacker escapes without penalty. These Sudanese women must leave the camp in order to get water, and this is when they’re at most risk. The people of Chad are upset that the Sudanese people have food, water, medicine and fuel. These rapes are not reported because the women don’t want to be abandoned by their family or seen as a disgrace in the community. Most of these rapes are blamed on the lack of security in the camps. The women also complained that when they do report the rapes to the police, they’re not taken seriously.

This is exactly what’s going on in the Congo. The whole idea of this is absolutely horrible. I’m amazed that the place where these women are supposed to be safe isn’t even providing the security the people fled there for. If they are going to continue to get raped where there’s supposed to be security, they might as well go back home. I’m also confused as to why the police aren’t doing their job. They just sit around and let these women get raped, since it is their job to protect them. I think it’s a shame that the women can’t even go get water for their families, because they might get attacked in the process. Also, the aid workers are raping them too…horrible; these are the people they’re supposed to depend on…the people who are supposed to be helping them. I can’t even begin to imagine living my life in constant fear. Fear that I may get raped as I go get water, or the fear that I may get raped just sitting in the camp. I honestly think more attention should be brought to this situation, because what’s going on is absolutely terrible. And if it was happening in America…we would not hear the end of it.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/8282360.stm