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The Man Who Fixes Women: The Inhuman Story of Women in Eastern Congo

(BRUSSELS2) The M23 offensive in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo has reignited a war that has ravaged the Great Lakes region for several decades. The book by Dr. Denis Mukwege, The man who mends women, is not just the story of one man, but tells the story of his entire region of Kivu.

From 1967, when, still a young boy, he followed his father, a pastor, to bring spiritual assistance to a poor and still colonized population, until 2012 when the boy who became a gynecologist in turn brought assistance to those who had suffered sexual violence from the war. A complex and horribly murderous story, told sometimes crudely by journalist Colette Braeckman. We discover, through all the intimacy that the doctor maintains with the history of Kivu, the first and second wars of the Congo, the flow of refugees, the forces present, the negligence of some, the resentment of others, the story of Kabila, Kagame, Ntaganda and many others.

However, three constants seem to persist through the ages, sexual violence against women, the role of the Rwandan government as well as the inertia and cynicism of the international community. We realize the degree to which sexual violence, perpetrated for strategic purposes, thought of as a weapon of war by this or that officer, has taken a staggering place alongside the Kalashnikovs. "In a few moments, these people are not only killed. They are beaten to death, mutilated, stabbed. Mwawi's wife is eviscerated, both fetuses thrown to the ground. The young leader's heart is ripped out, children are smashed against the walls".

Better known to Belgians, less known to the rest of Europe, the book narrates the role played by the French army in the conflict, during Operation Turquoise, but also the American army and, of course, MONUSCO, these "white vehicles that do not stop".

But the interest of reading is not found only in tragic moments. The journalist tells about local and international initiatives. The emotion of Westerners visiting the various hospitals. Their commitments and the way forward to reverse trends and change mentalities.

On November 20, when Goma fell to the rebels of the March 23 Movement, several reports accused government troops of having, in their rout, raped dozens of women on their way, out of rage, exhaustion , and - we understand over the pages - out of habit. Yet Dr. Mukwege seeks to convey another message. "The Congolese are not congenital rapists". But the deadliest conflict since the Second World War, to use the exact words of the UN (4 million dead until 2002), has left its mark. The words are not always easy to read. They are still current.

Is it still necessary to present Colette Braeckman. In charge of African news and more particularly Central Africa, on a daily basis Belgian Le Soir, she is also a columnist in journals and magazines, including The Diplomatic World. And we can only warmly recommend reading his Teleconferencing on board.

"The man who mends women" (editions André Versailles et GRIP, 2012, 156p, €14,90)

B2 Writing

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