Women unite in advance of inter-Congolese dialogue

Women representing opposing sides in the conflict in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) are to present a united front at the inter-Congolese dialogue (ICD) meeting in Sun City, South Africa, opening on 25 February.

At a convention held in the Kenyan capital, Nairobi, from 14 to 19 February, 68 women representing various groups - the Kinshasa government, non-armed opposition groups, civil society including Mayi-Mayi supporters, and the rebel group Rassemblement congolais pour la democratie (RCD) - met to formulate a united message before the resumption of the ICD, Chantal Malamba, the vice-president of the commission in charge of preparing the ICD, told IRIN on Tuesday.

"All the women who are going to Sun City are speaking with a united voice. We think we can inspire men to do the same," said Malamba, referring to about 20 of the delegates in Nairobi who will be attending the ICD.

"At the beginning of the convention, we found it hard to talk to one another, to trust one another, because we represent so many different groups," she continued, "but by the end of the meeting, we have reached a common consensus."

"We want to find peace in Sun City, we want to discuss until we find a way to bring peace to our country."

The main issues to be highlighted at the ICD by the women were the following: the inclusion of gender issues in the peace process; the need for women’s participation in all decision-making processes regarding the DRC; and the need for women’s representation at all levels of government and civil society.

"If we as women participate fully, we can introduce more human ways of solving the problems we have in the Congo," Malamba said.

Women’s issues during and after the country’s civil war also needed to be highlighted at the ICD, she added. Specifically, these were the numerous deaths of women that had occurred, rape being used as a weapon of war, and the numerous women who had been left with large families to fend for themselves after their husbands had been killed.

The convention, which included a workshop on negotiating skills, was organised by Women as Partners for Peace in Africa, Femmes Africa Solidarite, the United Nations Development Fund for Women-UNIFEM and the Nairobi Peace Initiative. It is the first meeting to include such a wide representation of Congolese women.

Jean Pierre Bemba’s Mouvement pour la liberation du Congo was the only significant grouping unrepresented.

The ICD, facilitated by Ketumile Masire, the former Botswanan president, was officially opened in the Ethiopian capital, Addis Ababa, on 15 October 2001. Scheduled to last 45 days, the talks collapsed seven days later, following DRC President Joseph Kabila's decision to withdraw his delegation. Of the 320 delegates originally expected to attend, fewer than 70 took part. Funding problems were also experienced.

A total of 300 delegates from different parties, movements, groups and organisations from the DRC are expected to participate in the Sun City talks.