By A shocking internal United Nations report, reviewed by Reuters, has revealed that more than 260 female inmates were sexually assaulted during a recent mass escape attempt at the Democratic Republic of Congo’s Makala Central Prison in Kinshasa.
The incident, which occurred in the early hours of September 2, resulted in at least 129 deaths as prison guards used live ammunition to prevent the breakout. The scale of sexual violence during the chaos has now come to light, with the UN report detailing that 268 out of 348 incarcerated women were subjected to sexual violence, including rape. Alarmingly, 17 of these victims were under the age of 19.
The Makala Central Prison, designed to hold 1,500 inmates, was housing over 15,000 at the time of the incident, underscoring the severe overcrowding issues plaguing Congo’s penal system. This overpopulation likely contributed to the chaotic conditions during the escape attempt.
Victims’ accounts paint a horrifying picture of the events. One survivor, speaking anonymously to Reuters for fear of reprisals, reported being raped by at least a dozen inmates. Another witness described seeing male prisoners “throwing themselves at the female prisoners,” noting that even elderly women were not spared from the attacks.
The women’s block, one of seven out of the prison’s 11 blocks vandalized during the breakout attempt, was the primary target of the assaults. The UN report’s detailed figures stem from the immediate need to provide post-attack kits and emergency contraception to victims within 72 hours of the assaults.
Emmanuel Cole, a Congolese rights defender with over two decades of experience monitoring prisons, called this “the worst case we have seen in terms of the number of rapes during an escape.” Cole suggested that the UN figures might be an underestimate, as some victims may have been too afraid of repercussions to come forward.
The Congolese government, which had initially acknowledged that women were sexually assaulted without providing specific numbers, has not yet responded to requests for comment on the UN report’s findings.
In response to the incident, President Felix Tshisekedi has ordered an investigation into the Makala prison break and called for a review of the country’s main prisons to address overcrowding issues. Despite the chaos, no prisoners ultimately managed to escape during the incident.
This mass assault highlights not only the immediate security concerns within Congo’s prison system but also broader issues of overcrowding, inadequate protection for vulnerable inmates, and the potential for human rights abuses in such environments. The international community will likely be watching closely to see how the Congolese government addresses these systemic problems in the wake of this tragedy.
As investigations continue, there are growing calls for improved security measures, better separation of male and female prisoners, and urgent action to reduce prison populations to manageable levels. The incident at Makala Central Prison serves as a stark reminder of the critical need for prison reform and improved conditions for inmates in the Democratic Republic of Congo.
