"A personality that symbolizes the peaceful struggle against violence against women and the poor and against discrimination," that is how the jury Prince of Asturias Caddy Adzuba described recently by awarding the Prix de la Concorde 2014. This Congolese journalist and activist denounced for years, which are used rape as a weapon of war in the Democratic Republic of Congo.
Leire Otaegi euronews:
"Your career as a journalist and lawyer is marked by the fight against sexual violence against women. Can you tell us about the first time you interviewed a victim? "
Caddy Adzuba:
"I did not finish the interview. It was 2000, I was on the ground, I met a woman and I was eager to learn what these women endure. I stretched my microphone to this woman and she looked me right in the eyes. She would not talk. I insisted, I told him: "This is very important, we need to talk." She looked at me and said, 'Are you sure you want to hear it? You'll bear "I said?" Of course. "
She talked to me for two minutes and then I got up, I left. I told him no goodbye, no thank you, I'm just part I fled because I heard things that I knew before, but this was the first time a victim myself spoke directly. So I fled. "
Leire Otaegi:
"And you, Caddy Adzuba, have you changed since that interview?"
Caddy Adzuba:
"For this interview, I vowed to do everything I could do with my little knowledge, with my small contribution to see if I can contribute to the improvement of the lives of these women.
I can not because I do not have great means, I have a simple microphone to speak, denounce and what happens to these women. "
Leire Otaegi:
"Which way should a woman abused to turn the page on what it has been and it is no longer perceived as a victim?"
Caddy Adzuba:
"First of all, it needs time and it is not a day or two, one, two or five months, or even two years. This is unfortunately a number of years, five or ten years. These women are physically destroyed, torn, traumatized, tortured. They must be repaired. The first thing is the physical repair.
After that, they must overcome their trauma with psycho-social sessions, psycho-trauma ... Then, if they respond very well, they have to follow other group therapy and social support for the socio-economic reintegration. Then we have to work on their surroundings so that they are accepted in the society where they have been banned and hunted. Finally, they must reintegrate economically because it is also very important. Often, these women are reduced to poverty because they have lost everything. "
Leire Otaegi:
"Can they heal totally get justice?"
Caddy Adzuba:
"No, it is impossible, unfortunately. There is no complete cure without justice because the perpetrators continue to circulate freely. Officials, guilty continue to roam freely and where these traumatized women who have experienced these things continue to see people move that caused these tragedies, it is still a source of trauma and not just for women, for all of us, for the whole society. "
Leire Otaegi:
"You have received threats for denouncing the crimes of sexual violence. You even left your country because of it. What was it like to live and work in fear? "
Caddy Adzuba:
"If I am threatened, it's because I did something I have caused the executioners system. But these women, were they caused? Person. They did nothing, but they are victims of the worst atrocities imaginable on this planet. And this is what gives us courage. It's true, we're afraid. It is true that when we receive SMS saying: "If you continue, you will have two bullets in the head," you are afraid. But who wants to kill you, it will not send you a text message, it will kill you directly. "
Leire Otaegi:
"Who's ability to install a stable and lasting peace in the Democratic Republic of Congo?"
Caddy Adzuba:
"Everybody, everybody. Peace is a universal question. Peace is first a matter of officials who are directly related, who are obliged to protect the public, I'm talking about the Congolese government.
The responsibility also lies with the Congolese civil society that we build, we must continue to support the government so it can do its job better.
The responsibility also lies with the entire Great Lakes region: all the DRC's neighbors are also responsible in one way or another to what we know in the country.
The responsibility also lies with the African continent, the African States, the African Union should be able to take its own responsibilities and solve its own problems.
Responsibility goes beyond borders, beyond the oceans, this is called the international community.
The Congolese conflict was more an economic conflict, there have been several reports that have criticized and cited namely multinationals that have been directly or indirectly involved in the financing of armed simply because of economic interests.
Following this, six million Congolese have been killed, more than 500,000 women were victims of sexual violence. So the responsibility is shared and everyone must answer for these acts. That's justice. "
Leire Otaegi:
"The history of your country is marked by wars, but also by the constant struggle of women for peace. What can we learn from this struggle of Congolese in Europe when you were awarded the prize? "
Caddy Adzuba:
"Europe actually lives in a state of innocence - if I may say - and this is explained by the information that gives Europeans on Africa:" Africa is a continent of poor This is the third world, war, disease, Ebola, etc ... We know that in Africa, there are courageous women and men, men and women capable of lifting the world to say no to atrocities and Europe must now change his way of seeing things in Africa. Europe must change its policy vis-à-vis Africa. It's very important. "
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