Jewish World Watch Blogging from Congo

by Jewish World Watch

Representatives of Jewish World Watch (JWW) will be traveling on a fact-finding mission to eastern Democratic Republic of Congo November 2-13, 2009. The purpose of the trip is to bear witness to ongoing atrocities that have plagued eastern Congo for over a decade, including war-related death from violence, disease and starvation, abduction of child soldiers and brutal sexual violence against women and girls. JWW will be interviewing survivors of the conflict and also meeting with both Congolese and international leaders implementing relief, development and empowerment projects on the ground.

In Rwanda, the JWW team will visit Kigali and surrounding areas, including the Genocide Memorial Center and the Agahozo-Shalom Youth Village. In DR Congo the JWW team will visit both Goma (capital of North Kivu) and Bukavu (capital of South Kivu). They will be meeting with local and international organizations to discuss the crisis and issues of health, gender-based violence, child soldiers and the conflict minerals trade. JWW will be interviewing survivors of the conflict, including women and ex-combatants.