Cibitoke: four ladies killed the day before women’s day

Four women were killed and eight girls victims of rape at the start of the month dedicated to women in the communes of Rugombo, Murwi, Bukinanyana and Buganda, in Cibitoke province (north-west of Burundi). Women’s rights activists are calling for sanctions against the perpetrators. INFO SOS Médias Burundi

The latest victim is a thirty-year-old from the Rugombo commune, killed at the very beginning of the month by her husband who had three wives.

Another woman was murdered in almost the same circumstances by her totally intoxicated partner, accusing her of having intimate relationships with other men.

This shocks the feminist movements which expressed it during the celebration of International Women’s Rights Day on March 8.

The increase in other cases of femicide not linked to gender-based violence is observed everywhere in this province.

For example, a woman accused of witchcraft was beheaded on Rugeregere hill in Rugombo commune on the night of Wednesday March 6 to Thursday March 7.

Another body of a young woman, living alone in a makeshift house, was found hanging on a tree branch on Buhindo hill in Murwi commune on the morning of March 5.

In these last two cases, two people were arrested. Investigations are going on.

Violence against women in Cibitoke province also includes recorded cases of rape, according to various sources from human rights defenders.

The latter speak of at least four minor girls raped at the very beginning of the month on the Rusenda, Masango and Butara hills of the Bukinanyana commune.

Two other schoolgirls from the Kansega and Mwunguzi hills of Buganda commune were raped, as indicated respectively by medical sources and a magistrate at the Cibitoke provincial high court.

Two other teenage girls from Kagazi and Rukana I hills in Rugombo commune were raped on Sunday March 3 as they returned from rural activities around nightfall.

According to a women’s rights activist who has lived in Cibitoke for a decade, “the perpetrators benefit from impunity and take it easy.”

Violence against women in Cibitoke is at a worrying pace.

Women interviewed in the provincial capital demand an end to acts of gender-based violence as well as a change in behavior and the evolution of mentalities and culture.

The president of the Women’s Forum in Cibitoke highlight a worrying situation of violations of women’s rights by listing in turn cases of murder of women and rape of minors which have become commonplace.

She calls for solidarity of all women and urges them to denounce the violence of which they are victims.