Help for trans people displaced by war in eastern DRC

What this is:

My name is Rainie Oet, and I'm urgently fundraising for nine trans women from Kamituga (east DRC) who were violently attacked and displaced. In addition to facing grievous bodily harm, their clothes and home belongings were burned. To escape this persecution, they walked 275 kilometers to Bukavu, where they are presently sleeping outside without any resources and struggling to survive. In the DRC, young people are already taking to the streets to protest against homosexuality. With a hostile electoral campaign beginning on November 19, these nine women will soon face even greater danger to their lives.

Who am I?

I was asked to post this fundraiser by the directors of Rainbow Sunrise Mapambazuko, who I have been in contact with since 2020 for an interview project about international trans experiences.

During this electoral process, online donation is currently locked in the east DRC, so the organization is unable to host their own fundraiser. Instead, I will be collecting donations on behalf of these women, and sending the money promptly and directly to Rainbow Sunrise Mapambazuko's bank account.

Their words:

In the small town of Kamituga, in the territory of Mwenga, province of South Kivu in the east of the DRC, the local community is very attached to their morals and customs, and homosexuality is considered a threat against their rules customary.

Currently in the DRC, we are in the electoral process, and the legislative and presidential elections are scheduled for December 20, 2023.

Since March 2023, the voter registration process had begun in the east of the country, and during this period we have recorded many cases of violence, harassment and attacks against trans people in voter registration centers. More than 46 trans people did not have access to registration to obtain their voting card.

The message of August 10, 2023 from Cardial Ambongo of the Catholic Church who invited members of the Christian Family Community to block the road to homosexuality in the DRC has increased a wave of homophobia and an increase in the number of rights violations of trans people.

https://l.kphx.net/s?d=7645831430317967583&extra=Q1RSWT1DRCZMTkc9ZnItRlI=&g=d83a378cb897a9e0aaec34aa84486ef8

Young people began to circulate with placards in the street to say no to homosexuality in the DRC, and certain candidates for provincial and national deputy began to raise awareness among their voters to put an end to homosexuality in their communes, neighborhoods, avenues and localities, in rural areas the situation has become more dangerous for trans people who are easily identifiable on the street and in localities.

This situation has worsened the situation of trans people and put their lives in danger, in the town of Kamituga, in the province of South Kivu, 9 transgender activists were attacked and assaulted by a group of young transphobes from their environment, they were violently beaten, and two of them were raped, as punishment for not being, according to them, normal like the others and also because of their activism work because these people are members of the Rainbow Sunrise organization Mapambazuko.

All the belongings of these women were burned including their clothes and all the belongings of their homes, they were then persecuted by the local community after escaping death.

These women walked 275 km to reach Bukavu in order to save their lives. They are currently in Bukavu without any resources, have no place to stay, and spend the night outside which exposes them even more to danger, given that this Monday, November 19, 2023, the electoral campaign begins and the situation for trans people will also be worrying in the city of Bukavu.

This is why we are asking for help from people of good will so that these women can regain their dignity, provide them with security and save their lives.

RAINBOW SUNRISE MAPAMBAZUKO will implement the following actions to urgently respond to this situation with your donations:

I am carrying out this fundraiser on behalf of the NGO RAINBOW SUNRISE MAPAMBAZUKO which needs your help! Your donations will save many lives and bring a smile back to these trans women activists who have suffered too much discrimination, marginalization and persecution and are now weakened by this electoral period in the DRC.