Tuesday, March 26, 2013

Congo 5






































CSMonitor

Angelina Jolie's gold ring pulls focus from Congolese rape survivors

Angelina Jolie is wearing a simple gold ring instead of her diamond engagement ring as she meets with women and girls in eastern Congo to highlight war-zone rape.

By Associated Press / March 26, 2013 

Britain's Foreign Secretary William Hague visits Lac Vert camp in the Democratic Republic of Congo with actress and UNHCR Special Envoy Angelina Jolie during their trip to Africa to to raise awareness of war-zone rape, March 26.
Iggy Roberts / Ministry of Defence / AP

GOMA, Congo
Angelina Jolie is meeting with women and girls in eastern Congo, where sexual violence is rampant, but the coverage is focusing on the gold ring she's wearing in place of her usual massive engagement ring.

Jolie, a special envoy for the U.N. refugee agency, traveled to the Nzulo camp near Goma on Monday along with British Foreign Secretary William Hague.

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The International Rescue Committee says it has provided care to more than 2,500 women and girls who have been raped or abused over the last year alone. The IRC is handing out kits with flashlights and whistles, as well as cleaning products so that women can avoid bathing at creeks where the risk of assault is higher.
Sexual violence is frequently used as a weapon of war by rebel groups that operate in eastern Congo, as well as by Congolese soldiers.




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Angelina has worn a simple band many times before but always on her middle finger, not her ring finger.  She has also made several humanitarian trips since their engagement was announced and in every instance, she removed her engagement ring and did not wear any other ring on her ring finger. The type of ring, the fact that it's on her ring finger, and Brad's strong hints that their wedding was imminent lead me to believe that it is in fact a wedding ring and that they were married recently.  Maybe within the last two weeks.

While it's true that speculation on the ring may draw attention away from the issue of rape, it's also true that the increased interest will lead to wider coverage.  And the purpose of their trip after all is to raise awareness.  People will at least hear about Congo and war rape even if its not the focus of their attention. 

-- Fussy
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