By Kevin McCauley
Reed International Law and Consulting is working to promote human rights in the Democratic Republic of Congo and build an infrastructure to foster the growth of democracy in that shattered land.
DRC president
Joseph Kabila
Photo: U.S. Dept of Defense
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Kimberly Reed, owner of the metro D.C.-based firm, spearheads the effort on behalf of Belgium’s Tango Ekoki International, a non-profit that is backed by financier Jean-Paul Moka. He is running an online presidential campaign for the election slated for next year.
More than 6M people have been killed in wars in the DRC during the past decade. Rebel forces have conducted mass rapes in the eastern part of the country. A United Nations peacekeeping force in the Congo reported that 300 women were raped by militants from July 30 through Aug. 2.
DRC president Joseph Kabila, who took over following the 2001 assassination of his father, vowed this week that all crimes against civilians will not go unpunished.
Reed International is setting up a U.S. branch of Tango Ekoki. Reed will serve as interim executive director until a full-time staffer is on board.
She is to meet with U.S. government officials to discuss healthcare, human rights, ongoing violence against women, educational opportunities for young Congolese and prospects for a fair election.
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