21 11 13 BBC: DR Congo officers in rape and war crimes trail

Most of
the charges relate to the mass rape and other acts of sexual violence against
more than 130 women and girls in November 2012 by a retreating army.

Correspondents
say the military trial comes after months of international pressure after 23
soldiers were initially suspended but not charged.

The UN
then threatened to stop funding army units suspected of abuses.

'Surprise'

The BBC's
Maud Jullien in Goma says the charges, including murder, rape and looting, were
read out to the soldiers, who are mostly low-ranking, at the military court in
the eastern city.

The trial
will focus on events a year ago when M23 rebels took control of Goma and
thousands of soldiers retreated to the town of Minova.

According
to a UN report, at least 102 women and 33 girls were victims of rape or other
acts of sexual violence by government troops in the market town to the south of
Goma.

The lead
lawyer representing the victims, Sylvestre Bisimwa, says the figures given in
the UN report are very low.

He told
the BBC that so far 1,014 people – male and female – have been identified as
victims of war crimes in Minova.

The trial
was adjourned for two weeks following a request by the various lawyers
representing the victims that they be able to go to Minova to find more
witnesses.

Mr
Bisimwa told the BBC he was surprised to see so few high-ranking officers
amongst the accused.

He added
that many victims said their alleged rapists were not among the 39 accused.

Soldiers,
who requested anonymity, admitted to the BBC in April that they had raped women
in Minova, but said they had acted under orders from above.