Dr. Yves Kaduli, a 38-year-old Democratic Republic of the Congolese asylum claimant residing in the United States, asserts that “we deserve safety.”
He goes on to say in a interview, “I have a dream that I will defend those that are persecuted,”
Dr. Kaduli claims that after being abducted and subjected to torture, he left eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo, which has been plagued by conflict for nearly thirty years, in 2014.
He witnessed firsthand the effects of the fighting while serving as a physician at Cifunzi Hospital in Kalonge town.
Women were sexually assaulted. I witnessed it. He informs the audience, “I felt it in my body.”
Dr. Kaduli says that after being appalled by the civilian deaths, he and several of his colleagues—including Nobel Peace Prize winner Dr. Denis Mukwege—participated in demonstrations against armed groups’ killings and rapes, denouncing the government of then-President Joseph Kabila for failing to ensure public safety.
According to the medic, this caused unidentified males to target him.
As Dr. Kaduli relates, “they came, they took me and another colleague by force during our night shift.” They were then brought to a temporary camp in a neighboring woodland, where they were subjected to torture, beatings, and threats of death.
Dr. Kaduli claims that after being detained for a day, he was able to break free and made the decision to leave.
