DR Congo: Civilians take a direct hit from fighting in North Kivu

Goma, 5 June 2008 - The humanitarian community in the Democratic Republic of Congo is shocked at the loss of civilians lives and numerous injuries following a gun battle on 4 June 2008 in a camp for internally displaced persons in Rutshuru territory, North Kivu Province. The humanitarian community strongly condemns any and all acts of violence perpetrated against civilian populations and demands that the Armed Forces of the Democratic Republic of the Congo as well as every Congolese or foreign armed group in the DRC respect without exception the civilian character of sites where internally displaced persons have sought refuge.

On 4 June 2008, an armed group of the "Forces de Libération du Rwanda" (FDLR) burst into the Kiniandonyi camp for internally displaced persons, which accommodates some 3,800 people approximately 70 km north of Goma, and opened fire. Exchanges of gunfire took place between this group and the Armed Forces of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (FARDC), putting the internally displaced persons in grave danger.

These violent confrontations resulted in several internally displaced persons being killed and another 20 wounded, including many who are in critical condition. Three members of the NGO SLAO, who were working in the camp when the attack took place, were also wounded.

The humanitarian community in the Democratic Republic of the Congo deplores the number of innocent civilians killed or wounded and calls on all armed groups to respect the principles of the Geneva Conventions. "Armed groups must not only make a distinction between civilians and combatants, but they must also respect the principle of proportionality: families, already severely weakened by months of displacement, pose no threat to men with guns", said Gloria Fernandez, OCHA Head of Office in the Democratic Republic of Congo.

In the aftermath of this attack, some International NGOs that had been working in this area have temporarily suspended their activities. Last December, insecurity in the region of Rutshuru region had already lead to the suspension of humanitarian activities.

Rutshuru, a territory that has seen the largest number of confrontations and exactions in North Kivu, is hosting more than 250,000 displaced persons since December 2006. Fighting between the FARDC and the FDLR in the area of Kiniandonyi at the end of April had already forced a number of recent returnees to flee their homes yet again to escape the bullets.

Contacts :

Damien Gugliermina, OCHA-Goma, gugliermina@un.org, Tel : + 243 (0) 81 98 20 363
Caroline Draveny, OCHA-Goma, draveny@un.org, Tel : +243 (0) 81 98 89 157