DRC: Assistance to IDPs in North Kivu launched

Humanitarian organisations have begun the delivery of much-needed assistance in the Territory of Lubero, where up to 200,000 people have been affected since fighting broke out between the FARDC and mutinous elements of the ex-ANC on December 11.
"Phase I assistance, aimed at saving lives, has already begun in the affected area", said Mohamed Dayri, United Nations Humanitarian Coordinator for DRC, a.i. "Humanitarian agencies are distributing emergency nutritional assistance, assisting unaccompanied children, providing medicines and medical assistance and reviewing possibilities for distributing non-food items".

The "buffer zone" set up by MONUC between the warring parties has removed the immediate danger to the population by halting the fighting at the front line. However, insecurity persists in the zone due to the massive presence of ill-disciplined troops, who continue looting and attacking the local population. It is this insecurity that is preventing more extensive assistance from reaching the affected population.

"Now that the fighting has stopped, we need to work on the wider insecurity in the area, and that is a matter for the civilian and military authorities in the Province" said Mr Dayri. "People are still hiding in the forest, fearing attacks from ill-disciplined soldiers. Military authorities have begun to take action against this indiscipline, and we recognise and commend those efforts. But they need to do more", the UN Humanitarian Coordinator went on to say.

Humanitarian organisations have been able to conduct assessments in the affected area, and provide emergency assistance to the limited numbers people who have ventured out of the forest. Assistance has been provided on main roads in the affected zone and also in the town of Lubero, where some displaced families have sought refuge.

However more extensive assistance to the wider population cannot begin until the insecurity ends, allowing people to return home in greater numbers, and permitting humanitarians to work in relative security.

"Humanitarians need to be able to work in safety and to ensure that their distributions don't put the population at risk of attack from these ill-disciplined soldiers" explained Mr Dayri.

Mr Dayri also expressed his concern at the continued presence of large numbers of troops outside the MONUC "buffer zone". "A return to hostilities in the area will have dramatic humanitarian consequences", he said.

Plans for more extensive assistance, Phase II of the response, are already in place. Distributions of food plus vital relief items such as blankets, cooking sets and jerry-cans are planned, together with the replacement of looted medicines and medical equipment. The need for agricultural tools and seeds to help families rebuild their shattered lives is also being assessed.

For futher information, please contact:

Rachel Scott Leflaive, Public Information, OCHA, D R Congo scottleflaive@un.org, tel +243 81 98 60 444