DRC: Significant suspension of humanitarian aid in the east

Close to 80 % of humanitarian aid, which covers an estimated 3.3 million vulnerable people in the east of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) has been suspended as a direct result of the fighting in Bukavu, the capital of Sud Kivu province. After a takeover of Bukavu on June 2nd by two insurgent officers of the Congolese Army, a number of provinces in eastern DRC were affected by violent anti-UN protests and fighting between armed groups.
Forced Suspension of Humanitarian Actions

The reigning insecurity, the attacks and lootings on installations of UN Agencies and NGOs, especially in the provinces of North and South Kivu, Maniema and in northern Katanga led humanitarian organizations to suspend their activities and to temporarily relocate their personnel to more secure areas.

More than 30 international organizations in eastern DRC, including 17 NGOs in South Kivu, relocated expatriate and local personnel last week. Approximately 193 humanitarian staff were moved to Goma, the capital of North Kivu. The humanitarian section of MONUC, the UN peacekeeping mission in the DRC, has reported that 5 million inhabitants of South Kivu are entirely cut off from humanitarian assistance.

All sectors of humanitarian assistance have been impacted, including food security, health care, water, education and protection.

The number of people needing humanitarian aid may be higher now than before due to the latest fighting. Population displacement was observed in South Kivu and in North Katanga, but has not yet been possible to check the conditions of these people because of the prevailing insecurity.

In Bukavu, humanitarian sources have confirmed cases of rape and other human rights violations, in addition to the recorded numbers of killed and wounded. The head of the Human Rights Section in MONUC and the head of Special Inquiries are now making their first assessments. The UN High Commission of Human Rights is also beginning its first investigations and has asked to be associated with all inquiries into human rights violations.

The humanitarian community, under the coordination of the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) is multiplying its advocacy efforts with the goal for humanitarians to return to their work on behalf of vulnerable populations as quickly as possible.

In addition to the urgent needs, the sheer presence of humanitarians can be a deterrent against exactions in areas where civilians are targeted by different armed groups.

However, restarting humanitarian programs will be dependant on the security situation.

At presence, movements of armed groups are seen throughout eastern DRC, even though the city of Bukavu is now experiencing a relative calm after the withdrawal of insurgent military troops, and the concurrent arrival of troops from the 10th military regime of the Congolese Army.

The International Committee of the Red Cross will conduct an assessment mission on the northern road out of Goma up to Minova. World Vision organized a mission to Rutshuru and Masisi north of Goma.

A meeting of the humanitarian community organized by OCHA on June 6th agreed on a common position concerning the type of relations to have with armed groups in order to reinitiate and reinvigorate humanitarian action on the ground.

Reaffirming humanitarian identity

Another objective of the June 6th meeting was to reaffirm a clear humanitarian identity on behalf of civil populations and other local and international institutions, in order to avoid a repetition of the events that destroyed and pilloried humanitarian organizations and their property during an entire week.

The creation of a Liaison Committee, made up of six people representing civil authorities, military authorities, and international organizations, was likewise proposed. This platform would permit a daily exchange of humanitarian and security information in order to assure the security of assessment missions. Impromptu exchanges would be possible as well in order to achieve a rapid response to any given situation.

Another subject for this committee would be a reflection on rapid exchange of security and humanitarian information. This action would be made possible through the local designation, in each zone, of a humanitarian and security focal point.

The UN and the Delegation of the European Commission are talking with the authorities in Rwanda on opening the border between Rwanda and the DRC for humanitarian access. Rwanda had had in effect decided to close its borders after being accused by the Government of the DRC to have supported the insurgent troops in Bukavu.

Advocacy for the respect of humanitarian principles

The events of Bukavu and the repercussions throughout the country have once again shown the difficult situation in which the civilian population and the humanitarian community find themselves, despite the protections afforded by International Humanitarian Law (the Geneva Conventions and its Additional Protocols).

Advocacy on the respect of humanitarian principles, in particular the neutrality, impartiality and independence of humanitarian organizations will be undertaken, especially by OCHA. Civil and military authorities will also be asked to undertake the diffusion of these principles.

The principles related to emergency humanitarian intervention in DRC (established in 1998) will be updated. They recall the rights and obligations to be undertaken by political, military and humanitarian actors, which serve as basis for a common humanitarian framework to improve humanitarian action. This common framework has been damaged by these recent events.

To continue to enhance the well-being of vulnerable populations, humanitarian actors will continue to promote the principles of unlimited access, protection and neutrality.