150 route de Ferney, P.O. Box 2100 1211 Geneva 2, Switzerland Appeal Tel: 41 22 791 6033 Fax: 41 22 791 6506 e-mail: [email protected] Coordinating Office Democratic Republic of Congo Relief and Rehabilitation – AFDC93 Appeal Target: US$ 2,389,364 Geneva, 18 August 1999 Dear Friends, The continuing situation of rebellion and war in most regions of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) along with the resulting displacement of the population, breakdown of infrastructure, and influx of refugees from neighbouring countries suffering internal strife, has resulted in widespread suffering with a vast number of the population in need of basic life sustaining items such as food, medicines, health services and potable water. The Lutheran World Federation / Department for World Service (LWF/DWS), Eglise du Christ au Congo (ECC), and The United Methodist Church propose the following project to assist with food security, building rehabilitation, and improved health services in the Kisingani and Kasai areas. The projects are targeted to the most vulnerable groups such as orphans, the elderly, pregnant and lactating mothers. Assistance will be given to selected health centres, farmers, and rehabilitation of the most severely affected schools. Sanitation services will also be provided through a food for work project. While this Appeal addresses concerns in the Occidental regions, further proposals are being received from ACT members in the Equateur and Bas-Congo regions of the DRC. A revised appeal AFCD93 will be forthcoming once all necessary information has been collected. Please kindly send your contributions to the ACT bank account. For further information, please contact: ACT Co-ordinator, Miriam Lutz (phone 41 22 791 6033 or mobile phone ++ 41 79 203 6055) or ACT Appeals Officer, John Nduna (phone +41 22 791 60 40 or mobile phone ++41 79 433 05 92) ACT Web Site address: http://www.wcc-coe.org/act/ Rev. Myra Blyth Miriam Lutz Rev. Rudolf Hinz Director ACT Co-ordinator Director WCC/Cluster on Relations LWF/World Service ACT is a worldwide network of churches and related agencies meeting human need through coordinated emergency response. The ACT Coordinating Office is based with the World Council of Churches (WCC) and the Lutheran World Federation (LWF) in Switzerland. 2 Eastern D R C – Relief & Rehab. Appeal AFDC93 Project I 1. REQUESTING ACT MEMBER Lutheran World Federation/Department for World Service (LWF/DWS) – Nairobi Office. II. IMPLEMENTING ACT MEMBER And PARTNER INFORMATION Lutheran World Federation Department for World Service in partnership with Christian Church in Congo (Eglise Christ du Congo - E. C. C.) Lutheran World Federation/Department for World Service (LWF/DWS), Kenya office has been involved in various humanitarian emergency and relief projects in the eastern and central Africa regions: Kenya, Sudan, Democratic Republic of Congo, and Somalia. The LWF/DWS Nairobi office, was originally opened in 1973 as part of the then large scale LWF- Sudan programme which operated in the Upper Nile Region. The office has a regional focus, responding to regional emergencies (Somalia 1992-1997, Zaire in 1994-1996, Tana River 1997 and Kakuma Refugee Camp 1992 - present). The office also supports other LWF/DWS programmes (Ethiopia, and Uganda) in addition to assisting in broader LWF/DWS related matters. Sudan Emergency Operation In mid 1991, LWF/DWS implemented operations on behalf of the Sudan Emergency Operations Consortium (SEOC) which was later changed to CEAS (Church Ecumenical Action in Sudan). CEAS operates under the LWF auspices in Kenya. At present LWF/DWS is undertaking relief and rehabilitation programmes in Sudan. Currently the organisation is distributing more than 10,000 MT of food per month under the Food for Peace Programme (FFP), 261 MT of seeds and 20,000 displacement kits have been distributed since the beginning of the year. Refugee Assistance LWF/DWS has been working in partnership with UNHCR as an implementing partner since 1952 in different countries around the world addressing the needs of refugees. In mid-1992 LWF/DWS was invited by UNHCR to help establish a refugee camp in Kakuma. Since then LWF/DWS has been Camp Manager and the lead agency responsible for the implementation of food and non-food items distribution; maintenance and operation of the water system; camp sanitation; refugee shelter construction; community and social services. LWF/DWS is also responsible for the construction and maintenance of camp infrastructure, warehousing; the management and maintenance of staff compounds; the operation and management of a workshop, the provision of general support services to the camp. Additionally, LWF/DWS is responsible for the management of the Education Sector and the Psychosocial care of unaccompanied minors. These services are being provided for a camp population of about 71,000 refugees from eleven countries, including Sudan (the majority), Somalia, Ethiopia, Uganda, Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Rwanda and Burundi. Christian Church in Congo (E.C.C.) E.C.C. is an umbrella organisation for Protestant churches and organisations in Congo. Members include: Methodist church, Anglican Church, Lutheran Church, Assemblies of God, Christian Norwegian Church Association (CNCA), Christian Protestant Churches in Congo (CELPA) and Christian Protestant African Churches in Africa (CEPAC). In Kisangani, E.C.C. has Regional (provincial) and District offices. 3 Eastern D R C – Relief & Rehab. Appeal AFDC93 the refugee influx in 1994/95. This department has recruited a liaison person who has been and will continue working closely with LWF/DWS in this appeal. The E.C.C. liaison officer, who is an agriculturist by training, was very instrumental for the identification of the areas and beneficiaries targeted in this appeal. The president of the E.C.C. in the Oriental Province has given us the assurance of the continued collaboration with LWF/DWS in Kisangani. To underscore this point, this August, the two organisations have drawn up and core-signed a Memorandum of Understanding on how they would work together in implementing the projects in Kisangani. III. DESCRIPTION OF THE EMERGENCY SITUATION Kisangani district is in the Oriental Province of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). The town lies on the River Congo in the eastern part of the country. It is 400 km from the Rwanda border in the east and 1,000 km from Kinshasa in the west. Kisangani town is the third largest town in the Country with a population of approximately 500,000-600,000 In the last two years the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) formerly Zaire, has experienced two civil wars resulting in the destruction of the socio-economic infrastructure, lives and property and interruption of flow of goods to markets. In 1997 a rebel group led by Laurent Desire Kabila and supported by the Rwanda and Uganda troops took up arms against the government of the day under President Mobutu Sese Seko. Within 7 months the rebels overran the whole country starting from the eastern DRC, north and south Kivu, the oriental province and eventually Kinshasa. When the war intensified, President Mobutu fled the country and later died in exile. Kabila then took over power as the new head of state and changed the name from Zaire to the Democratic Republic of Congo. As a result of this civil war, Rwandese and Burundian refugees who were in the DRC fled in thousands back to their countries and others into the forest of DRC. Both the fleeing Mobutu soldiers and refugees looted establishments and other social facilities (houses, schools, health centers, hospitals etc) and agricultural property. The country which was already economically and socially bankrupt had become a total disaster. As Kabila was struggling with setting up a government some of his allies, especially the Banyamulenge of Rwandese origin, the dissatisfied local elite and former Mobutu soldiers regrouped together and revolted against him and staged an uprising in 1998. The war intensified with Kabila getting military aid from Zimbabwe, Angola and Namibia, while the rebels got their support from the Rwandese and Ugandan governments. Recently there has been a coup d’etat within the rebels themselves with Wamba Dia Wamba moving with his supporters to Kisangani as the new headquarters for the rebel activities and Dr Ilunga remaining in Goma as the leader of the Goma based rebel movement. This split has added more problems to the already seriously troubled area of Eastern DRC. The Rwandan soldiers and Ugandan soldiers supporting the rebels have recently turned the guns against each other. Heavy fighting has been reported in Kisangani between the two forces causing further confusion in the area. Civilians have been reported to be locked up in their homes and also a lot of people especially women and children who were in health centres for a immunisation programme could not leave the centres for fear of being caught in the cross fire. There are no positive indications of resolving this impasse in the foreseeable future as the confusion in the DRC seem to be on the increase. Kisangani remains insecure though the existing administration are trying to improve the security situation, to make it possible for humanitarian agencies to resume operations and offer the most needed socio-economic activities. However, responses have been rather slow due to the uncertainty of the security situation. 4 Eastern D R C – Relief & Rehab. Appeal AFDC93 Kinshasa (the capital city), transported by way of River Congo. This has been cut off about 150 Km West of Kisangani town. The main road connecting Kisangani to the other major towns such as Bunia and Goma and the one leading to Uganda has become impassable and security is not assured. Thus the only mode of transport at present is by air and the main source of supplies is from the nearby countries: Rwanda, Uganda and Kenya.