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Humanitarian Action in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) Weekly Bulletin, 7 May 2010 A publication of the Humanitarian Information Group (HIG) produced with OCHA’s support Headlines • UN Humanitarian Chief visits the DRC and expresses grave concern on the humanitarian situation. • Human rights abuses against civilians continue to be reported across the two Kivu provinces. • 70% of IDPs, returned to their homes in the Equateur Province. • IDP households in Aveba, forced to leave the IDP site by elements of FARDC. Overall Developments • The Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator, John Holmes, has ended his five-day visit to the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). Mr. Holmes visited three areas of the country heavily affected by armed violence: South Kivu, Haut-Uele District of the Orientale Province, and Equateur Province. During his visit, he met the provincial authorities, representatives of the United Nations Organization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUC), as well as humanitarians, and ordinary citizens affected by the crises. He expressed concern over the persistent humanitarian needs suffered by the DRC population and he strongly advocated for better protection of civilians, improved humanitarian access and better coordination among all humanitarian actors. Protection of Civilians • Human rights abuses continue to be reported in the North Kivu Province. For example, in the Territory of Rutshuru, cases of looting, sexual violence and robbery have been reported in Nyabanira since the retreat of the Indian Contingent of MONUC. Also in North Kivu, in the Walikale Territory, armed elements attacked and killed seven people in Omate. As a consequence of these acts, a movement of population towards Mubi and Ndjingala has been observed. • Since 23 April, the three IDP sites of Ibuga, Kashunga and Muhanga in the Territory of Masisi, have been penetrated at night by elements of the Armed Forces of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (FARDC). Men and minors were requisitioned and forced to hard labour. The forest remains the only site for these people to spend the night in the hope of escaping FARDC elements. • A similar situation prevails in the South Kivu Province, where armed elements of FARDC continue to commit violent acts against civilians. For example, on 24 April, seven people were forced to carry military equipment for 12 Km between Byangama and Kisulu in the Shabunda Territory; and some more, including two women, were victims of extortion and violence. This area is reported to be the scene of continue fighting between FARDC and Forces démocratiques de libération du Rwanda (FDLR) elements. • IDPs living in Aveba were forced to leave the site by elements of FARDC, as they were accused of complicity with armed opposition groups. This population had been displaced by violence which had spread following heavy fighting last December and March. Some are reported to have found refuge with host families, while others are believed to have left towards Songolo and other neighbouring places. A Joint Protection Team (JPT) reported cases of malnutrition among the IDPs and the need for food and non-food items (NFI). Cases of sexual violence have also been reported. • Although security has been restored in some parts of the Equateur Province, especially in Mbandaka and Dongo, the need of guaranteeing the security of some parts of the Congo River between Mbandaka and Lisala, and at the centre of the province, remains. The Congo River is used in these areas by armed oppositions groups to circulate and therefore limiting the access for humanitarian actors. Population Movements Internally displaced persons (IDPs) • According to local authorities, more than 1,000 IDPs are unable to reach the sites of Aveba and Ozoba in the Orientale Province to receive humanitarian assistance, due to the ongoing FARDC military operations. These people are currently staying in the forest of Mokato-Ngazi, as the security situation deteriorated further after fighting between FARDC and armed opposition groups around the areas of Mokato-Ngazi, Poto-Poto and Zunguluka, in the southern part of Irumu Territory in Ituri District. In addition, the humanitarian corridor, opened on 19 March by local authorities, remains closed after violent clashes occurred late April. The humanitarian corridor allowed approximately 3,980 IDPs to leave the forest and reach Aveba and Ozoba to benefit from humanitarian aid. DRC citizens displaced outside the DRC1 • The Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) resumed the registration process for the Congolese refugees living in Likouala Province, in the Republic of the Congo (RoC). The registration was interrupted on 16 March due to high insecurity. A total of 8,988 Congolese refugees has been registered since 26 April, bringing the total number of Congolese refugees registered in this province by UNHCR to 78,392 since mid- January. The registration process will continue for two more weeks. According to the RoC authorities, a total of 114,000 are estimated to have fled to the RoC from the Equateur Province, after escaping the spread of violence following inter-communal tensions. • Approximately 70 percent of the displaced population has returned back to its places of origin in the South Ubangui District, in the Equateur Province. • It has been reported by the Danish Refugee Council (DRC) and a local NGO that approximately 645 refugee households have returned to the region of Aba, in the Territory of Faradje of Haut-Uele District, from neighbouring Southern Sudan. The nature of these returns, whether they are spontaneous or forced, is still unclear. Refugees in the DRC • On 28 April UNHCR facilitated the repatriation of approximately 124 Rwandan refugees from North Kivu, while 59 were repatriated from South Kivu. Since January, almost 3,400 Rwandan refugees returned to their country from the two Kivus provinces. Insecurity and Humanitarian Access • Insecurity remains very high across several parts of the North Kivu Province. For example, during last week, armed elements, including members of FDLR burned approximately 50 houses in the Lubero Territory of North Kivu. In the same area, unidentified armed elements burned a truck of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) while the organisation was carrying out road rehabilitation activities as part of a food-for-work project in Luhelo. • The road linking Uvira to Baraka is currently closed since 4 May, as a consequence of heavy rainfall during last weekend which has caused serious damages to the bridge Zimbwe. A month ago, humanitarian actors launched an alert to the local authorities on the need to rehabilitate the bridge, which was already in bad conditions. Humanitarian Needs and Response Education • Five schools of Fizi Centre have been occupied by a group of IDPs fleeing the recent attacks occurred elsewhere in the Territory of Fizi in the South Kivu Province. A multi-sector assessment team of the Réponse rapide aux mouvements de population (RRMP) is currently on mission to evaluate the situation and find a solution. Food Security and Livelihoods • The World Food Programme (WFP) is distributing food aid to 4,000 IDPs escaping fighting in the Territories of Bomongo and Makanza in the Equateur Province, bringing the total number of IDPs in the South Ubangi District receiving WFP assistance to 44,300 since the end of last December. • The NGO Action contre la faim (ACF) has recently set up 20 therapeutic centres, and 250 local community workers will be operational soon in order to attend the cases of malnutrition registered in Niangara, in the Haut- Uele District and in Dingila in the Bas-Uele District. A nutritional survey conducted by ACF on 420 children between 6 and 59 months, revealed a severe acute malnutrition (SAM) rate of 1.4 percent and global acute malnutrition (GAM) rate of 6.8 percent. • In Ituri District, WFP is continuing food distributions for 21,200 IDPs in Aveba. Distributions of 400 MT of food assistance to 24,100 returnees from Djugu Territory started last week. Health and Nutrition • During the World Malaria Day celebrated on 21 April, the United Nations Children Fund (UNICEF) distributed 5,000 insecticide-treated nets to 11 hospitals of South Kivu. • Almost 950 IDPs have not received any medical assistance since their arrival in Aru last January and February fleeing violence by the Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA) in Haut-Uele District. • A stock of antiretroviral drugs provided by the Programme National de lutte contre le Sida (PNLS) is unable to reach the Kalemie General Hospital due to the limited flights connecting the capital to Kalemie. A total of 200 kg of drugs are expected to be delivered in Kalemie for approximately 120 people living with HIV/AIDS. Protection • In the Territory of Fizi, in the South Kivu Province, between March and April, 52 children, including 19 girls, were rescued out of a local armed group by the Child Protection Team of MONUC and reunited with their families. More than 30 community agents received training on 28 April in Walungu Territory on child rights, prevention of child recruitment, the use of children in armed conflicts and the support to be given to children formerly associated with armed forces and groups. Shelter and non-food items (NFIs) • The International Rescue Committee (IRC) distributed NFI kits to 1,100 displaced households in Kakemenge and Mela in Mwenga Territory of South Kivu Province. • The NGOs Lutheran World Federation (LWF) and ADSSE distributed NFI kits provided by UNHCR, UNICEF and the NGO Solidarité, for 506 households in Eti, Lipai and Nadamu in the Haut-Uele District on 25 and 26 April. Approximately 177 IDP households in Nadogolo, near Eti, have reportedly not received assistance so far. Water and Sanitation (WASH) • UNICEF provided emergency water and sanitation material to its implementing partners, the NGOs Oxfam GB and Tearfund in the Fizi Territory of South Kivu Province.

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