Humanitarian Action in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) Weekly Report, 13 November 2009

Headlines • Approximately 22,000 people flee the Equateur Province due to intercommunal clashes • Humanitarian access hampered in Baraka area, South Kivu, due to the unstable security situation • Approximately 18,000 new households displaced in Geti, Province Orientale, due to abuses by armed groups • Humanitarian activities temporarily suspended in Lubero, North Kivu

Overall Developments

Protection of Civilians • Protection of civilians remains a high concern in many areas of North Kivu. Armed groups continue to loot villages and to destroy crops, and cases of amputations of limbs have also been reported. This particularly effects the Territories of Masisi and Rutshuru. • In Province Orientale, attacks and human rights abuses against civilians also continue to cause displacement. At the present time, an estimated 456,000 internally displaced persons (IDPs) are present in the province, this figure being 7,500 higher than that recorded at the end of August.

Humanitarian Access • During a demonstration organised by members of the local population on 31 October in Lubero, North Kivu, stones have been thrown against offices and vehicles of some humanitarian organizations. This has led to the transfer of humanitarian staff to Beni, as a precautionary measure. • In North Kivu, two vehicles of the NGO Save the Children – UK have been unable to reach the area of Vitshumbi, in the Rutshuru Territory. They had been blocked by armed elements, who have demanded the transport of their dependants. • Following a deterioration of the security situation in the areas of Baraka and Fizi, in South Kivu, caused by clashes between armed groups, some international NGOs have decided to relocate their staff to Uvira. At the present time, humanitarians do not have access to some areas near Baraka, Fizi, and Uvira, due to insecurity. At the same time, based on an assessment mission in the area, no United Nations mission will take place on the axis Uvira – Baraka – Misisi, until the situation changes. This will have negative repercussions on the assistance provided to vulnerable people in the areas.

Population Movements Population Displacement • An inter-agency mission will leave on 13 November from Mbandaka to Bokonzi, Dongo, Gemena and Kungu to assess the humanitarian needs of the population, following the recent intercommunal tensions in the District of Sud- Ubangi, in the Equateur Province. These tensions have forced the local population to flee to the Republic of the Congo (RoC). The Prefecture of the Department of Likoula, in the RoC, reports the presence of 21,804 people fleeing the DRC. According to the same source, 70% of these people are women and children. The Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) is closely monitoring the situation, while non-food items (NFIs) and medical assistance have been provided. People injured by bullets have been taken to the hospital of Impfondo, in the RoC. • An inter-agency mission took place in Bendera, in Tanganyika District, Katanga province, to assess the humanitarian situation of 639 displaced families. Displaced people have arrived to this area fleeing violence in South Kivu. Living in a very precarious situation, they need food, drinking water and medical care. Malnutrition has been registered among children, who are also in need of education. The presence of these IDPs constitutes a burden for the host communities, whose living standards are already undermined by the soaring food prices. • In the Ituri District, in the Province Orientale, arrivals of IDPs from North Kivu have been reported. A humanitarian mission is scheduled for this week to Biakato, where the presence of 250 IDPs has been reported. • Since 15 October, approximately 2,400 Congolese refugees have arrived in Zemio, in south-eastern Central African Republic (CAR), from the Ango Territory of the Bas-Uele District of Province Orientale. These individuals have fled attacks and abuses by armed elements, which have occurred in the Ango Territory between late September and early October, especially in the areas of Bandundu, Diangadi, Digba, Gwane, Matidi, and Sukadi. According to the IDPs, these armed groups are members of the Ugandan opposition group Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA). During those attacks, three people have been killed and several have been abducted, according to the witnesses of the refugees. Returns of IDPs and refugees • In Katanga, two convoys of voluntary repatriation from Zambia have reached Moba, transporting 855 people. As of today, 15,662 DRC nationals have been repatriated from Zambia thanks to UNHCR assistance.

Humanitarian Needs and Response

Demining • The NGO Dan Church Aid (DCA) has recently ended a demining operation in Mitondo, Lualaba District, Katanga Province, under the supervision of the United Nations Mine Action Coordination Centre (UNMACC). In total, 27 anti- personnel blast mines have been removed from a surface of more than 7,000 square metres. The distribution of lands to the local authorities took place on 10 November. On this occasion, The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) distributed seeds and ploughing material, given the possibility to use these lands for agriculture.

Education • Education conditions in Lusogha and Rusuli in North Kivu are extremely poor, according to evaluations carried out by the NGO Solidarités. In these areas, the presence of IDPs has been registered. In Lusogha, for example, classes are given in open air, and no educational materials are provided. The school counts approximately 853 students, all displaced. Solidarités will build 16 classrooms and 18 latrines and it will distribute school kits, in the framework of the Rapid Response Mechanism (RRM).

Food Security and Livelihoods • On 30 October, the Humanitarian River Transport Service has delivered approximately 30 MT of food (beans, sugar, salt, soya flour, corn flour and vegetable oil) from Mbandaka for malnourished children in Bolomba and Mondjambi, 200 km from Mbandaka, Equateur Province. This new service is a joint project of WFP and Caritas- Developpement supported also by the NGO Adventist Development and Relief Agency (ADRA), which will allow access through the Province Orientale. Two additional whaling boats with a capacity of 40 MT are being purchased. • Food security is at risk in the Territory of Lubero in North Kivu. Despite the ongoing sowing season, the population of Musasa left its village due to the presence of armed groups, that reduce the security of the area. In addition, lack of rains in the areas of Kanyabayonda and Kasenghe may have a negative impact of the next harvesting season. Host families are likely to become extremely vulnerable due to the soaring food prices. • In Province Orientale, FAO alerted on a new epizootic disease recently registered among pigs in Dungu city. Some casualties were registered, although the exact number is still unknown. It has been recommended to avoid eating pork sold in the market. The Provincial Inspection of Agriculture, Fishing and Farming and FAO were requested to propose appropriate measures. • In Katanga, WFP provided 51,658 MT of food for the Congolese refugees in Moba coming from Zambia. A total of 56,213 MT of food has been distributed to 13,358 pupils in the schools of Kalemie and Kongolo.

Health and Nutrition • A mission organised by the World Food Programme (WFP) has been deployed on 9 November in order to carry out a nutritional survey in the areas of , Kabambare, Kailo, , , Kibombo, Lubutu, , Pangi and Punia in Province. The aim is to identify the areas affected by malnutrition and possibly to provide food assistance to the most vulnerable people. The mission report will be published on 30 November. • During the 43rd epidemiological week, some casualties were registered due to meningitis type A in the health centre of Nyakunde, in the District of Ituri, Province Orientale. The World Health organization (WHO) recommended humanitarian actors working in this area to remain vigilant. • Despite a slightly improvement of the situation, following the distribution of medicines by OMS and its partners, the cholera epidemic is still a concern in the Territories of Baraka and Fizi in South-Kivu Province. The area of Bunyakiri is currently experiencing limited access to drinking water. • In Katanga, UNICEF and the NGO Médecins du Monde-France (MDM-F) started to deliver medicines for the treatment of cholera in Tanganyika area. MDM-F delivered medicines and material for the construction of cholera health centres (UTC) in Manono. In total, four centres have been rehabilited in order to reduce the effects of the epidemic.

Protection • The civilian affairs section of the United Nations Mission in the DRC (MONUC) will organize a mission with the a joint Protection team in Geti, Province Orientale, from 12 to 17 November in order to identify the problems in this sector. Humanitarian actors are increasingly concerned about the security situation in Geti, and hope that the area may soon enjoy greater security. • The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), OCHA, UNICEF and UNHCR on 29 November completed the training of 151 officials of FARDC on the protection of civilians in Dungu-centre in Haut-Uele District. Another training session is planned in Duru and it will be organised depending on the presence of MONUC escort.

Shelter and Non-Food Items • In North Kivu, the NGO Caritas-Bondo distributed kits of non-food items to 800 displaced households in the village of Ango, in the District of Bas-Uele. Other NFIs has been distributed by the NGO Oxfam-Québec to 702 displaced households in Bitima, in the District of Haut-Uele.

Water and sanitation • The situation in terms of access to clean water remains worrying in Ibuga, Kashugha-centre et Rujagati, in the Masisi Territory of North Kivu. In Kashugha-centre for example, the existing 174 latrines are not sufficient for the 9,185 IDPs present in the area. Additionally, family health structures built in the area by Médecins Sans Frontières – Holland (MSF-H), Mecy Corps and Solidarités are starting to become old. • In the Katanga Province, the NGO Solidarités, in partnership with some local NGOs, is conducting awareness activities, through a door-to-door approach, on the good usage of water. This week, a total of 3,100 persons in 900 households have been reached.

For more information, please contact: Maurizio Giuliano, Public Information and Advocacy Manager, OCHA DRC, [email protected], tel. +243-81-9889195 Sylvestre Ntumba Mudingayi, Associate Public Information Officer, OCHA DRC, [email protected] tel. +243-99-8845386 Stefania Trassari, Associate Public Information Officer, OCHA DRC, [email protected], tel. +243-99-2906637