Humanitarian Action in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) Weekly Bulletin, 20 September 2010 A publication of the Humanitarian Information Group (HIG) produced with OCHA’s support Headlines • A cholera epidemic was declared in Uvira Territory, South Kivu. • Over 600 malnourished children were admitted last week in three nutrition centres in the Province Orientale. • Over 1.9 million people were internally displaced in DRC as of 31 August, according to Population Movement Commissions. Overall Developments Protection of Civilians • Following a large number of reports of rapes in late August in Walikale Territory, the national army of the DRC (FARDC) has reinforced its presence to launch operations against rebels of the Democratic Forces for Rwanda Liberation (FDLR) and MayMayi. According to army officials, these operations will improve the protection of civilians in the area. However, experience in other areas has shown limits of such operations in protecting civilians, as rebel groups retook their positions whenever militaries moved. The United Nations Organization Stabilization Mission in DRC (MONUSCO) announced the increase of its protection activities in Pinga, Kibwa and Walikale Centre. • This week, the DRC Minister of Mines announced the suspension of mining exploitation in North Kivu, South Kivu and Maniema provinces. The decision aims to deprive different armed groups of an important funding source and thus reduce insecurity in the three provinces. This could lead to improving the protection of civilians. However, in areas where mining is the population’s only source of revenue, this decision could lead to extreme poverty and increase people’s vulnerability. Population Movements Internally Displaced People • As of 31 August, 1,977,012 people were internally displaced in DRC according to provincial Population Movement Commissions. This shows a slight increase of around 3.6 per cent of Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) compared with last month. North Kivu and South Kivu provinces are most affected by the internal displacement, with 1,542,506 IDPs in August (around 78 per cent of the total number of national IDPs). This is mainly due to insecurity caused by the revival of armed groups and the national army military operations against them. In Province Orientale, the number of IDPs has decreased by 2 per cent compared with the situation in July. Internal displacement, one of the main humanitarian issues in DRC, is essentially due to militia activities that affect North Kivu with 894,129 IDPs; South Kivu with 648,380 IDPs; Province Orientale with 385,660 IDPs; Equateur Province with 32,762 IDPs; and Katanga Province with 18,651 IDPs. As of the end of August, 983,712 people had returned to their village of origin within the last 18 months. • According to local authorities, last week around 1,100 households in Uvira Territory fled to Malinde and Katanga villages (Moyens Plateaux d’Uvira) following three FARDC attacks against Mai-Mai rebels in Kichanga and Mukera. These attacks are part of Amani Leo military operations and aim to restore peace in the Kivus. During these operations, the protection of civilians is one of the main humanitarian concerns. • The return of IDPs to their village in the Beni Territory has stopped following the launch of the second phase of military operations against Ugandan rebels of ADF/NALU. However, IDPs who returned to their villages in Oicha and Eringeti zones cannot access their crops due to insecurity. Repatriation of Congolese Refugees • Two repatriation convoys of Congolese refugees from Zambia arrived in the town of Pweto on 8 and 13 September, with 394 and 452 people respectively. Since the beginning of the year, UNHCR has facilitated the repatriation to Katanga Province of 5,043 people from Zambia, of which 4,816 went to North Katanga. According to UNHCR, 210,566 Congolese refugees returned home between 2004 and August 2010. As of 31 August, some 164,520 people have sought refuge in DRC. Most are Angola and Rwanda nationals. • Last week, a rapid response to population movements (RRMP) mission in Bas-Uele District (Digba, Sukadi and Matindi towns) reported the return of around 4,000 Congolese refugees from the town of Zemio in Central Africa Republic. This was due to hardship conditions in their area of refuge. Insecurity and Humanitarian Access • Due to insecurity, there is still extremely limited humanitarian access to the town of Miki in Mwenga Territory (South Kivu Province), where around 70 cases of sexual and gender-based violence cases were reported in the last few months by a local NGO. A planned humanitarian evaluation mission to Miki on 8 August did not take place due to security reasons. • To improve physical access to Shabunda, humanitarian actors rehabilitated the road-axe Shabunda – Byangama - Kigulube. Forty-four small bridges were constructed on that road and other important infrastructure maintenance work was carried out. This rehabilitation will positively affect transportation costs of humanitarian assistance. Humanitarian Needs and Response Health and Nutrition • On 11 September, local authorities declared a cholera epidemic in the Territory of Uvira (South Kivu). From 6 to 14 September, there were 243 new cases of cholera, from which three deaths were registered at Uvira’s Cholera Treatment Centre (CTC). The health zone of Ruzizi also reported several other suspected cholera cases in Ndunda town. As well as supporting the CTC, humanitarian NGOs are developing preventive response activities such as water chlorination and sensitization. However, the longer these preventive activities continue; there is a real risk of funding shortages that will affect support workers’ wages. • In Bas-Uele (Province Orientale), no vaccination campaign has been organized in Bitima and Duru health centres during the last six months, according to the Solidarité/RRMP mission report. In addition, neither of the two health centres have medicine or equipment to assist patients. • This week, 640 malnourished children were admitted to three nutritional centres of Action Against Hunger (ACF- USA) in the health zones of Wanierukula (224 children), Bengamisa (207 children) and Yabaondo (209 children) in Tshopo District (Province Orientale). As of 31 August, 696 children were treated through these nutrition structures. In addition, ACF-USA has trained 2,698 people on infant nutrition, household food security and nutrition of school-age children. Food Security and Livelihoods • FAO completed seed distributions to 3,850 IDPs and returnee households in Kungu Territory, Equateur Province. FAO is planning another seed distribution for 3,150 households in host communities. As of 31 August, around 32,000 people were internally displaced in Equateur Province. The massive displacement in Equateur Province followed intercommunity conflicts in South Ubangi District in late 2009/early 2010. • In Linakofo town, in the District of Tshopo (Province Orientale), the national NGO ADSSE distributed 15-day food rations from WFP to some 1,055 IDPs. Last week, CARITAS and CRS distributed agricultural kits to 460 households in Kapili following previous distributions to around 4,100 households in the towns of Bangadi, Kapili, Duru, Bitima and Nakale. USAID/OFDA funds these food security-based distributions. • Due to security reasons, last week’s distribution of WFP rations in Ngilima and Gangala have been cancelled. Non-Food Items and Shelter • From 14 to 15 September, Solidarités organized non-food item (NFI) fairs aimed at providing assistance to 972 households of IDPs and host communities. The fairs were held in Dirokpa (Territory of Djugu, Ituri District). In Boga town in the Territory of Irumu, 352 households received NFI standard kits and second-hand clothes. These distributions were part of the RRMP programme. Education • Local authorities in the Territory of Dungu (Haut-Uele) prevented the construction of schools with canvas cover, mostly used by humanitarian actors to build emergency schools. The construction of four emergency schools in Dungu has been suspended. • Four schools in Shabunda Centre have been identified for school-displaced children from Shabunda-Tshombi axe in South Kivu. The displaced school children should receive free education. Humanitarian actors are building canvas-covered emergency schools on the Katchungu – Byangama axe to fill the gap in terms of school infrastructures. • Danish Refugee Council distributed UNICEF’s education and entertaining kits to pupils and teachers in eight primary schools in the districts of Uele as part of the RRMP programme. Water, Sanitation and Hygiene • On 10 September, ACTED launched water and sanitation activities, including water chlorination and sensitization, in the town of Tutungulu, Shabunda Territory. Other NGOs including CRS and CODESA are also distributing water chlorination products to prevent waterborne diseases within the same zone. • Many villages in Makobola II heath area (health zone of Nundu) in Fizi Territory do not have clean water following the breakdown of the Swima water supply system. This puts thousands of people at risk of waterborne diseases. For more information, please contact: Médard Lobota, Associate Humanitarian Affairs/Liaison Officer, OCHA DRC, [email protected], tel. +243 99 2906633 Stefania Trassari, Associate Public Information Officer, OCHA DRC, [email protected], tel. +243 99 2906637 Sylvestre Ntumba Mudingayi, Assistant Public Information Officer, OCHA DRC, [email protected] tel. +243 99 8845386 .