Democratic Republic of Congo • North Kivu Situation Report No. 3 27 July 2012 This report is produced by OCHA in collaboration with humanitarian partners. It was issued by OCHA DRC. It covers the period from 21 to 27 July 2012. The next report will be issued on or around 3 August. I. HIGHLIGHTS/KEY PRIORITIES • Civilians are paying a heavy price for this week’s increase in violence in Rutshuru • Population movements continue, including towards Kibati, Katale and Goma • 60,000 children may be out of school in September as schools are looted or damaged II. Situation Overview The past week in North Kivu was marked by further escalation of the violence in Rutshuru territory where a RDC - Nord Kivu string of armed clashes prompted new population movements. Fighting broke out in Rutshuru on 24 July Orientale between the Armed Forces of the Democratic Republic of Congo (FARDC) and the M23- a group of FARDC Beni breakaway soldiers- causing civilians to flee mainly towards Kibati area and other towns such as Katale and Lubero OUGANDA Goma. Some 24 hours later, the M23 seized control of REPUBLIQUE DEMOCRATIQUE Nord Kivu Kiwanja and Rutshuru. DU CONGO Kanyabayonga The situation continues to be volatile after a month marked Rutshuru Karambi by armed clashes, including in Rutshuru on 6 July. On 17 Walikale Kitchanga Rubare Bunagana July the Raia-Mutomboki armed group clashed with the Ntamugenga Masisi Nyiragongo FARDC and seized control of Walikale, forcing some 70 Maniema Goma United Nations and NGO workers to temporarily relocate RWANDA to Goma. Sud Kivu 100 Km Civilians are paying a heavy price for the increase in Sources: ESRI, Europa Technologies, UNCS, RGC, OCHA et partenaires. Les Nations Unies ne sauraient être responsables de la qualité des limites, des noms et des violence. Since April 2012, the deteriorating security désignations utilisées sur cette carte. Date de production :Juil. 2012. situation has led to more than 220,000 people being displaced from their homes in North Kivu. An estimated 54,000 have fled to Uganda and Rwanda. The situation remains fluid with civilians on the move in large numbers, in particular in Walikale and Rutshuru territories. Multi-sectorial assessments are underway to establish an overview of priority needs of the displaced and returning populations, where have they fled or moved to, and what kind of assistance is required. III. Humanitarian Needs and Response POPULATION MOVEMENT AND PROTECTION In Walikale, over 35,000 people have returned to their homes in the area of Kibua-Kalonge, representing an estimated 90 per cent of the total population of some affected villages. While Walikale remains restive, security has improved and the need to get back to farms as the harvest season nears is pushing thousands of people to return home. Within the framework of inter-agency Rapid Response to Population Movements mechanism (RRMP), the International NGO, Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC), conducted a rapid assessment in southwest Lubero Territory where more than 3,500 newly displaced people have sought safety outside their villages. Returns of IDPs to areas of origin in Lubero are also taking place, a development that can be linked to the deployment of FARDC soldiers in the southwestern part of Lubero, bordering Rutshuru and Walikale. In Masisi Territory, over 1,000 people have arrived in camps and some 850 in spontaneous sites, according to aid agencies. The mission of the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) is to mobilize and coordinate 1 effective and principled humanitarian action in partnership with national and international actors. http://ochaonline.un.org OCHA Situation Report PROTECTION More than 7,000 protection incidents were reported between April and July 15 through the protection monitoring mechanism in the North Kivu territories of Masisi, Walikale, Rutshuru and Beni, according to the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR). UNHCR estimates that there may be more cases as people were unable to speak out, or too scared or ashamed, or feared reprisals, especially in rape cases. FOOD / FOOD SECURITY UNICEF provided seven tons of food to be used by the World Food Programme to serve some 8,000 new IDPs who found refuge in Kibati, on the outskirts of Goma. International Rescue Committee, UNICEF’s partner under the Rapid Response to Movements of Population (RRMP) program, distributed three tons of food to new IDPs in Goma. EDUCATION The education cluster has identified 258 schools that have been looted or damaged since April. As a consequence, as many as 60,000 children may not have access to education when the academic year starts in September. National NGO Alpha Ujuvi, a partner of UNICEF, is preparing to launch emergency education projects for some 4,800 displaced children in South Lubero. Some 560 displaced children benefited this week from emergency classes provided by NRC in Beni and Lubero. HEALTH The World Health Organization announced this week that a sharp increase has been observed in the number of cholera cases in the armed conflict area of North Kivu. 368 new cases were reported between 11 June and 1 July. The provincial capital Goma ranks among the most affected areas. WHO said there were concerns that the security situation may increase difficulty in accessing the health-care facilities and could increase the number of severe and fatal cases. WHO said that investigation conducted by national authorities and other partners, including Médecins Sans Frontières, Merlin, and International Rescue Committee (IRC), indicated that insufficient access to safe water supply remains the main cause of the cholera epidemic in North Kivu. Interventions are being carried out to control the disease, including education and communication; management of cases; increased surveillance; hygiene and sanitation; and provision of safe drinking water. EMERGENCY SHELTER In southern Lubero, 500 reconstruction kits will target people returning home after a period of displacement. The equipment has been procured and if security allows, distribution is expected in the coming week. CARE has materials for 1,500 more in the pipeline. On 29 July, NRC is expected to launch non-food items fairs to assist some 6,000 people in Lubena, Beni Territory. This is carried out within the framework of the RRMP mechanism. WATER, SANITATION AND HYGIENE CARE reported that 10 water sources are being constructed in Manga and Katoyi in Masisi, eight hereof are complete and two are in the process of completion. Four family latrines are being constructed in the same areas to benefit the host communities who have received an influx of IDPs in the last few weeks. Solidarités International is responding to cholera cases in the area of Kitchanga-Mweso, Karisimbi, Goma and Kirotshe. Some 3,700 cases of the water-borne disease and 36 deaths have been recorded in North Kivu as of 23 July 2012. IV. Coordination Humanitarian coordination continues within existing structures in Kinshasa and Goma. OCHA-Goma facilitates a number of meetings to take stock of the situation and determine how best to assess the impact The mission of the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) is to mobilize and coordinate 2 effective and principled humanitarian action in partnership with national and international actors. http://ochaonline.un.org OCHA Situation Report of the current situation. The various clusters, both at the national and provincial levels, are focused on their respective areas of expertise. V. Funding The humanitarian appeal for the DRC ranks among the five least funded globally. It is funded at only 39 per cent seven months into the year. During the Mid-Year Review of the appeal, the request was adjusted upwards by 10 per cent, mainly to take into account the growing needs in the Kivus. The full text of the DRC Mid-Year Review is available at www.unocha.org/cap As of 27 July 2012, contributions to the DRC Humanitarian Action Plan 2012 amount to US$311 million or 39 per cent of the requested amount for 2012. 791 million 39% requested (US$) funded All humanitarian partners including donors and recipient agencies are encouraged to inform FTS of cash and in-kind contributions by sending an e-mail to: [email protected]. VI. Contact Please contact: Kinshasa: Yvon Edoumou, Public Information Officer, OCHA DRC [email protected], +243 97 000 3750 Kinshasa: Medard Lobota, Senior Liaison Officer, OCHA DRC [email protected], +243 99 290 6633 For more information, please visit http://rdc-humanitaire.net or www.unocha.org. To be added or deleted from this sit rep mailing list, please e-mail:[email protected] The mission of the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) is to mobilize and coordinate 3 effective and principled humanitarian action in partnership with national and international actors. http://ochaonline.un.org .