DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF THE CONGO: Escalating displacement in North Kivu despite ceasefire agreement A profile of the internal displacement situation 30 September, 2008 This Internal Displacement Profile is automatically generated from the online IDP database of the Internal Displacement Monitoring Centre (IDMC). It includes an overview of the internal displacement situation in the country prepared by the IDMC, followed by a compilation of excerpts from relevant reports by a variety of different sources. All headlines as well as the bullet point summaries at the beginning of each chapter were added by the IDMC to facilitate navigation through the Profile. Where dates in brackets are added to headlines, they indicate the publication date of the most recent source used in the respective chapter. The views expressed in the reports compiled in this Profile are not necessarily shared by the Internal Displacement Monitoring Centre. The Profile is also available online at www.internal-displacement.org. About the Internal Displacement Monitoring Centre The Internal Displacement Monitoring Centre, established in 1998 by the Norwegian Refugee Council, is the leading international body monitoring conflict-induced internal displacement worldwide. Through its work, the Centre contributes to improving national and international capacities to protect and assist the millions of people around the globe who have been displaced within their own country as a result of conflicts or human rights violations. At the request of the United Nations, the Geneva-based Centre runs an online database providing comprehensive information and analysis on internal displacement in some 50 countries. Based on its monitoring and data collection activities, the Centre advocates for durable solutions to the plight of the internally displaced in line with international standards. The Internal Displacement Monitoring Centre also carries out training activities to enhance the capacity of local actors to respond to the needs of internally displaced people. In its work, the Centre cooperates with and provides support to local and national civil society initiatives. For more information, visit the Internal Displacement Monitoring Centre website and the database at www.internal-displacement.org. Internal Displacement Monitoring Centre Norwegian Refugee Council Chemin de Balexert 7-9 1219 Geneva, Switzerland Tel.: +41 22 799 07 00 [email protected] www.internal-displacement.org 2 CONTENTS CONTENTS 3 OVERVIEW 8 ESCALATING DISPLACEMENT IN NORTH KIVU DESPITE CEASEFIRE AGREEMENT 8 RÉSUMÉ DU PROFIL EN FRANÇAIS 14 REPUBLIQUE DEMOCRATIQUE DU CONGO: LE NOMBRE DE RETOURS DEPASSE LE NOMBRE 14 DE NOUVEAUX DEPLACEMENTS DANS L’EST 14 CAUSES AND BACKGROUND 20 POLITICAL DEVELOPMENTS 20 DRC POLITICAL DEVELOPMENTS- CHRONOLOGY: 1870-2008 20 MONUC PEACEKEEPING MISSION WORKS TO BRING SECURITY TO EASTERN DRC (1999- 2008) 22 FIRST DEMOCRATIC NATIONAL ELECTIONS AFTER 45 YEARS (2006-2007) 25 THE CHALLENGE OF DEMOBILISATION OF CONGOLESE AND FOREIGN COMBATANTS (2003- 2008) 27 ARMED CONFLICT BRINGS FURTHER INSTABILITY IN 2007-2008 30 INTERNATIONAL CRIMINAL COURT HAS JURISDICTION TO INVESTIGATE CRIMES COMMITTED IN DRC (2003-2007) 32 NORTH KIVU: A STRATEGIC PROVINCE MARRED BY VIOLENCE (2005-2008) 33 SOUTH KIVU: SPILLOVER FROM NORTH KIVU (2007) 37 ROLE OF CONGOLESE TUTSI IN THE KIVUS (2007) 38 INSECURITY CAUSED BY CONTINUOUS ATTACKS BY HEMA AND LENDU MILITIAS IN ITURI DISTRICT (1999-2008) 39 KATANGA PROVINCE: IMPROVEMENT OF SECURITY IN 2008 (2006-2008) 41 OVERVIEW OF ARMED GROUPS 43 OVERVIEW OF ARMIES AND GROUPS INVOLVED IN EASTERN DRC (2006-2008) 43 MAIN CAUSES OF DISPLACEMENT 48 PLUNDER OF NATURAL RESOURCES BY WARRING PARTIES CONTINUES TO BE MAJOR FACTOR CAUSING DISPLACEMENT (1998-2007) 48 DISPLACEMENT IN NORTH KIVU, DUE TO ARMY OPERATIONS AGAINST MILITIAS, AND ATTACKS BY RENEGADE TROOPS AND MILITIAS (2007-2008) 51 LRA CAUSED THE DISPLACEMENT OF TENS OF THOUSANDS IN ITURI /ORIENTALE PROVINCE (2007-2008) 54 ITURI: CONTINUING DISPLACEMENT DUE TO CONFONTATIONS OF LENDU, NGITI MILITIAS AND CONGOLESE ARMY (2008) 54 DISPLACEMENT IN SOUTH KIVU (2007-2008) 54 3 FIGHTING AMONG GOVERNMENT TROOPS, SOME LOYAL TO DISSIDENT COLONEL CAUSE DISPLACEMENT IN SOUTH KIVU (JANUARY 2007) 56 PYGMY POPULATIONS IN NORTH KIVU FLEE FORESTS (2006) 57 OTHER CAUSES OF DISPLACEMENT 58 THOUSANDS LOOSE HOMES IN BUKAVU DURING EARTHQUAKE (2008) 58 SEVERAL HUNDRED THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE DISPLACED DUE TO FLOODS IN EASTERN DRC (2007) 58 FIRES CAUSE INTERNAL DISPLACEMENT (2006-2008) 59 POPULATION FIGURES AND PROFILE 61 GLOBAL FIGURES 61 1,250,000 IDPS IN EASTERN DRC AS OF END OF JUNE 2008 61 CLOSE TO 1.4 MILLION IDPS IN SEPTEMBER 2007 62 TOTAL ESTIMATE OF IDPS DROP TO 1.1 MILLION IN NOVEMBER, COMPARED TO 1.48 MILLION IN AUGUST (END 2006) 63 1.6 MILLION IDPS AS OF THE END OF 2005 65 2.3 MILLION IDPS AS OF END 2004 65 FROM 2 TO 3.4 MILLION PEOPLE DISPLACED IN DRC (2000-2003) 66 FROM 500,000 TO CLOSE TO A MILLION IDPS (1998-1999) 67 100,000 BELIEVED TO BE DISPLACED BY THE END OF 1997 68 400,000 BELIEVED TO BE DISPLACED BY THE END OF 1996 69 DISAGGREGATED FIGURES 69 IN KATANGA, UNHCR DELIVERS DIGITAL CARDS TO IDPS TO SYSTEMATIZE ASSISTANCE (MAY 2006) 69 DISTRIBUTION OF IDPS BY PROVINCE (MID-99-MID 2006) 70 PATTERNS OF DISPLACEMENT 72 GENERAL 72 OXFAM STUDY FINDS THAT THOSE WHO CAN FLEE VIOLENCE, WHILE OTHERS HIDE (SEPTEMBER 2008) 72 PROLIFERATION OF “SPONTANEOUS” IDP SITES AND CAMPS IN NORTH KIVU (2008) 72 DECISION PROCESS TO FIND REFUGE IN HOST FAMILY VS. CAMP (APRIL 2008) 73 SHORT DISPLACEMENTS AND PRE-EMPTIVE DISPLACEMENTS IN ITURI AND NORTH KIVU (JANUARY 2007) 74 DOUBLE SIMULTANEOUS MOVEMENTS OF DISPLACEMENT AND RETURN COMPLICATE HUMANITARIAN ASSISTANCE (2006-2007) 75 DISPLACEMENT IS CONSTANT FEATURE IN THE LIFE OF MOST PEOPLE IN CENTRAL AND NORTHERN KATANGA (2006) 75 BATWA “PYGMY” POPULATION HAS BEEN DISPLACED AND MARGINALIZED (2003-2004) 76 ENORMOUS STRAIN ON HOST COMMUNITIES HOSTING IDPS (1999-2008) 77 IDPS SEEKING SHELTER IN THE FOREST CONSTITUTE BE THE MOST VULNERABLE IDP GROUP (2000-2007) 79 PHYSICAL SECURITY & FREEDOM OF MOVEMENT 80 GENERAL 80 4 DEADLY ATTACK ON IDP CAMP BY FDLR MILITIA (JUNE 2008) 80 MANDATE OF INDEPENDENT EXPERT ON HR SITUATION IN THE DRC NOT RENEWED (MAY 2008) 81 URGENT PROTECTION CONCERNS FOR IDPS AND OTHER CIVILIANS (2007-2008) 81 CORRUPTION HAS IMMEDIATE IMPACT ON HUMANITARIAN SITUATION (JULY 2006) 84 REPORTED MISTREATMENT OF IDPS BY REBEL GROUPS PREVENTS IDPS TO RETURN HOME IN ITURI (NOVEMBER 2007) 85 UN REPORTS CANNIBALISM, SYSTEMATIC KILLING AND RAPE (2007) 85 WOMEN 86 INVESTIGATION OF SEXUAL ABUSES COMMITTED BY UN PEACEKEEPERS (2005-2008) 86 HIGH INCIDENCE OF RAPES AMONG DISPLACED AND OTHER WOMEN (2006-2008) 88 CHILDREN 92 DISPLACED CHILDREN NEED PROTECTION FROM RECRUITMENT BY ARMED GROUPS (2001- 2008) 92 DISPLACED CHILDREN AT RISK IN NORTH KIVU (SEPTEMBER 2007) 98 FREEDOM OF MOVEMENT 99 SUBSISTENCE NEEDS 100 GENERAL 100 ALARMING HIKES IN MALNUTRITION RATES AND EPIDEMICS AMONG IDPS IN NORTH KIVU (2007-2008) 100 UN EMERGENCY RELIEF COORDINATOR TELLS IDPS THAT IT IS NEITHER NORMAL NOR ACCEPTABLE THAT THEY HAVE TO LIVE THIS WAY (SEPTEMBER 2007) 102 TYPICAL HOUSING AND EATING ARRANGEMENTS: IDPS AND THEIR HOSTS IN NORTH KIVU (APRIL 2008) 102 IDP RECOUNTS ORDEAL AND HUNGER IN SOUTH KIVU (JULY 2007) 103 NEEDS OF RETURNING IDPS AND OTHERS IN KATANGA (2008) 103 HEALTH 104 5.4 MILLION PEOPLE ESTIMATED TO HAVE DIED AS A RESULT OF DRC WAR, ACCORDING TO IRC (2008) 104 OUTBREAK OF CHOLERA AMONG IDPS AND RESIDENT POPULATIONS IN NORTH KIVU (MAY 2008) 105 CONFLICT CAUSES DEGRADATION OF THE HEALTH CARE SYSTEM (2007) 105 LACK OF DATA ON HIV/AIDS PREVALENCE AMONG IDPS (2006) 107 CIVIL WAR INFLICTS UNBEARABLE HARDSHIP ON WOMEN AND CHILDREN (2000-2007) 109 NUTRITION AND FOOD 110 SHELTER 110 CAMPS SET UP IN NORTH KIVU DURING INTENSE CONFLICT (2007-2008) 110 ACCESS TO EDUCATION 112 GENERAL 112 DISPLACEMENT MEANS THE DISRUPTION OF SCHOOL, FOR MANY INDEFINITELY (MAY 2008) 112 SOME DISPLACED CHILDREN IN CAMPS CLOSE TO GOMA, NORTH KIVU, ARE ABLE TO GO TO SCHOOL (MARCH 2008) 112 CHILDREN TARGETED FOR FORCED RECRUITMENT IN SCHOOLS OF NORTH KIVU (DEC 07) 113 5 CONFLICT HAS HAD TERRIBLE IMPACT ON ALREADY FAILING EDUCATION SYSTEM (2001-2007) 113 ISSUES OF SELF-RELIANCE AND PUBLIC PARTICIPATION 116 SELF-RELIANCE 116 UNICEF/CARE STUDY SHOWS HOW IDPS HAVE BEEN ABLE TO INTEGRATE INTO LOCAL ECONOMY (2008) 116 POSITIVE AND NEGATIVE COPING STRATEGIES ADOPTED BY IDPS AND THEIR HOSTS (2008) 116 AID AS A FACTOR IN COPYING STRATEGIES OF BOTH HOSTS AND IDPS (2007-2008) 117 EXHAUSTED COPING MECHANISMS IN NORTH KIVU (DEC 07) 118 AGENCIES CONDUCT HOUSEHOLD ECONOMY STUDIES, LIVELIHOOD ANALYSIS IN EASTERN AND NORTHEASTERN DRC (2003-2007) 119 DETERIORATING SOCIO-ECONOMIC SITUATION DUE TO THE WAR (2001-2007) 119 MANY DISPLACED WOMEN HAVE BECOME THE HEAD OF THE HOUSEHOLD AND PAY AN VERY HEAVY PRICE (2001-2006) 121 PUBLIC PARTICIPATION 123 DOCUMENTATION NEEDS AND CITIZENSHIP 124 GENERAL 124 IDPS SHOULD BE TAKEN INTO ACCOUNT IN ELECTORAL REGISTER (2008) 124 MOST IDPS WERE NOT ABLE TO VOTE ON JULY 30 (2006) 124 REGISTRATION OF IDPS FOR NATIONAL ELECTION (APRIL 2006) 125 62% OF WOMEN IN DRC MARRY UNDER CUSTOMARY LAW AND CANNOT GET INHERITANCE PRIORITY (OCT 2001) 127 PROPERTY ISSUES 128 GENERAL 128 ITURI: LAND DISPUTES ARISE FOLLOWING IDP RETURN (MAY 2008) 128 SPONTANEOUS IDP SETTLEMENTS BUILT ON PRIVATE LAND CAN LEAD TO DISPUTES (MARCH 2008) 129 LAND AND PROPERTY DISPUTES IDENTIFIED AS MAJOR OBSTACLE TO RETURN (2007) 129 NORTH KIVU: LAND AND ETHNICITY AS A CAUSE