UN OFFICE REPORTS DISRUPTION OF HUMANITARIAN AID IN DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF CONGO

un office reports disruption of humanitarian aid in democratic republic of congo

NEW YORK, 28 June (OCHA) -- In the Democratic Republic of the Congo, 20 aid agencies lost an estimated $1.5 million in humanitarian supplies, equipment and vehicles due to recent looting by military and civilian demonstrations.  Funding to compensate for these losses is urgently needed.  In addition, three offices of the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) were destroyed.

Ninety per cent of the humanitarian organizations operating in Bukavu, Goma, Kalemie, Kinshasa, and Kindu have been affected by either looting, suspension of activities, or lack of access to vulnerable groups.  A total of 193 staff from more than 30 United Nations agencies and aid organizations was relocated to safer areas.

Humanitarian organizations currently estimate that approximately 2.6 million vulnerable persons have been affected by the reduction of humanitarian activities.

The crisis that engulfed Bukavu in the Democratic Republic of the Congo between 26 May and 2 June continues to fester in the eastern regions of the country, especially in the Kivus.

“I am deeply disturbed by continuing reports of continuing human rights abuses, including sexual violence, perpetrated by various armed groups”, said Jan Egeland, the United Nations Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs.  “I am also concerned that if this conflict continues we could see massive population movements”, he added.

All groups have been implicated in abuses ranging from outright attacks against whole villages to pillaging, intimidation and harassment.  Sexual and gender-based violence continue, in most cases with impunity, throughout the country.  In addition to sexual violence, the systematic capture and abduction of women and girls by armed groups is an ongoing problem.

Due to the disruption of aid, the total number of persons displaced in the Kivus over the past few weeks is unknown.  A joint assessment mission to RutshuruTerritory on 23 June estimates an internally displaced person (IDP) population in RutshuruTerritory alone of 250,000 people, with 50-60,000 newly displaced in May and June.  In addition, approximately 31,000 Congolese refugees have arrived in Burundi.  Due to lack of access, however, a fully accurate picture is not available.

Inter-agency assessment missions have begun by both United Nations agencies and international non-governmental organizations (NGOs) throughout eastern DRC.  The missions are attempting to evaluate the humanitarian situation in these provinces directly affected by the increase in fighting over the past month.

Humanitarian organizations are cautiously starting to resume activities in the most affected areas in the Kivus, Maniema, and northern Katanga.  However, fewer than 25 per cent of the humanitarian organizations affected by this crisis have returned to normal operations.

For further information, please call:  Stephanie Bunker, OCHA New York, tel.:  1 917 367 5126, mobile:  1 917 892 1679; Elizabeth Byrs, OCHA Geneva, tel.:  +41 22 917 2653, mobile:  +41 (0)79 473 4570.

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