wfn.org | NCCCUSA/CWS Africa Emergency Aid

[CAROL_FOUKE.parti@ecunet.org (CAROL FOUKE)]

National Council of the Churches of Christ in the USA
Contact: NCC News, 212-870-2227
Email: news@ncccusa.org  Web: www.ncccusa.org

NCC3/17/99   FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

CWS SUPPORTS GLOBAL RESPONSE IN AFRICA EMERGENCIES

 NEW YORK CITY - Church World Service - the humanitarian response 
ministry of the (U.S.) National Council of Churches - is supporting 
global ecumenical response, primarily through ACT (Action by 
Churches Together), in several emergencies in Africa, including the 
following:

Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) Civil War and Crisis 
Emergency

 SITUATION: War broke out in many regions last year.  A rebel 
faction, supported by outside forces, caused extensive damage and 
suffering in the Bas Congo and Kinshasa areas, and quickly took 
control of most of the DRC's eastern areas.

 Fighting and violence, along with accounts and allegations of 
human rights abuses and mass killings by all sides in the conflict, 
continue, with the rebels and their allies - Uganda and Rwanda - 
controlling the DRC's eastern third and the Kabila government and 
its allies - Zimbabwe, Angola, Namibia and Chad - the western two-
thirds.

 In areas affected by the fighting food stocks are low and market 
prices are high, preventing families from feeding themselves. Large 
numbers of people have fled into the forest to escape the fighting 
and are struggling to survive. Waterborne diseases are on the rise 
due to contaminated water sources.  Hygienic supplies are almost 
non-existent.  Recently, the UN Deputy Emergency Relief Coordinator 
confirmed that there are just under 200,000 refugees in the DRC and 
possibly as many as 500,000 displaced persons.

 RESPONSE: The Church of Christ in Congo (Eglise du Christ au 
Congo - ECC) is targeting humanitarian relief to more than 8,000 
families and more than 9,000 children, including basic medicines, 
medical supplies and services, food, temporary shelter, seeds, tools 
and hygiene supplies.  Norwegian Church Aid (NCA) is providing 
similar assistance in the Uvira area.  Church World Service has 
raised $43,000 ($40,000 from the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) and 
$3,000 from the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ)) toward a 
goal of $225,000 in support of the ECC and NCA work.

Uganda Emergency Relief and Rehabilitation

 SITUATION: The conflict in northern Uganda has raged for 11 
years.  Various rebel groups have emerged and disbanded while others 
have resurfaced.  Many people continue to be displaced, killed, 
maimed by landmines, raped and abducted while property continues to 
be destroyed.  There are no signs of the situation ending, and many 
vulnerable people remain in need of emergency relief and assistance.

 RESPONSE: The Church of Uganda (COU) Development and 
Rehabilitation Department is proposing emergency assistance to 
approximately 10,525 most vulnerable persons (about 1,316 families) 
and rehabilitation assistance to around 8,000 persons (or 
approximately 1,000 families) in the Gulu and Kitgum areas along 
with emergency relief for the most vulnerable (around 8,000 persons) 
in the Bundibugyo and Kabarole areas.

 The Lutheran World Federation/Uganda Program is proposing 
assistance to the most vulnerable Sudanese refugees in the Adjumani 
(East Moyo) area, while at the same time enabling them to become 
food self-sufficient and self reliant. Another aim is to provide 
emergency relief/rehabilitation to directly affected nationals to 
help them recover from rebel attacks.  CWS is sending $30,000 from 
Blanket Funds and seeking $70,000 to support COU and LWF emergency 
relief assistance work.

Tanzania Food Crisis

 SITUATION: As many as 400,000 persons throughout Tanzania - but 
mostly in the Singida and Dodoma regions -- are facing severe food 
shortages.  The emergency is complicated by the vulnerable regions' 
inability to fully recover from the 1997 drought and 1998 El Nino 
rains, which were followed by a lack of rains later in 1998.

 RESPONSE: The Christian Council of Tanzania - Refugee and 
Emergency Services (ACT/CCT-RES) has worked with its established 
church and diocesan partners to assess the emergency needs in 12 
regions. In this appeal, CCT-RES is proposing to provide food, seeds 
and plant cuttings to some 25,000 of the most vulnerable persons 
affected by the current food shortages and to coordinate a disaster 
management workshop for CCT-RES partners.  CWS is supporting this 
appeal and is seeking $150,000 in denominational support. The 
Christian Church (Disciples) has already contributed $5,000.

Sudan Food Security

 SITUATION: Those living in communities in southern Bahr el Ghazal 
have experienced drought and famine since 1997.  A large-scale 
influx of displaced persons from northern Bahr el Ghazal last year 
led to a loss of crops and livestock and reduced access to fishing 
grounds and traditional dry-season grazing areas, worsening 
malnutrition during 1998.

 RESPONSE: Since May 1998, Church Ecumenical Action in Sudan 
(CEAS) and the Lutheran World Federation/Department of World Service 
(LWF/DWS) have responded to the famine with a food relief and small 
agricultural rehabilitation program in Rumbek and Yirol counties. 
With support from ACT International and Caritas International, 
several hundred metric tons of food and over 300 metric tons of 
seeds were distributed.

 Now CEAS and LWF are seeking to respond to long-term 
rehabilitation needs. While a large-scale food relief is required 
during 1999, a  program without accompanying work in agriculture 
rehabilitation may be damaging to natural economic recovery.  In 
addition to on-going relief activities in Rumbek and Yirol Counties, 
CEAS has responded to requests by the churches, local 
administration, Sudan Relief and Rehabilitation Association (SRRA) 
and communities by formally requesting LWF to help more than 19,000 
vulnerable families prevent future famine and restore normal life 
and economic activities.  CWS is seeking to raise $200,000 toward 
the ACT/Caritas appeal.

Rwanda Relief and Rehabilitation

 SITUATION: More than 500,000 people need material assistance in 
northwest Rwanda, the nation's breadbasket, following a year in 
which internal conflicts increased and concern heightened over how 
last August's rebellion in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) 
could lead to a severe humanitarian crisis throughout the Great 
Lakes region. The latest incidents are the most recent problems in 
five years of war, violence and genocide that have affected millions 
and resulted in huge numbers of refugees fleeing to camps in the 
neighboring countries of Congo, Burundi and Tanzania. 

 RESPONSE: ACT members in Rwanda -- Church World Service, Lutheran 
World Federation, Protestant Council of Rwanda, Christian Aid and 
the United Methodist Committee on Relief -- have worked closely to 
assess the most critical needs of vulnerable groups throughout 
Rwanda. Through this appeal, these ACT partners members seek a 
continuation of a collaborative effort of work in Rwanda.

 For its part, CWS is proposing a $150,000 appeal project, through 
Dec. 31, 1999, which will be implemented by a CWS partner, the 
Rwandan Women Community Development Network (RWN), a local Rwanda 
organisation that has initiated long-term development  through 
training and income-generating activities for women and families. 
This program will help build 150 houses and promote credit, savings 
and community development activities in Urban Kigali, Umutara and 
Butare prefectures.

Sierra Leone Emergency Relief

 SITUATION: After several months of relative peace, Sierra Leone's 
capital, Freetown, has been the scene of intense fighting between 
the rebel forces, comprising the Revolutionary United Front (RUF) 
and the ousted Armed Forces Revolutionary Council (AFRC), and the 
West African peace keeping force (ECOMOG).

 "The rebels have been hunting down people and burning homes, 
using lists.  Who is on the list? People who have been vocal against 
them," Canon Ajayi Nicol, Anglican vicar of St. Charles Parish 
Church, Diocese of Freetown, recently told Margaret S. Larom, World 
Mission Interpretation and Networks Officer for The Episcopal 
Church.

 A curfew imposed upon the citizens of Freetown has caused immense 
hardship and has resulted in shortages of food, water, medicines and 
other basic amenities. Widespread destruction to homes has forced up 
to 30,000 people to seek shelter in the national stadium while 
others have taken refuge in schools and churches. Due to the renewed 
fighting and critical situation of thousands of newly displaced 
persons, assistance is required for immediate emergency relief to 
help the most vulnerable.

 At least 17 churches and church-related buildings in Freetown 
with ties to the Council of Churches in Sierra Leone (CCSL) have 
been damaged or destroyed in recent fighting, the CCSL reports, and 
a CCSL staff member, Sulaiman Kalokoh, was killed.  "Places of 
worship, church institutions and personnel were not spared in this," 
reports Alimamy Koroma, CCSL General Secretary. Additional churches 
in provinces are likely to have been attacked recently and once 
those areas are accessible, CCSL plans to survey them.

 RESPONSE: The CCSL, an ACT member, has been asked to provide 
emergency assistance, including relief from the World Food Program, 
to large numbers of displaced persons in and around Freetown. CCSL 
has been allocated the area of Brookfield, which includes the 
national stadium, to immediately distribute food. (Norwegian Church 
Aid is donating 40 metric tons of food rations for distribution; the 
exact amount of the World Food Program assistance has not been 
determined.)

 In addition, CCSL plans to provide plastic sheeting, blankets, 
used clothing and other non-food items to 15,000 most vulnerable 
people, especially families who have lost their homes and/or become 
displaced by the fighting; women and children; pregnant women; older 
people, and people who have been injured.  Reportedly, health, water 
& sanitation needs are being covered by other agencies. CWS is 
supporting this work and is seeking $100,000 in denominational 
support.
-end-
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* All information is drawn from CWS Emergency Response Office 
bulletins.
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