wfn.org | ACT News: Thousands flee fighting in DRC's Ituri province

[Worldwide Faith News <wfn@igc.org>]

ACT International: ccl@act-intl.org
http://www.act-intl.org

ACT News Update

DRC 0103

Thousands flee fighting in DRC's Ituri province

Geneva, May 21, 2003--People continue to flee the fighting in the 
Democratic Republic of Congo's Ituri province in terror, escaping either 
eastward to Uganda or south to Beni.

The BBC reports that a UN mission in DR Congo says that it has found the 
bodies of more than 230 people killed during recent clashes between rival 
militias in the regional capital, Bunia.

ACT member Lutheran World Federation (Goma) writes that they are receiving 
reports from the church based Congolese ACT member, Eglise du Christ au 
Congo (ECC) in Beni that people displaced by the conflict have been pouring 
into Beni territory for one week now. So far a total of 22,515 people have 
been registered as internally displaced persons (IDPs). This number 
includes 10,132 children, 7,494 women and 4,434 men -- mainly all of from 
Bunia, Mungbalo and Drodro.

"They are scattered in villages on the Beni-Eringeti axis mainly in Kokola, 
Maimoja, Oicha, Mbau, Mavivi, Beni Town and Eringeti."

Most of the people are suffering from fatigue, swollen feet, dehydration 
and other ailments and many of them are traumatised. ECC reports that 
people urgently need food, sanitation, essential drugs, drinking water, 
blankets, kitchen utensils and trauma counselling.

LWF (Goma) and ECC (North Kivu) are travelling to Beni to assess the 
situation and look into possibilities of supporting the ECC members in Beni 
who are assisting the IDPs. The team will also assess logistical access for 
relief goods to Beni.

Although funding for the North Kivu appeal (AFDC 31) is still very 
low--about $60,000US of the requested $880,000US has been received by 
LWF--LWF Goma is preparing some non-food assistance and possible medical 
support for Beni. The team is expected to return to Goma on Thursday (May 
23, 2003).

Political background and socio-economic situation: Ituri province has been 
subject to inter-ethnic fighting between the Hema (allied with the Gegere) 
and the Lendu (allied to the Ngiti). The former are cattle raisers while 
the latter are farmers. Both groups were backed and armed by Uganda. 
Violence erupted in May 2002 as Uganda troops left Ituri province due to 
international pressure, leaving a 'power vacuum'. Thousands of IDPs arrived 
in Beni-Lubero territory as a consequence of the inter-ethnic fighting that 
erupted between the Hema and the Lendu. The situation seemed to stabilize 
in January as the APC (Army of Congolese Patriots) of Thomas Lubanga (a 
Hema) took full control of Bunia Town. Later Lubanga signed a bilateral 
agreement with the Rwanda backed RCD/Goma for military assistance.

This agreement angered the government of Uganda who is engaged in a power 
struggle with Rwanda over the region. Each country claims to be acting in 
the interest of their own security. Last February, Ugandan troops expelled 
the UPC from Bunia town and restored a fragile peace in the town. However, 
Rwanda balked at the thought of Ugandan control over Ituri province, 
employing the help of the international community to force the Ugandan Army 
out of the province. Again, Ituri was left without a proper interim 
organised armed force that could maintain peace and stability. The 200 
policemen who were sent from Kinshasa were simply not up to the task. 
Thomas Lubanga again stepped in, attacking Bunia. Meanwhile, four other 
independent militias had formed. The fighting in Bunia was uncontrolled and 
the killings and atrocities reached an unprecedented level. Thousands of 
people were once again displaced. And now, just when different political 
factions are meeting in Kinshasa to try and u!
nify the country, following the resolutions of the Global and Inclusive 
Agreement signed in South Africa in March 2003, renewed conflict has beset 
Ituri.

(ends)

For further information please contact:
ACT Communications Officer Callie Long (mobile/cell phone +41 79 358 3171)

ACT is a world-wide network of churches and related agencies meeting human 
need through coordinated  emergency  response. The ACT Coordinating Office 
is based with the World Council of Churches (WCC) and the Lutheran World 
Federation (LWF)  in Switzerland.

Callie Long
Communications Officer
ACT International Coordinating Office

Tel: +41 22 791 6039/6033
Mobile: +41 79 358 3171
Fax: +41 22 791 6506