Submit this form
Home News Videos Music Photos Facebook Twitter Friends Newsletter Podcasts Mobile RSS
UNHCR Suspends Aid in DRC Province

VOA News - April 25, 2008

Schlein report - Download (MP3) audio clip
Schlein report - Listen (MP3) audio clip

The U.N. refugee agency says it has been forced to suspend a distribution of aid to displaced people in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo's North Kivu province because of renewed violence.

The U.N. refugee agency says it has been forced to suspend a distribution of aid to displaced people in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo's North Kivu province because of renewed violence.  Lisa Schlein reports for VOA from Geneva that the UNHCR says the suspension is only temporary and will be lifted as soon as possible.

The U.N. refugee agency reports hundreds of people have fled fighting in the Rutshuru area of North Kivu since the clashes began last weekend. 

The agency says it halted distribution of aid to displaced people amid reports of new fighting Thursday between government soldiers and fighters from the rebel Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda movement.

UNHCR Spokesman, Ron Redmond tells VOA the agency also has suspended the registration of new arrivals at campsites for internally displaced people in the Rutshuru area. 

"We do not think it is going to last," he said.  "But, it happens fairly often in an environment like that, where you have got armed groups sort of wandering the countryside, pillaging villages, blocking roads.  It is just a dangerous environment in which to work.  So, it is just a temporary shut down." 

Redmond says UNHCR staff visited sites for internally displaced people following the first outbreak of violence and exodus of people.  He says the aid workers went to the area to find out more about the attacks and to assess the needs of the displaced. 

He says there is not enough shelter to accommodate the new arrivals, so most are staying in public buildings.  He says they have been receiving food from people displaced in earlier waves of violence.

Redmond says most of the people turning up at the displacement camps are women and children.  He says most have harrowing tales to relate.

"Many of them said their homes were destroyed, their possessions looted," he said.  "Others had lost touch with their children.  They were unable to find them.  We know in the past, in some cases, children had been taken away by these groups.  There has also been a lot of sexual and gender based violence in the Kivus, which is a huge, huge problem.  Our staff is saying that medical assistance is urgently needed amid fears of a cholera outbreak.  So, the sanitation conditions are very bad in some of these areas as well." 

Fighting between the government and rebel groups in eastern Congo has been going on for over a decade.  The recent displacement in the Rutshuru area comes three months after the government and armed groups signed an agreement in Goma to end the war.

International and Congolese human rights groups warn little progress has been made toward a last peace.  There are an estimated 1.3 million people displaced within the country, and 350,000 Congolese have sought refuge abroad.


Related articles


  1. Congo Will Not Sign a 'Peace Deal' With Defeated M23 Rebels, Government Says (November 6, 2013)
  2. Kabila Congratulates Congo Army for Defeating M23 Rebels (October 30, 2013)
  3. Advancing Congo Troops Take Control of Rumangabo From M23 Rebels (October 28, 2013)
  4. Congo Army Liberates Rutshuru, Kiwanja and Kibumba From M23 Rebels (October 27, 2013)
  5. Congo Army Dislodges M23 Rebels From Strategic Town of Kibumba (October 26, 2013)
  6. Congo Army Takes Control of Kibumba After Fighting With M23 Rebels Resumes (October 25, 2013)
  7. U.S. Sanctions Rwanda Over Use of Child Soldiers by M23 Rebels (October 4, 2013)
  8. Dozens of M23 Rebels Killed by Congo Army in Renewed Fighting (August 22, 2013)
  9. M23 Arrests 110 People Accusing Rebels of Looting At Rally (July 27, 2013)
  10. M23 Rebels Kill, Rape Civilians in Eastern Congo: Human Rights Watch (July 22, 2013)
  11. M23 Rebels in Disarray in Eastern Congo, Says Government Spokesman (July 19, 2013)
  12. U.S. Sanctions M23 Rebel Leaders (December 18, 2012)
  13. U.S. Treasury Department Sanctions M23 Rebel Leader (November 13, 2012)
  14. M23 Rebels Committing War Crimes (September 11, 2012)
  15. Rwanda Should Stop Aiding War Crimes Suspect Bosco Ntaganda: Human Rights Watch (June 4, 2012)
  16. Army Suspends Military Operations Against Ntaganda Loyalists (May 6, 2012)
  17. UN DR Congo Report Exposes Grave Crimes (October 1, 2010)
  18. Key excerpts from UN report on Rwandan army genocide in DR Congo (August 27, 2010)
  19. 54 FDLR Rebels Relocated from North Kivu to Katanga (May 4, 2010)
  20. DR Congo military says more FDLR rebels killed in North Kivu province (December 18, 2009)
  21. Senior UN peacekeeping official assesses DR Congo's prisons (July 22, 2009)
  22. Return of Hutu Militias Sparks 100,000 New Displacements in Eastern Congo (April 27, 2009)
  23. North Kivu operation a boost for repatriation, peace - president (February 3, 2009)
  24. MONUC urges Rwandan Hutu militia to disarm and return home (February 2, 2009)
  25. Displaced people must not be forced back to their villages, UN tells DR Congo rebels (December 19, 2008)
  26. UNHCR urges DR Congo rebels to respect humanitarian principles (December 19, 2008)
  27. Laurent Nkunda's rebels reportedly pressuring displaced Congolese to return home - UN (December 16, 2008)
  28. UN Report Excerpt: Support to Laurent Nkunda's CNDP by the Government of Rwanda (December 14, 2008)
  29. Human Rights Watch: 150 people killed in Kiwanja as UN force stood by (December 11, 2008)
  30. UN envoy to launch dialogue between Government and rebels (December 5, 2008)


Live TV Congo Radio en ligne Radio
Available on App Store
Get it on Google Play



Contact Us | About Us | Édition en Français | French Edition

© CongoPlanet.com. All rights reserved.