DAKAR (AlertNet) - Relief groups have been unable to meet the humanitarian needs of nearly 200,000 civilians who fled violence in Democratic Republic of Congo's (DRC) northern Equateur province because of insecurity, poor roads and a lack of funds, U.S.-based Refugees International (RI) said in a report.
Violence erupted last October between the Enyelle and Munzaya ethnic groups over fishing rights but later escalated. Up to 500 people were killed, thousands were displaced inside Equateur and another 110,000 crossed the border into
neighbouring Republic of Congo, while 18,000 took refuge in the Central African Republic (CAR).
The report said the displaced are staying longer than expected with host families whose resources are wearing thin.
"People are in need of food, household items, access to clean water and medical services Â?so we are recommending that increased funding be given towards humanitarian operations," Camilla Olson, the author of the report, told AlertNet.
Donor response has been slow. A humanitarian appeal for operations in Equateur was launched in January for approximately $28 million for 6 months but only $5 million has been allocated
so far by the U.N. Pooled Fund for three months leaving many vital sectors underfunded, the report said.
In March, a U.N. consolidated appeal for over $58 million was launched to provide support to DRC refugees and host communities in Republic of Congo but is short by $41.5 million.
MONUC WITHDRAWAL PREMATURE
Refugees International said many of the displaced persons are unwilling to return to their homes because of the absence of basic facilities such as schools and health services, and the lack of security. They are also concerned about the presence of the Congolese army (FARDC) deployed to restore order and chase the militia involved in the fighting.
"We saw ourselves in Dongo the presence of FARDC soldiers squatting in a home where people had fled. We heard reports of abuses of Congolese soldiers against local people, looting and
cases of sexual violence," Olson said by phone from Washington.
Locals told RI they felt more secure in the presence of peacekeepers of the U.N Mission to Congo (MONUC), which has been supporting FARDC operations in Equateur.
However, Kinshasa has called for the withdrawal of the 20,000-strong MONUC force -- the biggest U.N. peacekeeping mission -- starting in June.
RI said it was too soon.
"As long as insecurity persists throughout the DRC, and the Congolese government and military are incapable of resolving crises such as Equateur independent of international support,
the drawdown of the UN mission remains premature," RI said.
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