News Alert DRC: Escalation in violence increases vulnerability of over 2 million IDPs

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As of March 2012, the UN estimates that some 2 million people are currently living as IDPs in DRC, the highest figure since 2009.  Between April and May, clashes between the national army and various armed groups resulted in the displacement of over 200,000 people. As part of fighting between Congolese armed forces and renegade soldiers, villages have been repeatedly attacked, and many people, including women and children, have been the victims of murder, violence and looting. IDPs in DRC have often been displaced multiple times, and while they often remain inaccessible to humanitarian organisations, due to issues of insecurity and bad roads, humanitarian organisations have also been hampered by the lack of financing. The 2012 DRC humanitarian Action Plan issued 6 months ago was only 42 per cent funded as of June 8. For more information, see IDMC’s DRC page  About IDMC The Internal Displacement Monitoring Centre (IDMC) (www.internal-displacement.org) was established by the Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC) in 1998, upon the request of the United Nations Inter-Agency Standing Committee (IASC).  Monitoring internal displacement caused by conflict, violence, human rights violations and natural disasters in over 50 countries, the Internal Displacement Monitoring Centre (IDMC) is widely respected as the leading source of information and analysis on internal displacement throughout the world. Sign up to IDMC news alerts here