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Alert
Uganda
Thousands flee DRC into Uganda amidst fresh fighting in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo
Geneva, 17 July 2013
1. Brief description of the emergency and impact
On the night of Wednesday, 10th July 2013, the Ugandan rebel group Allied Democratic Forces (ADF) launched an attack on Kamango, Japande, Bunduasana, Mampopio, Kicanga, Buwisa and Kikingi areas in the North Kivu Province of the Democratic Republic of Congo. According to a preliminary report from the Red Cross, the fighting led to an influx of close to 19,000 refugees in its first day of occurrence. On Friday of the same week, the local media reported that the number had reached 30,000 refugees majority being women and children. By 14th July 2013, the Uganda Red Cross Society registered 66,319 people, with a projection of 15,000 more to arrive.
2. Why is an ACT response needed?
ACT alliance support is urgently needed to assist the refugees who have become homeless and are unable to meet their basic needs for food, water, shelter, medical support etc.
The need for external humanitarian support has been expounded by the Office of the Prime minster (OPM and the UNHCR). In the current refugee influx, more financial and technical support is needed to care and protect an estimated 66,000 refugees.
3. National and international response
The Ugandan army was deployed at the Border post in Bundibugyo to screen the refugees entering Uganda for security reasons.
A number of humanitarian actors including Office of the Prime Minister (OPM), UNHCR, UNICEF, WFP, URCS, LWF, OXFAM, IOM, DRC, Save the Children, MSF, World Harvest Mission and Bundibugyo Local Government are working together to assist the refugees and the local authority has also provided 3 free spaces as temporary lodging for refugees.
A joint Inter Agency Assessment team (IAA) is conducting a rapid assessment in the western District of Uganda to map out a possible intervention plan.
4. ACT Alliance response
LWF /ACT Alliance have been assisting the refugees under the appeal UGA132 and plans to upscale the response to meet the increased need. LWF/ACT participated in the emergency planning meetings commissioned by the UNHCR and the OPM and has dispatched a technical rapid assessment team.
LWF/ACT has also appealed for more support from funding partners.
5. Planned activities
LWF/ACT alliance plan to execute the following:
• Revise the current appeal UGA132
• Provide WASH NFIs to 10,000 HH
• Procure and install camp fencing materials in 3 designated camp sites
• Construct and install semi permanent latrines and birth shelters
• Procure and install fifteen 10,000 litre plastic water tanks
• Procure and support refugee with soap and other detergents
• Support water pipe extension from the existing water lines
• Repair of the existing water systems
• Establish temporary shelters
• Clean up, disinfect and conduct repairs in temporal facilities occupied and vacated by refugees
• Procure and support 1000 refugee households with 1000 tarpaulins
• Deploy a heavy duty 4x4 truck to assist transportation in the camp
• Deploy technical Emergency staff (Water, Sanitation and Hygiene staff / SGBV / Construction / Communications).
6. Constraints
Financial resources required to meet the needs of the new and existing refugees.
Any funding indication or pledge should be communicated to Jean-Daniel Birmele, Director of Finance (jbi@actalliance.org)
