May 21, 2003

GENEVA - 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.

ACT International Coordinating Office