ReliefWeb

Kinshasa, 15 January 2009 - Military engineers from the United Nations Mission in Congo have been busy repairing roads and providing free medical care to civilians in the Fataki area of Ituri Province. Engineers from the Nepalese Engineering Company have been repairing a 15 kilometre stretch of the road between Fataki and Mahagi. The road is a vital security link as it connects a MONUC base at Fataki with another at Mahagi and helps guarantee the safety of the local population.

The Nepalese have been relaying the surface and opening drainage channels along the route. Another 20 engineers with heavy equipment are repairing a broken bridge at Orua near Komanda in Southern Irumu.

A Bangaldeshi Company Operating Base at Fataki has been providing free medical treatment for civilians at Bule village 5 kilometres south-east of Fataki. 120 people were treated in all. The medical team noted that most of the patients were suffering from common ailments like malaria and diarrhea. Similar medical campaigns are now planned for other locations in Djugu Territory.

MONUC has also been providing military training for Congolese army soldiers at Fataki. Soldiers from the FARDC's 43 Battalion have been receiving weapons training and lessons on field craft, camp security, and conduct and behaviour with women and children.

In Aru and Mahagi, peacekeepers provided free medical assistance to a number of prisoners. Other humanitarian activities carried out by MONUC personnel include a campaign on HIV/AIDS and a movie show at Aranga, 11 kilometres from Mahagi; a malaria campaign in which the population was encouraged to use mosquito nets; agricultural skills in maintaining small gardens by the Bangladeshi Battalion and distribution of food to school children at Agolic Primary school in Mahagi.