DR Congo: OCHA North Kivu Humanitarian Situation Report - 29 Oct 2007

No fighting was reported over the week-end giving the opportunity for humanitarian assistance to be provided and different interagency missions to be planned for this week. However growing resentment against humanitarian actors is observed: UN agencies as well as NGOs are suffering bothersome from population, Congolese army and other armed groups.

CONTEXT

A vehicle of INGO Solidarités was stopped and looted yesterday by two non identified armed people in Rubare (south of Rutshuru town). Nobody was injured.

A UNICEF convoy with vaccination material was stopped this morning at the Mugunga barrier by FARDC. After negotiations with the 8th Military Region the convoy was able to continue his way to Kitchanga (Masisi).

The Mayi-Mayi leader General Kasereka of the Nyamilima area surrendered to MONUC last Saturday. He promised that his men will follow his example. So far about 30 men with three weapons surrendered.

POPULATION MOVEMENTS

New IDPs have been reported in Bihambwe (west of Sake, in Masisi district). An interagency mission going to Masisi town tomorrow will assess the IDPs situation.

HUMANITARIAN RESPONSE

The registration of newly IDPs that fled the recent fighting in Jomba/Bunagana will start this week. A first assessment accounted around 35,000 displaced persons.

UNHCR, UNICEF and the INGO SLAO went today to Rutshuru town to finalise the assessment on the IDPs sites in the area and identify new ones.

WFP assessed this morning the nutritional and IDPs situation in Kirolirwe-Kitchanga (Masisi district).

Last week a distribution of Vitamin A as well as a campaign against parasites were launched by WHO for children under five in eleven health zones.

WHO reported 189 new cases of cholera in IDPs camps around Goma from 24 to 28 October. The UN agency underlined the lack of water and latrines as a source of this alarming increase. The WATSAN working group with health actors will meet tomorrow to find prompt solutions.

In the month of October UNFPA reported 10 cases of sexual violence perpetrated in the IDPs camps around Goma. UNHCR is giving protection training to the actors involved in these camps to prevent further violations.

INGO Solidarités has started construction of 45 latrines in Kibumba (Rutshuru) where water trucking is already provided by the INGO.

In the Rutshuru town area where around 8,000 newly displaced families were reported INGOs Solidarités, NRC and Caritas should start registration on Wednesday. Non-food distribution should be completed by the end of the week.

UNICEF/Solidarités and WFP/Caritas completed non-food and food distribution to 4,800 displaced families in Nyanzale (Rutshuru). UNICEF/Solidarités also distributed non-food items to more than 1,500 families in Shasha-Kirotshe area (south of Masisi).

250 tons of food and a quantity of plastic sheeting, clothes and soaps are given by the authorities to around 5,000 displaced and returned families in Masisi and Rutshuru districts.

Contacts:

Patrick Lavand'homme, Head of Office,
Goma (North Kivu), OCHA-DR Congo
Email: lavandhomme@un.org
Tel: +243 (0) 819 889 165

Christophe Illemassene, Senior Public Information Officer,
Kinshasa, OCHA-DR Congo
Email: illemassene@un.org
Tel: +243 (0) 819 889 195