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DR Congo

DRC: Military activity in central Katanga displaces 25,000 civilians

Kinshasa, 7 December 2005 - Some 25,000 civilians in south-eastern DRC's Katanga province are fleeing their villages after recent fighting between the national army and Mayi-mayi militia warriors. According to humanitarian sources on the ground, Congolese civilians have fled their homes following a government offensive launched in mid-November and meant to flush out militia elements from the area.
In the area surrounding Pweto, a small town on the shores of Lake Mwero bordering Zambia, villages have been burned and the numbers of displaced seeking refuge in the town Dubie has reached 10,000 since November 21st.

Some 500 kilometres away in the territory of Bukama, local organisations are also reporting 10,000, roughly the same number, of internally displaced persons arriving following Mayi-mayi militia attacks in Upemba park.

Humanitarian sources in the territory of Kabalo, also the scene of recent attacks, report the displacement of 3,000 previously displaced individuals and yet another 2,000 displaced are currently in the territory of Mitwaba.

UN OCHA is actively coordinating and implementing the humanitarian response in the area. UN agency World Food Programme is preparing to send 109 tons of food while the OCHA and UNICEF Rapid Response Mechanism is sending non-food items. Physical access to IDP sites remains a major hurdle given the lack of proper roads or landing strips. An evaluation mission is planned within the next few days. "In addition to these 25,000 new IDPs, the humanitarian community has been trying to address the needs of 70,000 previously displaced persons but donor response has been poor and international interest lacking" said Anne Edgerton, OCHA Head of Office in Kalemie.

For futher information, please contact :
Michel Bonnardeaux, Public Information, OCHA, DR Congo
bonnardeaux@un.org
tél: (+243) 0819889151

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