Population Movements in Eastern DR Congo, Apr - Jun 2009

1. OVERVIEW

The humanitarian situation in the eastern provinces of the Democratic Republic of Congo has deteriorate dramatically in the last months. In South Kivu, an estimated 536,880 people are currently displaced from their homes. There is a continuous rise of the number of displaced in areas such as Kalehe territory (on the border with North Kivu), Kabare territory and Shabunda territory. Some displacements are caused by FARDC-RDF joint operations in North Kivu while others are caused by FARDC-MONUC operations (or Kimia II) launched in South Kivu. Since the launch of the military campaigns about six months ago, an estimated total of more than 1.5 million people have been displaced in North and South Kivu provinces and the total number of IDPs in the country currently stands at 2 millions.

Since September 2008, the Oriental Province has witnessed a significant number of attacks carried out by the Lord's Resistance Army (LRA) causing displacement of population in the Haut and Bas Uele districts. The LRA fighters are terrorising the population and committing atrocities and acts of extreme violence: killings, rapes, kidnapping of women and children. Since February 2009, the LRA fighters have being attacking the Bas Uele district causing further displacement in the area. According to the figures collected up to May 30, the number of displaced people in Haut Uele is estimated at 181,616 while in Bas Uele, it is 36,481.

- In North Kivu, 350,000 people were displaced during the FARDC and RDF joint operations against the FDLR (known as Kymia I) conducted last February. Meanwhile, in the last six months more than 160,000 IDPs have returned to their homes, in areas previously held by the CNDP in North Kivu.

- In northern Oriental Province, the terror spread by the LRA has led to population displacements in many locations of the Haut and Bas Uélé districts. As of 30 May, the total number of IDPs is estimated at 218,097 persons.

- At the end of May 2009, an estimated 176,132 persons remained displaced in Ituri, 23,000 among them were displaced as a consequence of the recent fighting between FARDC and FPJC/FRPI (March 2009). Furthermore in Ituri, since August 2008, an estimated total of 2,075,149 IDPs have been able to return to their villages of origin by the end of May 2009.

The total estimated number of internally displaced persons in the country currently stands at 2 millions.