The International Federation's Disaster Relief Emergency Fund (DREF) is a source of un-earmarked money created by the Federation in 1985 to ensure that immediate financial support is available for Red Cross and Red Crescent response to emergencies. The DREF is a vital part of the International Federation's disaster response system and increases the ability of national societies to respond to disasters.
CHF 247,375 (USD 244,200 or EUR 163,857) has been allocated from the Federation's Disaster Relief Emergency Fund (DREF) to support the Congolese Red Cross in delivering immediate assistance to some 10,000 beneficiaries, i.e. the most vulnerable among the over 24,000 refugees from the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). Unearmarked funds to repay DREF are encouraged.
Summary: An inter-ethnic conflict over disputed land and fishing rights started in Equateur province of the DRC in October 2009 between the Munzayas and the Enyelle-Tandas groups has spilled over to a humanitarian crisis. Thousands of villagers have been forced to flee into neighbouring Republic of Congo (RoC), in the Likouala division that borders with both the Central African Republic (CAR) and DRC.
The United Nations High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR) reports say about 24,194 DRC people have already sought refuge along the Oubangui River in RoC (the boundary between both countries), and that more refugees are arriving on a daily basis. The refugees are installed in over 25 sites in the Dongou, Imfpondo, Eboko, Boyélé and Bétou localities of the RoC, in the Likouala division. While some of the refugees have been staying in schools, churches, markets, cultural centres, police stations and factories, others have been accommodated in host families. Some are living in the open air and others are scattered in the bush and have been complaining of lack of food, medicines and clothes. Some mothers and their children have been discovered sleeping in the open air and on the ground. There is an urgent need to assist them so as to prevent their already precarious living conditions from deteriorating. Access to those localities is very difficult, and can only be made in 90% cases by water, especially access to Betou. The assessment conducted in the field revealed the urgent need to provide these refugees with food and non-food items in order to avoid a serious humanitarian disaster. The evaluation team included the Congolese Red Cross Disaster Management Officer and the National Society's food security focal point that joined the RoC Minister of Social Affairs, Humanitarian Action and Solidarity. Thus this DREF will enable the Congolese Red Cross to contribute to improving the living conditions of the most vulnerable among the over 24,000 DRC refugees in RoC, i.e. about 10,000 people. The sectors of intervention will include relief distribution, water and sanitation, emergency shelter and emergency health.
This operation is expected to be implemented over three months, and will therefore be completed by 20 February, 2010; a Final Report will be made available three months after the end of the operation (by 20 May, 2009).
Map - Republic of Congo: Population movement (as of 17 Nov 2009)
