“The UN
refugee agency on Tuesday expressed deep concern about the
'catastrophic' humanitarian situation in the Democratic Republic
of the Congo's Katanga province, which has
displaced hundreds of thousands of people.”
“Violence
in the south-eastern province has forced some 400,000 people to
flee their homes since the end of 2012, bringing the total number of
internally displaced people in the province to nearly 600,000. During
the last three months alone, more than 71,000 people have been newly
displaced.”
“In
October, UNHCR registered 1,737 incidents in the territories of
Kalemie and the so-called 'triangle of death' between the
towns of Manono, Mitwaba and Pweto in northern Katanga.
These included the looting and burning of houses, extortion,
torture, forced labour and recruitment into armed groups, as well as
sexual violence.”
"'We
fear that this number of incidents could be significantly higher as
insecurity and logistical challenges prevent our protection monitors
from going to some areas,' added UNHCR spokesperson Karin de Gruijl
in Geneva. 'During the first 10 months of 2014, a total of 15,873
incidents have been reported in Katanga, of which over 88 per cent
(or 14,057) took place in these four territories.' Sexual violence
remains a serious concern. Between January and October, UNHCR
protection monitors have helped 1,564 people who survived sexual
violence and referred them to medical and other partners for help.
'However, as a result of the lack of access to the areas where
survivors live and the fear of many of them to report sexual
violence, we understand that many more cases are unreported. Due to a
lack of funding and the limited capacity of organizations assisting
rape survivors in Katanga, only a limited number of them have access
to health care, psychosocial support and legal assistance,' de Gruijl
said.
“The
limited presence of humanitarian and development organizations is a
serious problem, leading to insufficient assistance to displaced
people who struggle to have access to basic services.”
“Elders
in Mukondo site say that 19 young children have died since their
arrival in March, mainly because of diarrhoea, anaemia and malaria.
The site hosts some 1,300 people, more than half of them under the
age of 12 years. During that same period, nine women died while
giving birth. The nearest health centre is 22 kilometres away.”
“The
conflicts are taking place in the northern part of Katanga, one of
the Congo's richest provinces in natural resources. While there have
been long-lasting tensions between the two communities, violence
between the Luba (or Bantu) and the Twa (or Pygmy) tribes flared up
earlier this year. Attacks on Twa communities by the secessionist Mai
Mai Bataka Katanga militia and fighting with the army reignited after
the Mai Mai group's leader escaped from prison in the provincial
capital Lubumbashi in 2011. This has subjected the civilian
population to extreme violence, including mass rape.”
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