WFP warns of new crisis in DRC

2008-12-03 22:10

Geneva - The World Food Programme said on Wednesday it is extending its humanitarian operations across the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo including areas hit by a conflict involving a Ugandan rebel group.

"WFP is concerned about a humanitarian crisis unfolding in Orientale Province, in the far north-east of the DRC (around Dungu), where rebels from the Lord's Resistance Army (LRA) have been attacking civilians and forcing thousands to flee their villages," the organisation said in a statement.

"WFP is preparing to assist an estimated 70 000 people who have been forced from their homes and live in fear of their children being abducted by the LRA," it said.

Tens of thousands of people have been killed and nearly two million displaced in the two decades of fighting between the LRA and the Ugandan government.

The area around Dungu is extremely difficult to reach because of both insecurity and impassable roads, so the WFP said it was opening a strategic air bridge between Dungu and Entebbe in Uganda which it would also make available to other aid agencies.

"There is also a possibility of using air drops to provide much-needed food assistance," the agency said.

Across the whole of the eastern DRC, including Nord-Kivu province which has seen heavy fighting between government troops and rebels led by ex-general Laurent Nkunda, the WFP said it has delivered food to a total of 564 000 people during November.

"Insecurity and the difficulty of negotiating poor roads continued to hamper access to an estimated 70 000 displaced people" in the area, it said.

Since fighting resumed in August, rebels have pushed back government troops in Nord-Kivu.

They have also clashed with pro-government Mai-Mai militia and Hutu rebels from the Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda.

UN agencies say the recent fighting has forced 250 000 people to flee their homes.

- AFP