dr congo

ITURI PROVINCE, DR CONGO

Hotspot Micro-Report

 

Summary/Danger

Ituri province, in the North
East of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) has been the scene of bloody
inter-ethnic clashes, factional fighting amongst rival rebel militia and
increasing levels of reprisal killings. Civilians have borne the brunt of
this violence from all sides where over 50,000 people have been killed in
Ituri province since the war begun in 1999. In addition, rape, mutilations,
arson, kidnapping are prevalent. Half a million people have been displaced,
the region faces food insecurity and public health diseases like cholera and
typhoid are on the increase.

The situation has begun to
show signs of improvement since the deployment of a French-led EU team to
Bunia, the capital of Ituri in June, 2003. The French team is expected to
leave by September 1st, this year, when UN troops are expected to
take their place. Outside Bunia, however, the situation remains alarming
with the killing of civilians still going on and the population remains
largely inaccessible to humanitarian relief efforts.

 It remains to be seen
whether the Security Council of the United Nations will endorse a mandate
that extends the safe zone beyond Bunia – where an estimated 4 million
people remain at risk. 

 


 

 

Types of Abuse and Danger
  • Rape (UN IRIN; HRW; BBC; MONUC, Amnesty
    International, Save the Children -UK)

  • Forcible recruitment of
    children under 18 years (UN IRIN, Save the Children-UK, BBC,
    Coalition to Stop the Use of Child Soldiers
    )

  • Torture (HRW, Amnesty International)
  • Mutilations (UN IRIN, HRW)
  • Kidnapping (UN IRIN; MONUC)
  • Arson (UN IRIN, Save the Children-UK)
  • Deliberate targeting of civilians (UN IRIN,
    HRW; Amnesty International, The Economist)

  • Arbitrary executions
    (BBC; HRW)
Field ContactsVerification
 
  1. International Press/Media
  2. Embassies
  3. International Human
    Rights NGOs

  4. International Relief NGOs

     
Dissemination


International Contacts:


Special Representative of the Secretary-General

UN High Commission for Refugees

United Nations Human Rights Commission

Office for Coordination Human Affairs

UN Secretary-General’s Office

UN Security Council

United Nations Mission in Congo (MONUC)

US Contacts:

State Department

  • State emergency task force

Congress and Senate

  • Sub-Committee and
    caucus-committee for human rights

  • Sub Committee on Africa

Foreign
Ministries:

Embassy of the DR
Congo

Embassy of
Algeria

Embassy of Argentina

Embassy of Bangladesh

Embassy of Belgium

Embassy of Benin

Embassy of Bolivia

Embassy of Bosnia and Herzegovina Embassy of Burkina Faso

Embassy of Cameroon

Embassy of Canada

Embassy of China

Embassy of Côte d’Ivoire

Embassy of the Czech Republic

Embassy of Denmark

Embassy of Egypt

Embassy of Finland

Embassy of France

Embassy of Ghana

Embassy of Guinea

Embassy of India

Embassy of Iceland

Embassy of
Indonesia

Embassy of Ireland

Embassy of Italy

Embassy of Jordan

Embassy of Kenya

Embassy of Malawi

Embassy of Malaysia

Embassy of Mali

Embassy of Mongolia

Embassy of Morocco

Embassy of Mozambique

Embassy of Nepal

Embassy of Niger

Embassy of Nigeria

Embassy of Norway

Embassy of Pakistan

Embassy of Paraguay

Embassy of Poland

Embassy of Portugal

Embassy of Romania

Embassy of the Russian Federation Embassy of Senegal

Embassy of the Republic of South Africa Embassy of Spain

Embassy of Sri Lanka

Embassy of Sweden

Embassy of Switzerland

Embassy of Tunisia

Embassy of Turkey

Embassy of Ukraine

Embassy of the United Kingdom

Embassy of Uruguay

Embassy of Zambia

 



Press:

Washington Post

Washington Times

LA Times

Chicago Tribune

Reuters

BBC

CNN

The East African

The Monitor (Uganda)

 

NGOs/Other:

International Crisis
Group

Int. Committee for Red Cross

ECHO – European Humanitarian Aid Office

Amnesty International

Human Rights Watch

United States Institute of Peace

 

Collaborating Human Rights Organization

The
International Crisis Group

Latest News Links

BBC News

French Boost DR Congo Presence


http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/2974856.stm

BBC News

New Fighting Flares in DR Congo


http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/2980922.stm
 

Refugees International

DRC:  Long-term “Solutions”
Don’t Save Lives Today

http://www.reliefweb.int/w/rwb.nsf/6686f45896f15dbc852567ae00530132/53ba8420ebb340ec49256d4100197e5f?OpenDocument 

The Guardian (UK)

French Say Their Congo Mission Will
Have Little Impact on Fighting



http://www.guardian.co.uk/congo/story/0,12292,974060,00.html
 

MSNBC

Fighting in Congo North Kivu Sends Thousands
Fleeing



http://famulus.msnbc.com/FamulusIntl/reuters06-11-054910.asp?reg=AFRICA



 

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