OCHA Situation Report
DR Congo
19 September 2007


Source: UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs

The humanitarian community begins to have a broader picture of the
consequences recent clashes have had on civilian populations. The
absence of fighting allowed humanitarian workers to access more areas
where ongoing returns have been reported. While some people have already
returned, assessment missions are underway in areas where new IDPs have
been reported but their needs had not been evaluated yet. There is still
a heavy military presence in Masisi and Rutshuru districts.


CONTEXT

President Joseph Kabila made an unannounced visit to Goma on 19th
September. He held meetings with local authorities, officials from the
Congolese army and representatives from the humanitarian community.

Laurent Nkunda's troops pulled back from hillsides around Sake and the
positions are now occupied by MONUC soldiers. This could be interpreted
as a first positive sign towards an improved security situation in Sake
that could potentially incite displaced families to return to Sake.

The IDP site of Munigi, 5 km north of Goma, was burnt down by municipal
authorities after the population had left to other sites.

POPULATION MOVEMENTS

IDPs from Munigi have moved west of Goma to Muja in the Mugunga area. An
estimation of 3,500 displaced families, mostly from Rutshuru district,
lived in Munigi prior to its destruction.

An inter-agency mission to Kiwanja and Nyamilima (north of Goma in
Rutshuru district) returned on 19th September and concluded that despite
insecurity, many displaced families have returned. They face looting by
various armed groups in the region. Some IDPs in Kinyandoni (Rutshuru)
are returning to their village in Kiseguru and Kwatiguru. The number
could represent up to one third of the population of these two villages.
Their abandoned houses have been destroyed by vegetation and they are
reportedly lacking agricultural tools.

HUMANITARIAN RESPONSE

Humanitarian workers have started to go shelter by shelter in Bulengo
and Mugunga sites to identify families who did not receive assistance
during last week distributions.

NGO Solidarites stepped up the construction of water and sanitation
infrastructures in Bulengo to avoid a cholera outbreak around Goma. Two
cases of cholera have been confirmed this week in the Mugunga-Bulengo
area and the persons are being treated in Buhimba health centre.

Local authorities, helped by UNHCR, have started to distribute non-food
items, food and medicines offered by the Congolese government to the
population in Bulengo site.

Contacts:

Patrick Lavand'homme, Head of Office, Goma (North Kivu), OCHA-DR Congo
Email: lavandhomme@un.org
Tel: +243 (0) 819 889 165

Christophe Illemassene, Senior Public Information Officer, Kinshasa,
OCHA-DR Congo
Email: illemassene@un.org
Tel: +243 (0) 819 889 195

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