DRCongo - ICRC-02: 08-Sep-97
DRCongo - ICRC-02: 08-Sep-97
ICRC
Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC)
Update No. 2
8 September 1997
General situation
The conflict in Congo-Brazzaville is worsening by the hour. The peace
process is in a complete stalemate, radical speeches by all the
protagonists have been held and, in the present chaos, no elections are
foreseeable.
In terms of the humanitarian situation, conditions have been deteriorating
in the last three months. The number of internally displaced people is put
at well over 100,000, although this number is difficult to evaluate
because so many are still on the move and scattered over a wide area of up
to 300 km to the north of the capital, as well as to the south and west
towards Pointe-Noire on the ocean. Many have crossed the Congo River to
Kinshasa in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). The food reserves
and water and sanitation facilities of Congo-Brazzaville are now being
severely stretched, as are the means of the local population who have been
sheltering those who have fled. The rainy season due to start in two to
three weeks will only exacerbate the humanitarian crisis now emerging.
The ICRC is deeply concerned at the recent escalation of the methods of
warfare being used by the belligerents and the indiscriminate use of more
sophisticated weaponry: both air and tank bombardments have led to much
destruction of essential infrastructure and loss of civilian life.
The ICRC's current response
The war-wounded
Given the security problems the ICRC is unable to set up a field hospital
in or even close to the town of Brazzaville. It is supporting some 15
temporary health posts along the roads to help those fleeing the fighting,
and these provide people with medicines and drinking water.
Delegates and Congolese Red Cross volunteers, in cooperation with Medecins
sans frontieres, are regularly distributing surgical and other medical
supplies to the few medical facilities in Brazzaville which are still
functioning. The ICRC is also monitoring the situation in the Makelekele
hospital in the southern part of the city. The Talangay hospital located
in the northern sector was forced to close as a result of the worsening
security situation, and is now housed in a school in Kintele, 20 km north
of Brazzaville. The wounded in the area are being centralized there, given
first aid and stabilized and, as no surgical facilities or post-operative
care are available, the more serious cases are evacuated by the ICRC to
Kinshasa by boat. The ICRC has installed a 10,000-litre water tank and
built latrines at the facility.
For those arriving in the DRC, including those managing to cross the river
alone, a triage centre has been set up at Beach Ngobila, Kinshasa, with
the ICRC's support, staffed by 12 National Society first-aiders and
assisted by an ICRC nurse. More serious casualties are being moved on by
the ICRC, in an ambulance loaned by the Belgian Red Cross, to the General
Hospital in Kinshasa, which the institution has been supporting with
surgical materials. It is also assisting the medical structures in
Kinshasa with medicines and medical supplies. During the second half of
August 156 war-wounded were evacuated from Brazzaville to Kinshasa General
Hospital and a further 162 to other medical and surgical facilities in
Kinshasa.
Congolese war-wounded who have received treatment and remain in Kinshasa,
as well as refugees who are continuing to arrive from Brazzaville, are
subsequently taken care of by the Federation, which, along with the Red
Cross of the DRC, runs the Kinkole camp south of Kinshasa.
The displaced
Activities have concentrated on providing drinking water and non-food
items for the tens of thousands of displaced people fleeing Brazzaville:
some 30,000 who escaped to the islands in the middle of the river, those
in more than 80 temporary sites for the displaced south of the city and
over 50 more sites to the north, as well as those spread along the
country's roads. Close to a quarter of a million people are in need of
assistance.
The next two months: a major relief operation
Assistance is currently being ferried across the River Congo from Kinshasa
to both northern and southern parts of Brazzaville several times a day.
The ICRC fears that hostilities centred for the time being in Brazzaville
might spread to other parts of the country, and is planning accordingly.
Implementing the plan of action is likely to be very costly given the
difficult logistical constraints due to the precarious security situation.
The institution is considering every possible means of transporting
humanitarian emergency aid into the country and further inland, by river
or otherwise. Two evaluations are currently being carried out: one on the
use of an airport 300 km north of Brazzaville, with onward transportation
by road, and the second on access from the south either by road, via a
bridge or by air to Pointe-Noire, and then by road. A dozen trucks are to
carry relief supplies to Brazzaville and along the main roads leading to
the north and south of the country. The ICRC will provide a water and
sanitation response, along with food supplies, cooking and shelter
materials and hygiene items, for some 50,000 families (approximately
250,000 people).
Personnel
There are currently 13 expatriates, including four staff seconded from the
National Societies of Canada, the Netherlands, Switzerland and the United
Kingdom, working on the ICRC's operation in Congo-Brazzaville, as far as
security conditions allow. A further five are based in Kinshasa
specifically to provide logistical back-up to the Congo-Brazzaville
operation.
For many years, for practical reasons concerning security, logistics,
etc., the ICRC's Kinshasa delegation has been in charge of activities in
Congo-Brazzaville, including with regard to budget and financial
management. The expenses for the operation are expected to increase
sharply, and may range from Sfr 5 to 8 million between now and the end of
1997. As soon as more precise information becomes available, an update
will be issued to donors.
The ICRC thanks donors for their support and kindly requests that they
forward cash contributions to this operation.
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