ICRC News 04 / 01-Feb-01


** SHORT MENU....

Democratic Republic of the Congo: ICRC assists the wounded in Bunia
On 19 January 2001, violent clashes once again broke out between ethnic
groups - mainly the Lendu and the Hema - in and around the town of Bunia,
in the north-east of the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

Niger: Military officers learn about international humanitarian law
In cooperation with the Niger armed forces' General Staff, the ICRC gave
presentations on international humanitarian law in the military zones of
Niamey, Agadez, and Zinder from 15 to 23 January 2001. These were attended
by the 90 officers of the zones' military command.


** STORIES IN FULL...

Democratic Republic of the Congo
ICRC assists the wounded in Bunia

On 19 January 2001, violent clashes once again broke out between ethnic
groups - mainly the Lendu and the Hema - in and around the town of Bunia,
in the north-east of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. There were heavy
casualties, especially among civilians. These serious incidents follow upon
a whole series of massacres that have afflicted the two communities since
1999.

An ICRC medical team went to work the same day, providing medical
facilities in Bunia with emergency supplies to deal with the influx of
wounded. On 22 January, an ICRC aircraft delivered medical supplies for 200
patients. Meanwhile, staff from the National Red Cross Society removed
bodies from the city streets and buried them so as to head off the threat
of an epidemic. The president of the Ituri local branch and 21 volunteers
worked uninterruptedly all through last week in extremely difficult
conditions. In all, they disposed of the remains of more than 200 people in
various parts of the city.

The resumption of hostilities also caused the displacement of part of the
region's civilian population. More than 2,000 people found refuge in two
schools in Bunia, where the ICRC quickly installed cooking facilities and
set up tents.

In the region controlled by the armed opposition, the ICRC has some 20
delegates manning a mission in Goma and offices in Bukavu, Bunia, Kalemie,
Kisangani, and Uvira. In government-controlled areas, the ICRC has some 20
staff in the Kinshasa delegation and the Lubumbashi sub-delegation.

Further information: Juan Martinez, ICRC Geneva, tel. ++41 22 730 22 81


Niger
Military officers learn about international humanitarian law

In cooperation with the Niger armed forces' General Staff, the ICRC gave
presentations on international humanitarian law in the military zones of
Niamey, Agadez, and Zinder from 15 to 23 January 2001. These were attended
by the 90 officers of the zones' military command.

The sessions were opened in Niamey by the Chairman of the Chiefs of Staff,
and in Agadez and Zinder by the regional commanders. In parallel, the ICRC
presented the army Chief of Staff with an initial 4,000 copies of the
"soldier's handbook", with the national colours of Niger on the covers, to
be distributed to the rank and file by the officers in attendance.

The General Staff declared themselves in favour of a national programme to
promote humanitarian law. They also proposed that instructors be trained in
cooperation with the ICRC, and that humanitarian law be included in the
programmes of the officer-training school and the armed-forces instruction
centres.

The ICRC presentations relaunched the promotion of international
humanitarian law in the Niger army, where it had been suspended for nearly
two years following a coup d'etat.

Further information: Jean-Jacques Tshamala, ICRC Bamako, tel. ++223 21 15
91


Durant le week-end du 3 - 4 fevrier 2001, veuillez prendre contact avec
Antonella Notari, attachee de presse, pour toute information, telephone
mobile : 41 79 217 32 80