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CENTRAL AND EASTERN AFRICA
IRIN-CEA Weekly Round-up 194
27 September - 3 October 2003


CONTENTS:

DRC: Pakistani contingent of Ituri Brigade complete, says MONUC
DRC: Former rebel groups authorised to function as political parties
DRC-UGANDA: Ugandan army deploys near border
DRC-Uganda: Funding shortfalls hamper aid to Ituri refugees
UGANDA: More than a million displaced people
UGANDA: UN urges more focus on plight of children in north
TANZANIA: Drought affects 85 percent of crops in Shinyanga District
TANZANIA: New bed nets could save millions from malaria deaths
RWANDA: Ruling party wins landslide in legislative polls
BURUNDI: Ethiopian peacekeepers begin to arrive
BURUNDI: Tension abates in northern Bujumbura suburbs
BURUNDI: South Africa to host talks between government, FDD
CAR: Defence Ministry reveals demobilisation plan

ALSO SEE:

CAR: IRIN interview with the Rev Isaac Zokoe at:
http://www.irinnews.org/print.asp?ReportID=36894

UGANDA: Feature - Eastern Teso region stands up to the LRA at:
http://www.irinnews.org/print.asp?ReportID=36896]

DRC: Pakistani contingent of Ituri Brigade complete, says MONUC

With the arrival of some 300 soldiers on Tuesday, the 1,050-strong
Pakistani contingent of the UN peacekeeping mission's (MONUC) Ituri
Brigade is now complete in northeastern Democratic Republic of the Congo
(DRC), MONUC military spokesman, James Pruden, said at a news conference
in the capital, Kinshasa.

He said on Wednesday that the force strength of the Ituri Brigade had
reached 3,361 soldiers and was ultimately expected to reach 4,800
soldiers.

"Large-scale massacres and killings have not been reported in Ituri since
the [Ituri Brigade] began its deployment," Pruden said. "In particular, we
have been able to stabilise the town of Bunia."

He said the Ituri Brigade would progressively deploy from Bunia throughout
Ituri District as conditions permitted. [Full story at:
http://www.irinnews.org/print.asp?ReportID=36931]

DRC: Former rebel groups authorised to function as political parties

Former rebel groups in the DRC have been authorised to function as
political parties, according to Theophile Mbemba, minister of the
interior, decentralisation and national security of the nation's recently
inaugurated two-year transitional government.

Speaking at a news conference on Monday in the capital, Kinshasa, he said
that rebel groups that were now party to a two-year power-sharing
government of national unity were authorised to operate as political
parties while awaiting such a law to be enacted by the National Assembly.

"The political parties affected by this measure must, however, notify [my
ministry] of this in writing," he said.

Mbemba said political parties other than the 234 that were recognised by
the former Kinshasa government of President Joseph Kabila would also have
to register with his ministry, and to provide a copy of their charters and
a list of their director members.

The announcement of procedures for the registration of political parties
was accompanied by the issuance of a series of regulations regarding their
functioning nationwide "to put an end to the conflicts that have prevailed
among parties in recent weeks", Mbemba said. He was referring to the fact
that the former Kinshasa government, as well as the former rebel groups,
had thus refused to allow any other party to exercise authority in
territory under their control. [Full story at:
http://www.irinnews.org/print.asp?ReportID=36900]

DRC-UGANDA: Ugandan army deploys near border

The Ugandan army has deployed forces near the border of neighbouring DRC
following reports that Ugandan rebels had regrouped in nearby Congolese
villages, the Ugandan government-owned newspaper, The New Vision, reported
on Monday.

Citing security sources, the Kampala newspaper said a splinter group of
the Allied Democratic Forces (ADF) rebel movement had re-formed at its
former bases in Kamango and Bunduguya of Ituri District. The daily
reported that the second division commander of the Uganda People's Defence
Forces, Col Poteli Kivuna, had confirmed the deployment.

"The wanainchi [citizens] in those places were not happy, they came and
reported to us that the enemy was back. We are monitoring the situation as
well as taking precaution on our side of the border," the paper quoted
Kivuna as saying.

Asked if the presence of ADF rebels in Ituri would force the Ugandan
military to cross into the DRC, he reportedly said, "If they invite us we
shall deal with them." [Full story at:
http://www.irinnews.org/print.asp?ReportID=36861]

DRC-Uganda: Funding shortfalls hamper aid to Ituri refugees, says Red
Cross

Funding shortfalls in support of some 15,000 refugees from Ituri District
of northeastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) residing in Nebbi
District of northwestern Uganda have impacted negatively on efforts to
provide adequate aid, the International Federation of the Red Cross
reported on Monday.

It said its local office was "not yet adequately equipped or trained to
effectively fulfil its role as a strategic branch in relation to
population movement resulting from the fragile political situation in
DRC", and announced that it was launching an urgent appeal for aid to be
provided to the Uganda Red Cross. [Full story on
http://www.irinnews.org/print.asp?ReportID=36927] [For the complete
report, go to http://www.ifrc.org/cgi/pdf_appeals.pl?03/0603if.pdf]

UGANDA: More than a million displaced people

The number of Ugandans who have been displaced by the country's 17-year
long civil war in the north has now exceeded one million, according to
latest figures from the UN's World Food Programme (WFP).

A comprehensive assessment released this week puts the figure of Uganda's
internally displaced persons (IDPs) at 1.2 million - based on recent
surveys in the trouble-afflicted regions of Acholi (Gulu, Kitgum, Pader
districts), Langi (Apac, Lira districts) and Teso (Katakwi, Soroti, Kumi
and Kabermaido districts).

Before the incursions of the Lord's Resistance Army (LRA) rebels into the
eastern Teso region, which began on 15 June, the number of displaced was
estimated at 800,000. But relentless LRA attacks in the past two months
have forced hundreds of thousands more - in Teso and other regions - out
of their homes.

The report puts the combined food requirements of Uganda's IDPs at 106,699
mt. [Full story at: http://www.irinnews.org/print.asp?ReportID=36871]

UGANDA: UN urges more focus on plight of children in north

The plight of children abducted by rebels in northern Uganda is not
getting enough international attention, the UN has warned.

According to the Office of the Special Representative for Children and
Armed Conflict (OSRSG-CAAC), more prominence should be given to the
tragedy, which has been unfolding for nearly two decades.

At least 25,000 children are believed to have been abducted during the
17-year civil war between the LRA and the government, but the rate of
kidnappings has skyrocketed lately due mainly to the breakdown of attempts
to broker peace between the sides. Between 5,000 and 8,000 children have
been abducted this year alone.

"Social services have broken down," Roselyn Odera, programme officer with
the OSRSG-CAAC, told IRIN. "The malnutrition rate among children is very
high and insecurity has meant a higher rate of abductions." [Full story
at: http://www.irinnews.org/print.asp?ReportID=36857]

TANZANIA: Drought affects 85 percent of crops in Shinyanga District

Close to 85 percent of maize, sorghum and groundnut crops in Tanzanian's
northern district of Shinyanga has been affected by drought, leaving
thousands of people without enough to feed their families for the next six
months, according to the Presbyterian World Service & Development agency.

The Canadian agency said that it would, through a Tanzanian partner,
provide maize and beans to 10,000 people, particularly targeting children
and pregnant women. The beneficiaries will receive 12 kg of maize per
month/person for six months. Women and children will also receive 1.4 kg
of beans per month/person for six months. The food distributions will
occur in October and December 2003, and February 2004.

In addition, the Canadian agency reported, maize and sorghum seeds would
be distributed to 1,200 drought-affected farmers so fields in the seven
target communities -- approximately 1,000 acres (404.7 ha) – could be
replanted. Every family will receive 4 kg of maize and sorghum seeds.

Some two million people face food insecurity in Tanzania due to poor and
erratic rains. [Full report on
http://www.irinnews.org/print.asp?ReportID=36977]

TANZANIA: New bed nets could save millions from malaria deaths

A Tanzanian company has begun producing mosquito nets treated with a
long-lasting insecticide with the potential to slash malarial morbidity
and save millions of people, according to UN News.

It said the UN Children's Fund and the World Health Organization (WHO)
announced on 26 September a partnership with the Acumen Fund that enables
African countries to manufacture innovative anti-mosquito bed nets.

The new technology, which embeds the insecticide within the net's fibres,
extends the efficacy of the bed nets from about one year to more than four
years without being re-treated. Ordinary nets need to be treated at least
once a year to remain effective, a requirement which has been difficult to
achieve in part due to cost, availability, and custom.

"The long-lasting insecticide nets are a powerful weapon for fighting
malaria, which kills more than one million people annually, most of them
children under the age of five," UN News reported. [Full story at:
http://www.irinnews.org/print.asp?ReportID=36893]

RWANDA: Ruling party wins landslide in legislative polls

The ruling Rwandan Patriotic Front (RPF) won a landslide victory in the
country's first multiparty parliamentary polls since the 1994 genocide,
the chairman of the National Electoral Commission, Chrysologue Karangwa,
said on Wednesday.

He told reporters that the RPF won 73.78 percent of the total votes cast
in Tuesday's polls, while the Social Democratic Party won 12.31 percent
and the Liberal Party 10.56 percent. None of the 16 independent
parliamentary candidates won seats.

"These are only provisional results as stated in the law. The final
results will be announced by the Supreme Court," the Rwanda News Agency
(RNA) quoted Karangwa as saying.

The elections, which follow the presidential poll that Paul Kagame won in
a landslide, and the adoption by referendum of the new constitution in
May, mark the end of nine years of transitional government in Rwanda.
Voter turnout was 99.48 percent, the RNA reported. [Full story at:
http://www.irinnews.org/print.asp?ReportID=36950]

BURUNDI: Ethiopian peacekeepers begin to arrive

A 226-strong contingent of Ethiopian soldiers led by Lt-Col Meley Amare
arrived in Bujumbura, capital of Burundi, on 27 September to begin
peacekeeping duties.

"The force is due to be complete by Saturday or Sunday next week, when a
900-soldier contingent will be here in Burundi," he said.

He added that Ethiopia had agreed to provide 1,300 peacekeepers to Burundi
for at least one year. [Full story at:
http://www.irinnews.org/print.asp?ReportID=36872]

BURUNDI: Tension abates in northern Bujumbura suburbs

Tension eased somewhat on Thursday in the northern Bujumbura suburbs of
Kamenge and Kinama two days after security started combing the areas for
anti-government rebels who might have infiltrated the capital.

On Tuesday security forces sealed off Kamenge, a mainly Hutu
neighbourhood, after receiving reports of the possible infiltration of
rival Hutu rebel forces - the Forces nationales de liberation (FNL)
faction loyal to Agathon Rwasa and those of Pierre Nkurunziza's faction of
the Conseil national pour la defense de la democratie (CNDD). Troops
checking identity papers of all Kamenge residents arrested 36 people, the
administrator of the suburb, Mathias Barimwabo, told IRIN.

In the neighbouring suburb of Kinama, residents have been living in a
permanent state of fear since the FNL and CNDD clashes started three weeks
ago. Some residents of Kinama told IRIN they had not spent a single night
at home. However, Kinama administrator Jean Berchmans Nsabimana told IRIN
that the situation had improved following the imposition of a curfew.
[Full story at: http://www.irinnews.org/print.asp?ReportID=36948]

BURUNDI: South Africa to host talks between government, FDD

South African President Thabo Mbeki and Deputy President Jacob Zuma will
facilitate consultations in Pretoria on Sunday between delegations of the
transitional government of Burundi, led by President Domitien Ndayizeye,
and the Conseil national pour la defense de la democratie-Forces pour la
defense de la democratie (CNDD-FDD) movement, led by Pierre Nkurunziza,
the South African Department of Foreign Affairs announced on Friday.

The meeting follows the Regional Peace Initiative Summit held on 14
September in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, where parties agreed to reconvene
with a view to resolving outstanding issues.

Consultations will focus on the conclusion of a power-sharing arrangement
between the two parties.

CAR: Defence Ministry reveals demobilisation plan

The Central African Republic state secretary for defence and disarmament,
Col Jules Wande, has announced that former fighters and militiamen are
about to be demobilised and reintegrated into civilian life,
government-owned Radio Centrafrique reported on Monday.

The radio quoted him as saying that 6,500 former fighters had already been
identified for demobilisation. They include former rebels loyal to the
current head of state, Francois Bozize, the Karako militiamen who fought
alongside President Ange-Felix Patasse during the 1996-7 mutinies, and
other militiamen loyal to Patasse. Bozize ousted Patasse on 15 March.

Wande announced his plan to a visiting joint mission of officials from the
EC and the World Bank. He told the visitors that the government would
demobilise sick and handicapped fighters as from Wednesday, and from 1
January 2004 retire those willing to engage in other occupations. Wande
said a new army recruitment drive would begin in the second half of 2004.

These developments have come just days after Prime Minister Abel Goumba
announced the creation of an inter-ministerial team to identify former
Bozize supporters and integrate them either into the army or public
service. Handicapped fighters would receive aid. [Full story at:
http://www.irinnews.org/print.asp?ReportID=36905]


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Copyright (c) UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs 2003


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