U N I T E D   N A T I O N S
Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs
Integrated Regional Information Network for Central and Eastern Africa

Tel: +254 2 622147
Fax: +254 2 622129
e-mail: irin@ocha.unon.org


CENTRAL AND EASTERN AFRICA
IRIN-CEA Weekly Round-Up 346
26 August - September 2006


CONTENTS:

UGANDA: Gov't, rebels sure of end to 20-year conflict
UGANDA: Gov't unveils US $336-million resettlement package for north
DRC: Aid workers pull out of Gety
DRC: Kabila, Bemba's aides agree to probe unrest
DRC: Repatriation of Congolese refugees in Tanzania under way
CAR: Court sentences ex-president to 20 years' jail
BURUNDI: No help yet for 1,500 homeless flood victims


ALSO SEE:

UGANDA: Key points in the ceasefire agreement between the gov't and the
LRA
[http://www.irinnews.org/report.asp?ReportID=55310]

UGANDA: Daunting post-conflict challenges in the north
[http://www.irinnews.org/report.asp?ReportID=55348]

CONGO: 30,000 ex-fighters ready to disarm, reintegrate
[http://irinnews.org/report.asp?ReportID=55349]


UGANDA: Gov't, rebels sure of end to 20-year conflict

The Ugandan government and the Lords Resistance Army (LRA) were upbeat
on Monday about a peaceful end to their 20-year-old war during which
thousands of people were killed and almost two million displaced in the
north of the country.

"In spite of a rocky start to the talks, there is currently an
unprecedented will from both sides to reach an agreement," Ruhakana
Rugunda, the head of the Ugandan delegation to the talks, who is also
the interior minister, said on Sunday.

His LRA counterpart, Martin Ojul, said: "Hopefully, the government will
[consolidate] the cessation of hostilities agreement, but the LRA is
more committed to this process than ever before. We are committed to the
process, however long it may take."

[Full Story on:
http://www.irinnews.org/report.asp?ReportID=55290]

[On the Net: Gov't ready for conditional truce with rebels
http://www.irinnews.org/report.asp?ReportID=55279]


UGANDA: Gov't unveils US $336-million resettlement package for north

The government announced on Thursday a three-year US $336-million
emergency action plan to ease the return of internally displaced persons
to their villages and to restore responsibility for law enforcement to
local police in the war-affected region, officials said.

Prime Minister Apollo Nsibambi said the plan would allow at least two
million people displaced by 20 years of fighting to return home with
civilian police being deployed in every county following the signing of
a "Cessation of Hostilities" pact on 26 August between the government
and LRA negotiators.

[Full Story on:
http://irinnews.org/report.asp?ReportID=55351]


DRC: Aid workers pull out of Gety

Aid workers have fled attacks in the town of Gety, in Congo's Ituri
District and are currently 60 km northwest in Bunia, the district
capital, looking to find a way to continue helping some 40,000 people
who have recently been displaced, an official said on Friday.

The official, Patrick Albert, who heads Medecin San Frontiere (MSF) in
Gety, said at least 10 men came to the MSF compound late on Monday armed
with Kalashnikov assault rifles. "They demanded money," he said. "I gave
them all the cash we had in our coffers, which was up to $1000, but they
still wanted more."

MSF's nationals are still in Gety providing people who are severely
malnourished with emergency help. The national staff is also providing
potable water and health services to children under five years old but
the staff has provisions for up to five days, Albert said.

[Full story on:
http://www.irinnews.org/report.asp?ReportID=55368]


DRC: Kabila, Bemba's aides agree to probe unrest

Representatives of President Joseph Kabila and Vice-President Jean
Pierre Bemba, finalists in July's election in the Democratic Republic of
Congo (DRC), agreed on Tuesday to set up subcommissions to investigate
the causes of recent fighting in the capital and to work out ground
rules for a run-off presidential poll due on 29 October.

The subcommissions were set up, under the aegis of the UN Mission to the
DRC (MONUC), at Tuesday's opening session of the Joint Commission
established after three days of fighting in Kinshasa that ended on 22
August.

Kabila and Bemba have accepted the mediation of ambassadors who form the
International Committee for Support of the Transition. The two leaders
also agreed to meet but tensions remain high.

[Full Story on:
http://www.irinnews.org/report.asp?ReportID=55324]

[On the Net: Counting the casualties after Kinshasa battle
http://www.irinnews.org/report.asp?ReportID=55280]


DRC: Repatriation of Congolese refugees in Tanzania under way, again

Refugees in Tanzania started returning home again to the DRC on
Wednesday, after a one-month break because of tensions over the
elections, the UN refugee agency, UNHCR, said.

"Despite the continued desire to return to their country, some Congolese
refugees in Tanzania say they prefer to await the evolution of the
electoral process before taking their decision to return," the agency
said in a statement.

[Full Story on:
http://www.irinnews.org/report.asp?ReportID=55338]


CAR: Court sentences ex-president to 20 years' jail

Former President Ange-Felix Patasse of the Central African Republic
(CAR) was on Tuesday sentenced to 20 years' imprisonment with hard
labour and part of a fine of five billion francs CFA ($10 million) for
setting up fake companies.

The Criminal Court of the CAR sentenced Patasse and his friend, Louis
Sanchez, in absentia.

Patasse's trial began in 2005 but was postponed to allow for the
completion of court investigations into charges of theft of public funds
through his allegedly fictitious companies.

Patasse, is exiled in Togo.[Full Story on:
http://www.irinnews.org/report.asp?ReportID=55333]

[On the Net: ICC reviewing suit against ex-president, official says
http://www.irinnews.org/report.asp?ReportID=52979]


BURUNDI: No help yet for 1,500 homeless flood victims

At least 1,500 people left homeless by torrential rains in Burundi's
southern-most province of Makamba are in urgent need of aid, government
and UN officials said.

"Two hundred and fifty homes were destroyed last Saturday afternoon and
there is still no humanitarian aid for the affected population," Nestor
Ntakarutimana, the administrator of Makamba Commune, said on Thursday.

The worst-hit areas are in Kayogoro Commune and parts of Kibago Commune.
The rains had been expected in mid-September but they came early and
were far heavier than normal.

Ntakarutimana said seeds were urgently needed as the main planting
season was about to begin.

[Full story on:
http://www.irinnews.org/report.asp?ReportID=55371]

[On the Net: BURUNDI: Gov't asks for recall of UN diplomat:
http://www.irinnews.org/report.asp?ReportID=55335]

[Former president's arrest seen as part of pattern of abuse
http://www.irinnews.org/report.asp?ReportID=55274]


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