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

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


CENTRAL AND EASTERN AFRICA
IRIN-CEA Weekly Round-Up 383
19 - 25 May 2007


CONTENTS:

CAR: Negotiations under way for demobilisation of child soldiers
CAR: NGO suspends activities in northwest after health workers abducted
CAR: Ensure perpetrators of atrocities are brought to book, ICC urged
DRC: Weapons destroyed as disarmament picks up in Ituri
DRC: Thousands more flee ongoing clashes in Kivu
BURUNDI: Arbour calls for stronger judiciary to build democrac
BURUNDI: Poverty strategy to focus on food production
CONGO: Child trafficking on the rise


CAR: Negotiations under way for demobilisation of child soldiers

Rebels in northeastern Central African Republic (CAR) have agreed to
negotiate the release of hundreds of child soldiers in their ranks to
the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF), a spokeswoman said.

"We [the government, rebels and UNICEF] are in agreement on the
necessity for these children to be released and reintegrated into their
communities as soon as possible," Anne Boher, the communications officer
for UNICEF in CAR, told IRIN on Monday.

The first batch of children is expected to be released by 1 June, she
said, adding that the discussions began after an assessment mission to
Vakaga region in January identified armed children among the rebels.

Full report
http://www.irinnews.org/Report.aspx?ReportId=72265


CAR: NGO suspends activities in northwest after health workers abducted

The Catholic charity, Caritas, has suspended some of its activities in
the town of Bozoum, northwestern Central African Republic (CAR), after
the abduction of two health workers in the volatile region, an official
said.

The health workers, including a nurse working for the Italian
organisation, Cooperazione Internazionale, were abducted by armed men on
Saturday.

Sources said the abductions took place in the bush, 38km from Bozoum.
"It is the first time armed bandits have attacked aid workers in the
region," Gen Raymond Ndougou, prefect of Bozoum, told IRIN. "The
abductions mark the escalation of banditry in the region."

Full report
http://www.irinnews.org/Report.aspx?ReportId=72325


CAR: Ensure perpetrators of atrocities are brought to book, ICC urged

The decision by the International Criminal Court to investigate alleged
crimes committed during an armed conflict between the Central African
Republic (CAR) government and rebel forces in 2002 and 2003 should
ensure the perpetrators are arraigned in court, a victim said.

"I contracted HIV [when] I was raped by Congolese rebels in 2002; I will
be relieved if the perpetrators of this act of humiliation appear in
court to be charged for what they did," a 44-year-old woman said in the
CAR capital of Bangui on Tuesday. Her daughter, then aged 13, was also
raped.

According to a local agency, Organisation pour la Compassion des Famille
en Detresse, an estimated 1,000 women were raped by rebels from the
Democratic Republic of Congo, who entered the CAR to support the regime
of President Ange-Felix Patasse.

Full report
http://www.irinnews.org/Report.aspx?ReportId=72322


DRC: Weapons destroyed as disarmament picks up in Ituri

Thousands of weapons and munitions collected from former rebels have
been destroyed in Ituri district of northeastern Democratic Republic of
Congo (DRC) as part of an ongoing disarmament process, officials said.

The weapons were collected by the United Nations Mission in Congo
(MONUC) and the DRC army during two disarmament periods from September
2004 to June 2005 and from June to September 2006.

Speaking during the destruction on 22 May, Marie-France Desjardins, a
specialist in the reduction of light weapons at the UN Development
Programme, said: "It is the sign of the beginning of peace because these
arms would have killed people."

Full report
http://www.irinnews.org/Report.aspx?ReportId=72289


DRC: Thousands more flee ongoing clashes in Kivu

At least 40 children are among thousands of newly displaced civilians in
eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) fleeing ongoing clashes
between Congolese armed forces and Rwandan rebels, officials said.

"These newly displaced people come from the Ufamando group and the Gungu
area," Kemal Saiki, spokesman for the United Nations Mission in Congo
said on 23 May. The displaced civilians, including 1,382 families of
about 6,010 people, had arrived in Minova and Bweremana areas of Masisi
on the border between North and South Kivu.

Andrew Zadel, spokesman for the UN Office for the Coordination of
Humanitarian Affairs in North Kivu, said the civilians were fleeing
clashes between the Congolese army - Forces armees de la Republique
Democratique du Congo - and the Forces democratiques pour la liberation
du Rwanda rebels.

Full report
http://www.irinnews.org/Report.aspx?ReportId=72346


BURUNDI: Arbour calls for stronger judiciary to build democracy

Burundi has made some progress towards democracy but it needed to
strengthen the judiciary to ensure justice, the United Nations High
Commissioner for Human Rights said.

"Democracy cannot faction without the institution that nurtures a
culture of participation and respect for justice," Louise Arbour said in
the capital, Bujumbura, on Wednesday.

"This is where Burundi faces the greatest challenges," she told
reporters. "Apart from a functioning executive and legislature, [it
needs] a judiciary that would inspire confidence from the population;
that would rule out impunity."

Full report
http://www.irinnews.org/Report.aspx?ReportId=72351


BURUNDI: Poverty strategy to focus on food production

Burundi is to boost food production, private sector growth, education,
health and energy availability as part of a four-year poverty reduction
strategy, President Pierre Nkurunziza announced.

Launching a US$1.320 billion appeal to donors to fund the 2007-2010
poverty reduction strategy paper (PRSP) on 24 May, Nkurunziza said his
government's plans would boost development in a country that had only
recently emerged from conflict.

The donor meeting being held in the capital, Bujumbura, he added, marked
its transition from a state of emergency assistance to development.

Full report
http://www.irinnews.org/Report.aspx?ReportId=72355


CONGO: Child trafficking on the rise

Hundreds of children have been trafficked into the Republic of Congo
from several West African states, according to the United Nations
Children's Fund.

The majority of the children - many as young as nine - come to
Pointe-Noire, the Congo's second-largest city, from Benin, followed by
Mali, Guinea, Senegal, Togo and one Central African country, Cameroon.
They are promised work and money to return home by compatriots who
employ them.

"The children are given to 'tutors' [from West Africa] against a certain
amount of money with the promise of a job or apprenticeship. Some of the
children are illiterate, while others have had some kind of schooling,"
said Constance Mafoukila, one of the researchers of the report.

Full report
http://www.irinnews.org/Report.aspx?ReportId=72268


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