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 408
17 - 23 November 2007


CONTENTS:

KENYA: UN agency targets presidential candidates in campaign for
   children's rights
KENYA: Locusts infest Mandera district
UGANDA: Rebels ask for forgiveness at scene of LRA massacre
DRC: Clashes prompt new wave of IDPs as army readies for offensive
DRC: Poor harvest threatens food security, transport problems close
   feeding centre
DRC: The deserted village - a casualty of North Kivu's continuing conflict
CONGO: Disappeared but not forgotten: Brazzaville's missing refugees


KENYA: UN agency targets presidential candidates in campaign for 
children's rights

With only a month to Kenya's general election, the UN Children's Fund 
(UNICEF) is asking the country's citizens to support politicians who 
will respect, protect and fulfil children's rights.

Under its campaign, Look Out For Leaders Who Look Out for Children, 
UNICEF Kenya has obtained pledges from the three leading presidential 
candidates to invest in quality education, child survival and social 
protection for vulnerable children should they win the election. Full 
report http://www.irinnews.org/Report.aspx?ReportId=75438


KENYA: Locusts infest Mandera district

Swarms of locusts have infested parts of northeastern Kenya's district 
of Mandera, ravaging pasture and crops in the arid area frequently hit 
by drought, officials said.

The locusts reportedly originated from neighbouring Somalia where 
authorities in the northeastern self-declared autonomous region of 
Puntland in September appealed for international aid following the loss 
of thousands of hectares of pasture and farmland to locust infestation.

Full report
http://www.irinnews.org/Report.aspx?ReportId=75474


UGANDA: Rebels ask for forgiveness at scene of LRA massacre

Representatives of the Lord's Resistance Army (LRA) have visited the 
camp where 400 people were slaughtered by members of the Ugandan rebel 
group during a bloody attack considered the worst in nearly a decade.

LRA delegate Santa Okot said a team met the victims, widows and orphans 
of the February 2004 massacre in Barlonyo displaced people's camp, 20km 
north of Lira town, on November 16.

Full report 
http://www.irinnews.org/Report.aspx?ReportId=75380


DRC: Clashes prompt new wave of IDPs as army readies for offensive

Many civilians have fled the Democratic Republic of Congo town of 
Rutshuru amid fresh clashes between regular and dissident soldiers - 
renegade troops who the head of the army announced would soon be 
disarmed by force.

"Hundreds, perhaps several thousands of people have left Rutshuru [in 
North Kivu province] and moved in the direction of a MONUC [UN mission 
in Congo] base to the north, towards Kiwandja, or to the south, after 
fleeing rather serious skirmishes that lasted fours hours [on the 
morning of 21 November]," said Colonel Pierre Chareyron, MONUC 
spokesman.

Full report 
http://www.irinnews.org/Report.aspx?ReportId=75457


DRC: Poor harvest threatens food security, transport problems close 
feeding centre

Many tens of thousands of displaced people in Democratic Republic of 
Congo's conflict-ridden South Kivu province face serious food shortages 
in the coming months after their crops were destroyed by heavy rainfall 
in the region, the UN World Food Programme (WFP) has warned.

"In the forest areas of Mwenga and Shabunda, more than 150,000 newly and 
previously displaced will not have sufficient food because of the bad 
harvest," said WFP spokeswoman Aline Samu.

Full report 
http://www.irinnews.org/Report.aspx?ReportId=75452


DRC: The deserted village - a casualty of North Kivu's continuing 
conflict

It may only be a short walk from its bustling neighbour Sake, but Kimoka 
is a ghost town. Homes are abandoned, the school is deserted and the 
brand new church empty. Light streams in through the open door onto huge 
leather drums beside the pulpit.

When the congregation fled, the drums became redundant. Now the only 
percussion comes from the small arms fire echoing through the mountains. 
Outside, dirty scraps of cloth and one child's shoe are strewn across 
the black volcanic earth - signs that there was once a community here.

Full report
http://www.irinnews.org/Report.aspx?ReportId=75451


CONGO: Disappeared but not forgotten: Brazzaville's missing refugees

More than eight years and numerous court cases later, security 
officials, relatives and human rights advocates are still trying to find 
out what happened to the 'missing of Brazzaville Beach' - several 
hundred returning Congolese refugees who disappeared after being 
detained.

"Today we ask for truth, justice and reparation," said Vincent 
Niamankessi, president of the Brazzaville Beach Missing Peoples' 
Collective.

Full report 
http://www.irinnews.org/Report.aspx?ReportId=75431]


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