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 395
18 - 24 August 2007


CONTENTS:

DRC: Thousands disarm and join reintegration process in Ituri
BURUNDI: Congolese camp out in Bujumbura after fleeing South Kivu
   insecurity
UGANDA: Government to consult on new court
UGANDA: Returnees among thousands displaced by floods
KENYA: Insecurity, conflict affect education in northern region
DRC-UGANDA: UN peacekeepers caught up in continuing unrest in North
   Kivu


BURUNDI: Congolese camp out in Bujumbura after fleeing South Kivu 
insecurity

Several hundred people from the Democratic Republic of Congo have 
arrived in Burundi's capital Bujumbura to seek refugee status after 
fleeing violence in the South Kivu region.

The Congolese, from various ethnic groups including the Banyamulenge, 
Balilo, Bashi, and Babembe, have been camped in a playing field since 
the end of July.

Kakongo Lwakira, 54, told IRIN: "We fled a situation of war in the Uvira 
zone. I lost all my properties and my house was totally destroyed by 
combating groups."

Full report
http://www.irinnews.org/Report.aspx?ReportId=73860


DRC: Thousands disarm and join reintegration process in Ituri

Some 3,500 more militia members from the troubled eastern Democratic of 
Congo province Ituri handed in their weapons during the first two weeks 
of August, a government official said.

Nutmba Luaba, the new commissioner of the national disarmament and 
reintegration programme, had issued a deadline of 17 August for rebels 
to join the process.

"I think we are now done with armed groups in Ituri," he said on 20 
August.

Full report
http://www.irinnews.org/Report.aspx?ReportId=73839


UGANDA: Government to consult on new court

Legal proceedings against Ugandan rebel leaders may be held in a special 
court instead of the International Criminal Court, a government minister 
said on 19 August.

Ruhakana Rugunda, interior minister and head of the delegation to the 
talks between the government and the Lord's Resistance Army, said the 
option of a new court will be debated and consultations held in conflict 
affected areas.

"We find that there is a need for a court with special status as the 
best legal framework that will best handle the situation," he told 
reporters.

Full report
http://www.irinnews.org/Report.aspx?ReportId=73810


UGANDA: Returnees among thousands displaced by floods

Tens of thousands of people have been displaced by floods after heavy 
rain submerged whole villages in eastern Uganda, a senior government 
official said.

Musa Ecweru, assistant minister for relief, disaster preparedness and 
refugees, described the situation as "catastrophic".

"The region has had rains for the last two months and homes have been 
submerged, bridges swept away and roads have become impassable," he 
said. "Many people have sought refuge in churches and areas of raised 
ground, while others have left the affected areas to live with 
relatives."

Full report
http://www.irinnews.org/Report.aspx?ReportId=73811


KENYA: Insecurity, conflict affect education in northern region

Poverty and frequent conflicts among pastoralist communities in northern 
Kenya have prevented thousands of children from enrolling in school and 
made them more likely to commit acts of violence, local leaders and 
government officials said.

Hassan Noor Hassan, Rift Valley Provincial Commissioner, said school age 
youngsters have been involved in recent clashes between communities in 
parts of Samburu, Laikipia and Marsabit Districts.

"The high number of school age children not attending classes and 
[school] dropouts must be addressed to stop this trend and keep them 
away from the conflicts," he said. "The Ministry of Education and Youth 
Affairs must urgently initiate programmes to enrol and take these 
children back to school."

Full report
http://www.irinnews.org/Report.aspx?ReportId=73834


DRC-UGANDA: UN peacekeepers caught up in continuing unrest in North Kivu

Instability in the Rusthuru region of North Kivu, which included an 
attack on UN peacekeepers, caused the temporary displacement of more 
than 10,000 people, officials said.

UN Mission in the Democratic Republic of Congo military spokesman Major 
Gabriel De Brosses said trouble flared up when the North Kivu brigades 
were pelted by rocks during an incident in Bunagana village on 20 
August.

"These people, some of whom were armed, wanted to stop the blue helmets 
from getting into the village," he said.

Full report
http://www.irinnews.org/Report.aspx?ReportId=73896


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