Eastern Congo: IRC Launches Response in North Kivu, Delivering Medicine to Desperate Village

Rutshuru, Congo 26 Sep 2007 - The International Rescue Committee’s emergency team has delivered medicine to a village in North Kivu’s Rutshuru District, launching a relief effort that aims to provide lifesaving assistance to tens of thousands of people hit by spiraling violence.

The IRC team brought a month’s worth of drugs to a clinic that had completely run out in the tiny village of Kabaya, where some 4,000 displaced people are seeking refuge—more than doubling the size of the already destitute hamlet.

“The displaced have crowded into the village’s school and church and others are staying with families who hardly have the means to care for themselves,” says Bob Kitchen, who is leading the emergency response operation.

“Aside from a clinic with no drugs and a squalid delivery room, we also found that there are no water points within Kabaya. The women have to walk out of the village to the closest water source, which is unprotected, dirty and also happens to be at the start of rebel-held territory. It’s risky any way you look at it,” Kitchen adds.

Female members of the team met with displaced women who spoke of sexual assaults by all armed forces in the conflict and no where to go for help.

The IRC initially plans to provide technical support and more medical supplies to the Kabaya clinic and similar assistance for two other clinics in the volatile district, as well as aid for sexual violence survivors. The IRC is also preparing to improve water supply and sanitation services in areas hosting displaced communities.

After a brief period of calm, clashes resumed this week between government troops and rebels groups, the largest made up of fighters loyal to General Laurent Nkunda.

Kitchen expressed concern that the fighting is leading to road closures which are severely hampering access to people in need of humanitarian aid.

Eritrea insists Ethiopia implements border ruling

NAIROBI, Sept 26 (Reuters) - Eritrea maintains its demand that Ethiopia implement a border ruling agreed under a pact to end their 1998-2000 war, a minister said on Wednesday after Ethiopia threatened to call off the peace agreement.

In a letter to Eritrea's Foreign Minister on Tuesday, Ethiopia accused Asmara of violating the deal on several fronts including coordinating "terrorist activity".

Addis Ababa said as a result it was considering terminating or suspending all or part the Algiers agreement that ended the two-year border conflict that killed 70,000 people.

Eritrean Information Minister Ali Abdu said Asmara had no knowledge of any such letter and that it was Ethiopia's concern.

"That's not our business. It's up to them," he told Reuters by telephone.

"What we know is there has been a legal verdict and what we want is the implementation of that. No more, no less."

Relations between the Horn of Africa neighbours plummeted when Ethiopia initially rejected a 2002 ruling by an independent border commission, despite agreeing beforehand to accept whatever the commission ruled as final and binding.

Earlier this month, Ethiopia said its soldiers were just metres (yards) apart from Eritrean troops who moved into what is supposed to be a neutral buffer zone.

Analysts and diplomats say neither country wants to go to war, in spite of the inflammatory rhetoric on both sides. But they worry that an unplanned skirmish could trigger conflict.

The two countries are on opposite sides of the conflict in Somalia, with Ethiopia backing the government and Eritrea Islamists forced out of Mogadishu in December.

Eritrea denies Ethiopia's allegations of support for armed groups. This month, it accused Ethiopia of scuppering demarcation talks on their 1,000 km (620 mile) frontier.

Abdu ruled out any dialogue.

"There was not, there is not and there will not be any direct communication between us," he said.

AlertNet news is provided by Reuters

UNHCR welcomes resolution on Chad, Central African Republic

NEW YORK – UN High Commissioner for Refugees António Guterres welcomed the adoption today of a UN Security Council resolution establishing a multi-dimensional UN mission in Chad and Central African Republic (MINURCAT) that will help strengthen security in the region.

He looks forward to an early decision of the European Union to send military troops so that MINURCAT can deploy in the coming weeks and months.

Improving the security of the refugees, IDPs and other civilians in danger as well as facilitating the provision of humanitarian assistance will greatly contribute toward stabilizing the humanitarian situation in eastern Chad and may contribute to the return of displaced persons, Guterres said.

This is most urgent given that the humanitarian situation in eastern Chad is "very difficult and serious" and the fear of increasing violence, causing more people to flee, with the approaching end of the rainy season.

He also emphasized the need for a comprehensive and sub-regional approach to the conflicts in the Darfur region, eastern Chad and north-eastern CAR. In the longer term, UNHCR appeals to the international community to provide recovery and development assistance so that the displaced can return and restart their lives as well as rebuild communities, given the heavy burden the people of Chad and CAR face.

Since 2004, eastern Chad has hosted some 240,000 Sudanese refugees in 12 camps who have fled the fighting in Darfur. In addition, Chad is facing a surge in the number of internally displaced persons, now totaling more than 170,000.

North-eastern CAR hosts some 2,660 refugees from Darfur.

Today's resolution establishes MINURCAT for a period of one year, with a mandate focusing on the security and protection of civilians – particularly refugees, IDPs and civilians in danger – and on human rights and the rule of law in eastern Chad and north-eastern CAR.

MINURCAT will consist of three components:

- a UN multidimensional presence, composed of UN police, rule of law, human rights and other civilian officers;

- a special Chadian police/gendarmes unit (some 850) dedicated exclusively to maintaining law and order in refugee camps, sites with concentrations of IDPs and key towns, and assisting in securing humanitarian activities in eastern Chad;

- an EU military deployment (under Chapter VII).

The military contingent would have a mandate to contribute to the protection of civilians in danger, particularly refugees and displaced persons; to facilitate the delivery of humanitarian aid and the free movement of humanitarian personnel by helping to improve security in the area of operation; and to contribute to protecting UN personnel, facilities, installations and equipment and to ensuring the security and freedom of movement of its staff and UN and associated personnel.

UNHCR news

Darfur: Three ACT-Caritas staff detained and released into police custody in Zalingei

GENEVA, September 26, 2007--Three ACT-Caritas staff have been released into police custody after they were detained by an armed group over the weekend in Zalingei, west Darfur. The three staff were held for close to 30 hours and work for ACT-Caritas through ACT member, Norwegian Church Aid (NCA).

Immediately following the incident, all non-life saving ACT-Caritas operations in and around Zalingei were suspended and non-essential staff were sent home.

John Distefano, director of the ACT-Caritas Darfur Emergency Response, said, "We are very pleased that our three staff members are safe and we expect them to be in our care as soon as possible. A team is also currently investigating the entire matter."

"We have strict security protocols in place to safeguard our staff and ensure that we don't inadvertently put those we assist at risk, but security is very fluid in this area," added Mr. Distefano.

Over the past two months insecurity had already reduced the ability of the ACT-Caritas operation to provide humanitarian assistance in and around Zalingei.

The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) reported in August that insecurity is negatively affecting the quantity and quality of aid to hundreds of thousands of people in Darfur.

Further details on the incident and future operations in Zalingei will be released in the near future.

http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/fromthefield/222031/119079222693.htm

China sends 250 tons of aid materials to Darfur

Tuesday 25 September 2007.

September 24, 2007 (KHARTOUM) — A special train carrying 250 tons of aid materials donated by the Chinese government left the Khartoum Railway Station on Monday for Sudan’s restive western region of Darfur.

The aid materials, including generators, water tankers and medical equipment for 30 water stations and 25 rural hospitals, is expected to arrive in Nyala, capital city of the South Darfur State, in five days.

This is one part of a total of RMB 80 million Chinese support to the Darfur region, which have been delayed by anti-government riots and tribal clashes since February 2003.

Besides the humanitarian assistances, a Chinese engineer unit consisting of 315 soldiers will be deployed in Darfur region in early October, to take part in a hybrid peacekeeping operation run by the United Nations and the African Union.

While addressing at a ceremony held for the aid delivery, Sudanese Minister of Energy and Mining Awad Ahmed Mohamed al-Jaz expressed his country’s appreciation for the positions of China and its support for the projects of development and public services in Sudan, especially in Darfur.

He appreciated the Chinese support as critical for the peace and stability in Darfur, saying it would promote the services and encourage the return of the refugees and displaced people to their homelands.

"We will start with the projects of water and health then the ones of education, housing and electricity," the Sudanese minister said.

Ahmed Mohammed Harun, the Sudanese minister of state for humanitarian affairs, also thanks Chinese government for providing such comprehensive support which covered all the vital fields.

He said this support indicated "the depth and solidity of the relations between Sudan and China."

Thanks to the cohesion of the Sudanese people and the support of Sudan’s friends, the Darfur cause was moving steadily forward towards a final solution, said Harun.

This was the third batch provided by the Chinese government and the previous two had been delivered to the Darfur region.

Chinese Ambassador to Sudan Li Chengwen reiterated China’s support to the efforts exerted by the Sudanese government to realize the social and political stability in Darfur for achieving a final and lasting peace in the region.

"We are desirous to push the development process, promote the production, enhance the services and provide the humanitarian assistance for the citizens in Darfur," Li said.

(Xinhua)

Cooperation with China reached "outstanding" stage - Ethiopia

Tuesday 25 September 2007.

September 24, 2007 (ADDIS ABABA) — Ethiopian Prime Minister Meles Zenawi said Monday the bilateral cooperation between Ethiopia and China has reached an "outstanding" stage.

During his talks with Li Ruogu, chairman of China Exim Bank, Meles said Ethiopia is keen to step up its current relationship with China.

China has been providing support to Ethiopia in various sectors, Meles said, adding that the cooperation in the areas of development projects should further be strengthened.

He also underlined China has been cooperating with African countries, particularly Ethiopia, in various sectors.

Li told journalists after the talks that the cooperation between Ethiopia and China has been gaining momentum from time to time.

The Chinese banker said his country is keen to beef up the development cooperation underway between the two countries.

Li arrived here on Sunday for a working visit.

(Xinhua)

Serious abuse continuing in Darfur - UN experts

Tuesday 25 September 2007.

September 24, 2007 (GENEVA) — A group of UN experts monitoring Darfur said Monday that serious human rights violations appeared to be continuing in the strife-torn western Sudanese region.

Sudanese Darfur survivor Ibrahim scratching through the dust where he says the remains of 25 of his friends and fellow villagers lie, at the site of a mass grave on the outskirts of the West Darfur town of Mukjar, Sudan, April 23, 2007. (AP)

In a report to the UN’s Human Rights Council, the experts said the Sudanese government was implementing some of their recommendations to prevent violations in the region, although progress on the ground so far appeared to be limited.

"The group of experts reiterates its concern about reports of ongoing serious violations of international humanitarian law and human rights by various parties to the conflict," the report said.

It called on Khartoum to address the issue of impunity and ensure that all perpetrators of abuses are brought to justice. The experts did not list the reported incidents.

UN human rights chief Louise Arbour issued a similar warning last week, saying that human rights violations in Darfur were still "of the same nature and largely on the same scale."

She also said there was little indication that the Sudanese government was willing to respond to arrest warrants issued by the International Criminal Court.

UN envoy Walter Kaelin, a member of the group, on Monday praised Khartoum’s "excellent cooperation" and its efforts to implement measures to stop abuse in Darfur.

But he told the 47-nation Council: "The group reiterates that the ultimate measure of the government’s implementation of the recommendations compiled by the group has to be concrete improvement in the human rights situation on the ground in Darfur."

"It is possible to note at this time that while certain recommendations have been at least partially implemented, it is not in a position to report that a clear impact on the ground has been identified yet," he added.

Kaelin said the experts wanted to give Khartoum "the maximum possible time" to fulfill its undertakings and promised a comprehensive evaluation in December.

Sudan’s delegation at the Council described the report as "very constructive."

In June the experts laid out more than 30 detailed "recommendations" or targets that Sudan should meet — including clear orders to stop attacks on civilians, disarming militia and full cooperation with the ICC.

They also included indicators — such as the numbers of attacks in Darfur or the number of people handed over to the ICC — that would allow an assessment of progress.

The report acknowledged that the multiplication of the number of warring parties was hampering efforts on the ground, but it cautioned that they "cannot be invoked as obstacles" in stopping violations.

Rebels in Darfur have split into different factions, with some rejecting a peace agreement, and are divided over further talks with Khartoum next month.

More than two million people have fled their homes and at least 200,000 have died from the combined effects of famine and conflict since Khartoum enlisted militia allies to put down a local revolt in 2003, according to the United Nations.

(AFP)

Lack of security may force Oxfam to stop Darfur’s operation

Tuesday 25 September 2007.

September 24, 2007 (KHARTOUM) — Oxfam could withdraw from Darfur if security worsens, its country director said on Monday, amid reports of 10 attacks in the past four days in Sudan’s violent and remote west.


Despite a peace deal signed last year by the government and one rebel faction and intense international focus on ending the conflict, Darfur has descended into chaos forcing the world’s largest aid operation to evacuate some areas and work at high risk in others to provide assistance to some 4 million people.

"It’s certainly a strong possibility that if things get any worse Oxfam would have to withdraw," the British aid agency’s country director Caroline Nursey told Reuters.

"Oxfam is operating at the limits of what it can tolerate as an organisation. In most circumstances if the security situation were as bad as it is in Darfur we would withdraw.

"The only reason we are still there is that we are aware of very large numbers of people who are totally dependent on us for services," said Nursey, who has worked on Sudan for four years — the last 18 months based in Khartoum.

Oxfam provides water and sanitation to 500,000 people in Darfur and neighbouring Chad, where the conflict that began in Darfur in early 2003 has spilled across the border.

Two weeks ago an Oxfam vehicle was taken in broad daylight by armed men in South Darfur’s massive and volatile Kalma camp. Nursey said the driver overheard the men debating whether to kill the two Oxfam staff members.

Last year an Oxfam driver was killed in North Darfur and staff faced mock executions in an attack in Gereida, South Darfur.

CHAOTIC SCENARIO

Since the conflict began when mostly non-Arabs revolted, accusing the government in Khartoum of neglect, some 200,000 people have died in Darfur and 2.5 million have fled their homes for sprawling camps run by aid groups.

Around 7,000 African Union police and troops have failed to stem the violence, and have been accused of bias for mediating the 2006 deal which many in Darfur’s makeshift camps reject as inadequate. Only one of three rebel factions signed the deal.

Since the peace deal rebels factionalised into more than a dozen rival groups and mostly Arab militias began fighting each other or the government which had mobilised them to quell the revolt, creating a chaotic security scenario.

Rebels, government-backed militias and bandits have all been blamed for recent attacks. Some violence has also been tribal.

Between Sept. 19-22, a U.N. statement reported eight attacks on aid convoys, compounds and police by unknown armed men in Darfur, a vast, arid area the size of France.

On Monday a government official in West Darfur told Reuters Nertiti, in the central Jabel Marra area, was attacked two days ago. One civilian was killed and four injured.

On Sunday nearby Suloo was also attacked. Four policemen were injured.

After months of negotiations and threats, Khartoum accepted a 26,000-strong joint U.N.-African Union force to absorb the struggling AU mission.

But U.N. officials in New York have said Khartoum and the AU have rejected non-African infantry battalions for the force.

Rebels say they prefer non-Africans as the AU had not managed to control the crisis. They took up arms in early 2003 accusing Khartoum of neglecting the remote region.

Officials have also said Western nations have not come up with the necessary logistical and technical support needed to launch the massive peacekeeping mission.

(Reuters)

Unknown gunmen attack aid workers in Darfur

Sunday 23 September 2007.

September 22, 2007 (UNITED NATIONS) — Three aid workers are wounded in an ambush staged by unidentified gunmen in South Darfur near Bulbul Timisgo, a small village on the main road between Nyala and Kass, the UN said today.

A convoy from U.S.-based World Vision International, which included eight staff members, was attacked on Thursday September 20. The three wounded aid workers are Sudanese; two of them were transported to Khartoum for medical attention while the third is treated in Nyala due to the severity of his injuries.

Attacks against relief workers increased by 150% from June 2006 to June 2007, the UN said. Since the start of 2007, some 98 vehicles have been hijacked, some 105 staff were temporarily taken hostage, more than 66 humanitarian personnel have been physically or sexually assaulted, and 61 convoys have been ambushed and looted.

John Holmes, the U.N. undersecretary general for humanitarian affairs, condemned the attack and urged the Sudanese government to find the attackers and to punish them.

“This is a horrifying and brutal attack on aid staff who are working to save the lives of Sudanese people,” said John Holmes, United Nations Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator. “We call on the Government of Sudan to act with all speed to identify those responsible and ensure that they are held accountable for their crime,” he added.

The UN statement didn’t identify the attackers but underscored that "clashes among rival Arab tribes in this area in 2007 have caused significant levels of destruction and displacement."

"The area is also beset by banditry and violence." The UN further said.

World Vision, one of the world’s largest NGOs, provides a wide range of relief assistance in South Darfur, with projects in food aid, nutrition, water, education, sanitation, and agriculture, among others. They employ several hundred staff there.

(ST)