First UN Convoy Carried Little Food for Hungry DRC Refugees

By Dahee Nam
Impunity Watch Reporter, Africa

KIBATI, DR Congo - A UN convoy  arrived Monday in rebel-controlled North Kivu province of the Democratic Republic of Congo where humanitarian assistance was desperate.  However, hungry refugees who cheered at their arrival became angry when UN workers distributed only soaps and plastic jerry cans instead of food, AP reports. 

Escorted by around 50 UN peacekeepers, the 12-vehicle convoy carried water and medicine but little food.  People who have fled their homes due to the heavy fighting are now returning because of hunger.

“Are we supposed to eat this?” AP quoted Boniface Ndayumujinya, an elderly man with eight family members who had not eaten in five days.

Onesphore Sematumba, from a local think tank, said that thousands of children lined up and waited for hours to get high-energy biscuits but were only given tokens to be used to get food later.  He adds, "We really need to rethink humanitarian aid. . . . If you can't help people, don't create false hopes."

While conceding hunger was dire at the camp, UN officials said the first priority was to resupply medical clinics looted and destroyed by governmental troops.  Gloria Fernandez, head of the U.N. Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs in eastern Congo, said that it was to prevent a cholera epidemic, and food shipments would begin arriving from Tuesday. 

AP reports that government troops, who looted families and hospitals and raped women in Goma, retreated last week but have not gone far from the city.  They are accused of human rights abuses along with rebel forces. 

Meanwhile, European, U.S., and U.N. envoys call for more international aid to Congo’s North Kivu. 

After recent visit to Congo, Rwanda, and Tanzania, the French and British foreign ministers called to strengthen the UN forces in the Democratic Republic of Congo.  The European Union (EU) said it would not rule out the possibility to send troops to DRC.

"We're talking about the work of the 17,000 UN peacekeepers there at the moment and the role of the European Union in supporting that politically, diplomatically, and no-one's ruling out a military role," Britain's Foreign Minister David Miliband said at an informal meeting of European Union foreign ministers.  "What should be done when people are being killed? . . .  We need more of an offensive capability," his French counterpart, Bernard Kouchner, added. 

UN Secretary General Ban-Ki Moon named Olusegun Obasanjo, the former Nigerian President, as his special envoy to help resolve the Congo crisis.  Secretary General Moon said he was willing to meet Mr. Kabila and Mr. Kagame soon.

For more information, please see:

AP - Hungry Congo Refugees Angry No Food in UN Convoy - November 3, 2008

AFP - UN Convoy Reaches Rebel-Held DR Congo - November 3, 2008

Reuters - U.N. Peacekeepers Must Get Tough in Congo - November 3, 2008

Reuters - UN Plans Aid Convoy Into East Congo Rebel Zone - November 3, 2008

BBC News - Call to Boost UN DR Congo Powers - November 3, 2008