DR of Congo: 20,000 Fleeing Fighting in East in 'Critical Humanitarian State' - UN
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UN News Service (New York)
July 26, 2004
Posted to the web July 26, 2004
Nearly 20,000 people are in a "critical humanitarian state" in the eastern Democratic
Republic of Congo (DRC) after fleeing renewed fighting between central government
forces and dissident troops around Lake Kivu, according to the UN Office for the
Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA).
"We saw entire columns of people leaving the Kalehe zone," Jean-Marc Cordaro, head of
OCHA's office in Bukavu at the southern end of the lake, said after leading an
assessment mission to the area on Saturday together with staff from OCHA's office in
Goma, at the northern end.
"Targeted killings have occurred," said Patrick Lavand'Homme, head of the Goma office,
quoting eye witness accounts from the refugees. "Homes have been burned, sometimes
with people inside."
Some 15,000 people have taken refuge along the banks of Lake Kivu, after fleeing the
fighting between the DRC's armed forces (FARDC) and dissident leader Gen. Laurent
Nkunda. Nearly 5,000 others fled to the High Plateaux region south-west of Minova
following abuses by soldiers and armed groups in the Kalehe area.
OCHA's offices in Bukavu and Goma are working on how best to coordinate emergency aid
for the vulnerable communities.
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Although the local population has provided help
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