DRC/North Kivu: Humanitarian access seriously hampered by insecurity

(Goma / Kinshasa / New York / Geneva, 20 October 2009): Increasing attacks on humanitarians in recent weeks in the North Kivu province of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) have made it even more difficult for humanitarians to provide life-saving assistance to those in need.

"By decreasing our access to the areas concerned, those responsible are contributing to the suffering of millions of vulnerable people. Unfortunately, they are almost never brought to justice," said John Holmes, United Nations Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator.

Attacks against humanitarians, such as murders, abductions, and theft of vehicles and other assets, have risen sharply. Between 1 January 2009 and the present, a total of 108 attacks against humanitarians were recorded in the province, compared to 105 during the whole of 2008. The trend has risen sharply in recent weeks, with seven incidents reported during last week alone in the territories of Lubero, Masisi, Rutshuru, and Walikale. Most attacks occur on roads away from combat areas, making it difficult for humanitarians to avoid them.

"I urge the authorities of North Kivu to launch thorough investigations into each incident that we report," said Dieudonné Bamouni, deputy head of the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) in the DRC. "The current impunity must end," he added. Of the 105 attacks against humanitarians reported during 2008, less than ten have been the object of formal police investigations, and even fewer have led to judicial action.

The North Kivu province currently hosts an estimated 980,000 internally displaced persons (IDPs) – more than any other province in the country. Despite persistent insecurity, which has led to the death of seven humanitarians between January 2008 and the present, United Nations agencies and over 70 non-governmental organizations (NGOs) operate in the province, working to deliver assistance with combined humanitarian requirements in excess of US$ 250 million. It is estimated that humanitarians operating in the province are currently able to reach at least 70% of intended beneficiaries.