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| Section The ICRC in the Democratic Republic of the Congo © ICRC / Wojtek Lambryk /cd-e-00475
In North and South Kivu, the humanitarian and security situation has progressively deteriorated, in part as a result of a substantial shift in the balance of political power in the two provinces following the 2006 elections. Both the armed forces of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and the opposition forces of Laurent Nkunda have strengthened their positions, and in 2007, clashes between them increased in frequency.
Extensive population displacement has resulted, leaving many people dependent on aid. Others are in areas too insecure for humanitarian agencies to reach.  Key document6-3-2008 Democratic Republic of the Congo: Update on ICRC activities in the Kivus – January and February 2008(The ICRC worldwide\Africa\Congo-Kinshasa) Operational update 13-2-2008 DRC: boosting production for farmers recovering from displacementDisplaced families who return to their fields often find their harvests deliberately destroyed, or the fields abandoned and overgrown with weeds. The ICRC is helping returning farmers to recover their fields and increase production with a new variety of cassava plant, as well as providing them with training in planting and maintenance. (The ICRC worldwide\Africa\Congo-Kinshasa) Feature 31-1-2008 DRC: helping child soldiers find the road home In eastern DRC there is a centre that has helped over 1,500 former child soldiers reintegrate with their communities. The ICRC provides material support and plays the crucial role of reconnecting the children with their families. Bernard Barrett reports from Bukavu. (The ICRC worldwide\Africa\Congo-Kinshasa) Feature Includes Photo 20-12-2007 Eastern DRC: widespread sexual violence against women threatens familiesCountless women in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo have fallen prey to sexual violence carried out by armed bands. The ICRC provides support to local groups which help traumatized women recover. Bernard Barrett reports on the scourge of Kivu and meets two of the victims. (The ICRC worldwide\Africa\Congo-Kinshasa) Feature Includes Photo Feature17-12-2007 DRC: young mine victim dreams of playing football againFollowing years of fighting in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) the ICRC maintains its help for vulnerable civilian groups. A young boy who lost his leg in a mine accident tells his story to the ICRC’s Bernard Barrett. (The ICRC worldwide\Africa\Congo-Kinshasa) Feature Includes Photo 24-9-2007 Congo-Kinshasa: former child soldiers return to their familiesThe ongoing peace process in the Democratic Republic of the Congo is allowing some fighters to lay down their weapons and begin a peaceful life. The ICRC is helping to demobilize child soldiers so that they can return to their families. Journalist Isabel Coello reports. (The ICRC worldwide\Africa\Congo-Kinshasa) Feature Includes Photo 27-4-2007 Congo-Kinshasa – ICRC takes action following March clashesOn 22 and 23 March 2007, violent clashes in the capital Kinshasa between government troops and bodyguards of former vice-president Jean-Pierre Bemba killed hundreds of people including a high number of civilians. In the wake of the fighting, many families were left searching for loved ones. The ICRC swung into action to help both the civilian and military victims. (The ICRC worldwide\Africa\Congo-Kinshasa) Feature Includes Photo 24-4-2007 DRC: children join their families after years of agonizing separationAs of December 2006, there were over 130,000 Congolese refugees living in 3 of 11 camps in Tanzania's western corridor. Many of them are now returning home through voluntary repatriation assisted by the ICRC and the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR). The ICRC's Anne Mucheke tells the story of two of the four children she accompanied on the long journey back to their families in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). (The ICRC worldwide\Africa\Congo-Kinshasa) Feature Includes Photo 2-3-2007 Democratic Republic of the Congo: "I want my child and me to be accepted"A group of South Kivu women who were abducted by armed groups, raped and mistreated are struggling to survive and to protect their children born of sexual violence. ICRC delegate Fabienne Garaud talked to one of them. (The ICRC worldwide\Africa\Congo-Kinshasa) Feature Feature ICRC film1-12-2006 Congo Kinshasa: the hidden battlefieldBrutal rape has become commonplace in some parts of the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, an area plagued by warring groups who prey on local people with little fear of retaliation. (Info resources\ICRC publications and films\Films\From the field) ICRC film Includes Video Interview20-12-2007 Sexual violence in the Democratic Republic of the Congo: victims on trial Over the past 10 years, rape and sexual assault have been perpetrated on a regular basis by armed groups operating in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. In recent years, sexual violence has also been committed by civilians and former fighters. Most of these crimes go unpunished. Nancy Baudoin, who recently completed an assignment in the country as a psychosocial delegate, talks about how the ICRC assists the victims. (The ICRC worldwide\Africa\Congo-Kinshasa) Interview Includes PDF, Photo 2-11-2007 Congo-Kinshasa: dramatic humanitarian impact of ongoing fighting Yann Bonzon is in charge of ICRC operations in Goma. He explains what the ICRC is doing for the victims of the fighting and denounces the numerous incidents of abuse of the civilian population, in particular the many cases of sexual violence. (The ICRC worldwide\Africa\Congo-Kinshasa) Interview Includes Photo 17-9-2007 North Kivu: fighting blocks aid workers’ access to victimsYann Bonzon, head of the ICRC’s Goma sub-delegation in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, talks about the situation in North Kivu province since fighting resumed between government forces and certain armed opposition groups. (The ICRC worldwide\Africa\Congo-Kinshasa) Interview 23-2-2007 Congo-Kinshasa: "Much remains to be done"Returning from an assignment in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), where she was head of the ICRC's delegation, Dominique Liengme feels that, despite the stabilization process that is now underway, the country is still in dire need of humanitarian aid. (The ICRC worldwide\Africa\Congo-Kinshasa) Interview Operational update31-1-2008 Congo-Kinshasa: ICRC activities from January to December 2007An overview of the ICRC’s work throughout the DRC in the fields of assistance, protection, promotion of international humanitarian law and support for the National Society (The ICRC worldwide\Africa\Congo-Kinshasa) Operational update 9-1-2008 Congo-Kinshasa: update on ICRC activities in the Kivus – January 2008Despite many initiatives taken by the ICRC and other humanitarian organizations, thousands of conflict victims still cannot be reached. In areas such as Masisi, Kilolirwe, Mweso and Rutshuru, extremely volatile security conditions have prevented the situation from being accurately assessed and made it difficult if not impossible to take any action. (The ICRC worldwide\Africa\Congo-Kinshasa) Operational update Photo Collection3-11-2006 Democratic Republic of the Congo: saving lives, rebuilding livelihoods This gallery contains images and excerpts from a new ICRC photo exhibition that provides a fresh look at the humanitarian situation in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. It depicts the central human concerns arising out of years of violence in which hundreds of thousands of people lost their lives, focusing on key issues such as child soldiers, sexual violence, health, water, economic security, helping abandoned communities, reuniting families and 'fighting right', and provides an overview of what the ICRC is doing to tackle these challenges. (Info resources\Photos\Africa) Photo Collection Includes Photo Press article17-5-2006 Amid chaos, Katangans driven from homes by warTo survive attacks by marauding militias, 170,000 Congolese have taken refuge on remote islands on Lake Upemba. In early May, the ICRC was finally able to get relief supplies to them. A report by Richard Werly that first appeared in the French language newspaper, Le Temps, on May 17 2006. It is reproduced here with the newspaper's kind permission. (The ICRC worldwide\Africa\Congo-Kinshasa) Press article Includes Photo Stories from the field11-6-2007 Congo-Kinshasa: Marie, a child soldier, returns homeForcibly enrolled into an armed group when she was 10, Marie has experienced everything in life but the joys and sorrows of childhood. After four years marked by violence and ceaseless wanderings in the Ugandan forest, she managed, with the ICRC's help, to return to her home village. (The ICRC worldwide\Africa\Congo-Kinshasa) Stories from the field Includes Photo 22-6-2006 Democratic Republic of the Congo: diary from the field In May, Jan Powell spent two weeks with a cameraman producing an ICRC film for the series From the Field. She kept a diary describing the highs and lows of the trip and the challenges of working from the field. (The ICRC worldwide\Africa\Congo-Kinshasa) Stories from the field Includes Photo Video Collection8-6-2006 DRC: ICRC distributes essential aid to villagersA gradual improvement in the security situation has recently allowed some 45,000 people to return to their homes in the Kibirizi area of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. The ICRC is providing the necessary materials that will help people resume the lives they had before they were forced to flee their villages at the beginning of the year. (Info resources\Video) Video Collection Includes Video More in this section30-6-2001 Six ICRC staff killed in the Democratic Republic of the CongoInternational Review of the Red Cross No. 842 (The ICRC worldwide\Africa\Congo-Kinshasa) 4-5-2001 Short biographies of the six ICRC staff killed in Democratic Republic of Congo(The ICRC worldwide\Africa\Congo-Kinshasa) 2-5-2001 Statement of M. Jakob Kellenberger, President of the ICRC,
at the memorial service for the six ICRC colleagues
who lost their lives in the Democratic Republic of the Congo
(The ICRC worldwide\Africa\Congo-Kinshasa) |
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