R 201601Z NOV 08
FM AMEMBASSY KINSHASA
TO SECSTATE WASHDC 8807
INFO RWANDA COLLECTIVE
USMISSION GENEVA 
USMISSION UN ROME
USEU BRUSSELS
USMISSION USUN NEW YORK 
AMEMBASSY NAIROBI 
NSC WASHDC
SECDEF WASHDC
SOUTHERN AF DEVELOPMENT COMMUNITY COLLECTIVE

UNCLAS KINSHASA 001033 
 
 
AIDAC 
 
DCHA/AA FOR MHESS, RJENKINS 
DCHA/OFDA FOR KLUU, ACONVERY, KCHANNELL, MSHIRLEY 
DCHA/FFP FOR TANDERSON, NCOX, TMCRAE 
DCHA/OTI FOR KHUBER 
AFR FOR KALMQUIST, JWOOD, CTHOMPSON 
NAIROBI FOR USAID/OFDA/ARO FOR JMYER, ADWYER 
NAIROBI FOR USAID/FFP FOR RDRAPCHO 
ROME FOR USUN FODAG FOR RNEWBERG 
GENEVA FOR NYKLOH 
NSC FOR CPRATT 
BRUSSELS FOR USAID PBROWN 
NEW YORK FOR DMERCADO 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: EAID PREF CG
SUBJECT:  USAID/DART Update 2 on the Humanitarian 
          Situation in North Kivu 
 
REF:       (A) KINSHASA 0981; (B) KINSHASA 1014 
 
 
¶1.  Begin summary:  As of November 19, the situation in Goma, North 
Kivu was calm.  On November 18, the National Congress of the Defense 
of the People (CNDP) announced plans to pull back approximately 40 
km in order to provide a corridor for humanitarian assistance.  As 
of 0800 hours on November 20, the UN reported that CNDP had pulled 
back to Kikuku on the westernmost approach to Kanyabayonga from the 
south, and to Kiberizi, having departed Rwindi.  In addition, CNDP 
has promised to pull back to Mabenga, between Rwindi and Kiwanja, 
but the move is still unconfirmed.  Humanitarian agencies continue 
to conduct assessments, evaluations, and provide assistance to the 
hundreds of thousands of internally displaced persons (IDPs) 
throughout Eastern Congo.  Working in pursuit of that goal, the 
USAID Disaster Assistance Response Team (USAID/DART) continues to 
liaise with humanitarian partners and UN agencies, to conduct field 
assessments, and to plan for additional support and programs in 
North Kivu.  End summary. 
 
HUMANITARIAN COORDINATION AND INFORMATION 
----------------------------------------- 
 
¶2.  At the November 17 coordination meeting between UN agencies, 
donors, and non-governmental organizations (NGOs), the UN World Food 
Program (WFP) reported completed 15-day distributions for 
approximately 80,000 people in Rutshuru.  Caritas continues to 
register beneficiaries, and a distribution for 16,000 additional 
beneficiaries is planned for the coming week.  During the week of 
November 18, WFP, the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), 
the Food Security Cluster, and NGOs plan to conduct an evaluation of 
Rutshuru, particularly areas that have witnessed significant 
movement of populations in recent weeks.  In addition, the 
International Rescue Committee (IRC) plans to conduct an assessment 
in Jomba, North Kivu, in anticipation of a possible non-food item 
(NFI) distribution. 
 
¶3.  On November 19, the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) 
reported that approximately 2,000 residents of DRC crossed the 
border into Uganda on November 18.  With the latest influx of 
refugees, UNHCR estimates that more than 14,500 refugees have 
arrived in Uganda since the end of August.  In previous weeks, the 
International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) had been providing 
services to DRC IDPs near the Ugandan border, however, the 
organization evacuated following a security incident and has not 
returned.  USAID/DART staff are following the situation and liaising 
with USG colleagues covering the movement and situation from 
Kampala, Uganda. 
 
¶4.  On November 18, the UN Office for the Coordination of 
Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) reported that IRC evaluations indicate 
that 6,919 IDP families are currently located in Goma.  The IDPs are 
staying with host families and in public places.  In coming days, 
humanitarian agencies plan to conduct a registration to confirm 
IRC's preliminary numbers. 
 
¶5.  On November 18, the UN World Health Organization (WHO) announced 
that the strike among health workers ended November 17 and all 
health staff returned to work on November 18. WHO also announced a 
planned distribution of basic health kits to health centers and 
hospitals November 18, prioritizing health facilities that are not 
supported by an external agency.  The priority list distributed by 
WHO includes Zones de sant in Goma, Karisimbi, Kirotshe, and 
Mweso. 
 
¶6.  On November 18, the UN Children's Fund (UNICEF) announced the 
completion of the integrated measles vaccination campaign in Kibati 
and Kirotshe.  During the campaign, UNICEF vaccinated approximately 
12,000 out of a target of 13,000 children in Kirotshe. Numbers are 
not available for Kibati.  UNICEF plans to commence a similar 
campaign in Masisi around November 21. 
 
 
¶7.  Within the humanitarian community, the conversations regarding 
moving the IDPs of Kibati 1 and 2 camps to Mugunga 3 camp continue. 
On November 17, the Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC) announced the 
results of surveys conducted in Kibati 1 and 2 camps, asking IDPs 
about moving to a safer location. Fifty-nine percent of Kibati 1 
residents and 60 percent of Kibati 2 residents responded favorably 
to being relocated.  USAID/DART staff caution, however, that NRC did 
not inform the respondents of the location for the new camp. 
According to OCHA, the process of deciding which IDPs will move to 
the new camp and how the IDPs will move is ongoing, and no specific 
dates have been set.  Humanitarian agencies continue to prepare the 
Mugunga 3 site, and MONUC planned to commence work on the road to 
the camp on November 18.  According to a plan by the UNHCR, 
vulnerable populations will be transported to the empty spaces in 
Mugunga 1 and 2 camps.  UNHCR plans to conduct assessments and 
survey IDPs during the week of November 18. (NOTE: Kibati and 
Mugunga 3 camp are located approximately 8 km apart. END NOTE.) 
 
 
HUMANITARIAN ASSESSMENTS AND FIELD VISITS 
----------------------------------------- 
 
¶8.  On November 17, the USAID/DART Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene 
(WASH) Officer traveled to Shasha and Nzulo IDP camps west of Goma. 
The multi-agency assessment team included representatives from 
UNICEF, WHO, Oxfam, and other NGO partners and planned to conduct 
assessments on health and WASH services, and to determine the origin 
of local cholera cases. 
 
¶9.  According to the USAID/DART WASH Officer, Shasha Camp holds 
approximately 700 households and Solidarities has provided minimal 
sanitation services.  A more robust response was planned; however, 
implementing partners Oxfam and World Vision are conflicting 
regarding provision of services. 
 
¶10.  The inter-agency team traveled to the camps in hopes of 
investigating whether cholera cases reported in Mugunga 1 camp 
originated in Mugunga 1 camp, or whether the cases originated in 
Nzulo Camp.  According to the assessment team, the cholera cases in 
Mugunga 1 Camp are local cases and did not come from Nzulo Camp. 
USAID/DART staff noted poor chlorination practices at the local lake 
and overt water contamination due to fecal matter at the water 
pumping sites. 
 
¶11.  On November 18, USAID/DART staff and other USG personnel 
travelled to Minova, South Kivu, to attend an OCHA-run, joint North 
and South Kivu Coordination meeting, and to obtain initial 
information on the humanitarian situation and needs.  According to 
participants at the coordination meeting, IRC, World Vision, and 
Maltezer have completed registration of North Kivu IDPs in Minova. 
As the lead organization for IDP registration, World Vision plans to 
verify the numbers and address concerns before confirming the 
current count of 6,129 IDP families.  Registration is ongoing in 
Bweremana, Shasha, and Kitoshe, and official numbers are expected on 
November 19. 
 
¶12.  Food distributions in Minova are scheduled to commence on 
November 21 and conclude on November 27.  During the distribution, 
IDPs will receive a complete 30-day ration, although USAID/DART 
staff noted that in other parts of North Kivu, WFP has been 
distributing 10- and 15-day rations.  ICRC will distribute the food 
rations for the North Kivu area nearby Minova, and Maltezer will 
distribute rations for South Kivu.  WFP's South Kivu office is also 
considering food distributions for Minova host families. 
 
¶13.  Humanitarian agencies are also planning NFI distributions for 
Minova, scheduled to commence on November 20.  World Vision and IRC 
plan to distribute to beneficiaries in South Kivu, and ICRC plans to 
distribute to beneficiaries in North Kivu.  In addition, UNHCR plans 
to distribute cooking wood through local partners prior to or 
following the planned food distribution, but has not yet determined 
a distribution date. 
 
¶14.  USAID/DART staff noted concern regarding the level of heavily 
armed forces present in Minova.  Due to the military presence, NGOs 
are concerned that the planned distributions might become incidences 
for insecurity, particularly because NGOs excluded the Armed Forces 
of DRC (FARDC) dependents from registering for assistance.  OCHA and 
UNHCR have increased the sensitization campaigns to FARDC and DRC 
government officials in Goma, Bukavu, and Minova.  Oxfam/Great 
Britain (Oxfam/GB) announced plans to provide WASH assistance to the 
Minova area; however donors instructed Oxfam/GB to consult with the 
cluster lead and other NGOs also interested in providing assistance 
in order to avoid conflicts and duplication of services.  A WASH 
Cluster meeting is scheduled for November 24. 
 
¶15.  During the visit, Medecins sans Frontiers (MSF) noted plans to 
stop providing health assistance to all patients except cholera 
patients.  Dates and reason for discontinuation are unknown.  CAP 
ANAMUR, a Dutch NGO has volunteered to take over for MSF; however 
CAP ANAMUR does not yet have the required documentation to work in 
DRC. 
 
¶16.  USAID/DART staff noted no major checkpoints on the road to 
Minova, except for the local road maintenance system.  In addition, 
the FARDC was mostly absent on the road until the team reached 
Minova.  Throughout the trip, USAID/DART staff noted local people 
and humanitarian agencies moving freely and active markets along the 
road. 
 
¶17.  According to humanitarian agencies, spontaneous camps have 
sprung up near Minova.  The camps received some assistance from 
UNICEF's Rapid Response Mechanism (RRM) in September, but have not 
received anything since that time.  During the visit, USAID/DART 
staff noted an ongoing registration process in anticipation of 
additional assistance.  Despite the lack of a food distribution in 
the camp, USAID/DART staff noted that IDPs looked relatively healthy 
rather than malnourished, perhaps due to good coping mechanisms. 
 
 
HUMANITARIAN CONCERNS 
--------------------- 
 
¶18.  Humanitarian agencies continue to enjoy increased access and 
continue to travel farther afield to conduct assessments and 
interview IDPs.  Despite greater access, humanitarian agencies 
continue to follow several issues of concern closely.  NGOs have 
reported incidents of human rights abuses and executions in several 
villages throughout North Kivu, including Kiwanja.  In response to 
the concerns, on November 17 MONUC dispatched a Human Rights, Child 
Protection, and Civil Rights Team to Kiwanja to conduct a five-day 
assessment.  MONUC is also concerned about reports of human rights 
abuses in Rwindi. 
 
¶19.  At the November 17 coordination meeting, Solidarities staff 
raised a question about Protection Cluster activities, particularly 
in Kiwanja and Rutshuru.  Although the Cluster is not conducting any 
activities, the Solidarities staff underscored the need for 
protection work in both areas. UNHCR announced plans to reopen the 
Ruthshuru base, and conduct an assessment on November 18 or November 
¶19.  USAID/DART staff planned to raise concern with other 
implementing partners, UN agencies, and donors on November 18. 
 
¶20.  NGOs continue to report incidents of forced recruitment of 
young men from villages throughout Eastern Congo.  On November 19, 
Handicap International reported 12 cases of CNDP forced recruitment 
of young men in Rutshuru and eight in Kiwanja.  Another NGO reported 
that CNDP was also forcibly recruiting soldiers in Kichanga and many 
young men were hiding as a result. 
 
 
RESPONSE EFFORTS AND RELIEF COMMODITIES 
--------------------------------------- 
 
¶21.  Between November 12 and 18, USAID's Office of U.S. Foreign 
Disaster Assistance (USAID/OFDA) provided five flights of emergency 
relief commodities including a total of 10,000 blankets, 5,400 water 
containers, 500 rolls of plastic sheeting, and 5,000 kitchen sets 
valued at more than 800,000 USD arrived in Goma. USAID/OFDA 
consigned the relief commodities to UNICEF for distribution to 
25,000 IDP beneficiaries.  In addition, beginning on November 20, 
USAID/OFDA plans to deliver overland shipments of 20,000 mosquito 
nets, 30,000 sleeping mats, 15,000 kitchen sets, and 40,000 
kilograms of soap to Goma.  USAID/OFDA plans to consign the 
additional emergency relief commodities to UNICEF for distribution 
to IDP beneficiaries. 
 
¶22.  A six-person USAID/DART Team based in Goma continues to monitor 
population movements and assess humanitarian conditions in North 
Kivu Province, facilitate coordination and information sharing among 
UN and relief agencies, and work with implementing partners to 
address the needs of conflict-affected populations.  To date, 
USAID/OFDA has provided UNICEF with more than USD 3 million to 
support UNICEF's Rapid Response Mechanism (RRM). Since October 2007, 
USAID/OFDA has provided more than USD 22 million to the Democratic 
Republic of the Congo.  USAID/OFDA is supporting programs in 
nutrition, health, agriculture, food security, logistics and relief 
commodities, economy and market systems, protection, water, 
sanitation, and hygiene, and shelter and settlements 
 
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