Protection, water and food are priorities in Bunia

UN agencies and international relief NGOs meeting in Goma on Monday listed civilian protection, water and sanitation, and food as the most urgent humanitarian needs in embattled Bunia, the principal town of Ituri District, northeastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). It was the first meeting of Bunia-based humanitarian workers since their weekend evacuation from the town, only hours before it was retaken from ethnic Lendu militias by ethnic Hema militias on Monday morning. Chief among concerns voiced by those in attendance was the failure so far of anyone to provide adequate protection for civilians. "There are 700 Congolese police, but less than half are currently armed, and they are ineffective," said representatives of international NGO Oxfam-Great Britain, in a written statement prepared by the organisation calling for immediate action by the UN Security Council. "MONUC's few troops on the ground have taken action, but the situation is beyond their control, with thousands of armed people present in the area. Strengthening MONUC, including the deployment of an additional taskforce of 1,500 troops authorised earlier this year, is essential, but this will not come fast enough for the people of Bunia," the statement said. Humanitarian workers also lamented MONUC's inability to protect several warehouses containing essential food and non-food items, many of which had been pillaged. However, they applauded the UN Mission's efforts to conduct food distributions from remaining stocks, an initiative which one senior UN humanitarian official called "well-organised". With regard to water and sanitation, Oxfam-Great Britain, which has worked in this domain in Bunia since 1999, expressed concern that untreated water would lead to outbreaks of disease. It reported that heavy rains had caused major damage to the electrical supply system of Bunia - without which the water treatment system cannot function. Furthermore, due to insecurity in the town, local water authority staff were unable to reach their workplace and begin repairs. Food, as well, has become an increasing source of concern, as markets remained almost empty and family food stocks were feared to be on the verge of depletion. "If this crisis lasts a week or longer, there will be a major food shortage," warned a representative of the Italian NGO, COOPI. "The [main food] market is being targeted, and no one wants to risk bringing food in to the town," said a representative of international medical relief NGO Medecins Sans Frontieres, who also raised concern about the dilapidated state of Bunia's health care system. Participants also voiced concern about what they termed the "lapse of time factor": once information reached humanitarian organisations now forced to relocate outside Bunia, the situation on the ground may have already changed. When the Union des patriotes congolais (UPC)launched its attack on Monday, it retook most the city within a matter of hours. Of some consolation was news that arrived during the gathering that representatives of the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs and MONUC had landed safely in Bunia, despite insecurity around the airport, to begin a four-day mission to ease tensions and negotiate the resumption of humanitarian activities.