Humanitarian evaluation mission underway in Pool region

The first full-scale humanitarian evaluation of the entire Pool region of the Republic of Congo since the outbreak of civil unrest in March 2002 is currently underway. The inter-agency mission, comprised of several UN bodies and NGOs, seeks to identify the main humanitarian needs in the domains of health, nutrition, education, and shelter, with the objective of facilitating the eventual return of tens of thousands of internally displaced persons (IDPs) from the region. According to the Congolese government, at least 77,765 IDPs from the Pool region have been recorded, primarily in and around the national capital, Brazzaville, where 63,344 IDPs are living either with host families (40,960) or at designated sites (12,384). The region of Bouenza, southwest of Pool, is also host to an estimated 20,678 IDPs. The mission, which began on 29 May, is due to be completed on or around 7 June, depending on road conditions and any other unforeseen complications, at which point findings will be consolidated and analysed by participating agencies. Conflict erupted in Pool between government forces and "Ninja" rebels loyal to the Rev Frederic Bitsangou, alias Pasteur Ntoumi, in late March 2002. Tens of thousands of people fled the region, while fighting trapped many more. Those who escaped were usually able to receive relief support, but humanitarian access to the vast majority left behind in Pool has been sporadic if not impossible. An initial peace agreement reached on 17 March between the government and Ntoumi guaranteed amnesty to combatants willing to disarm. Several thousand are now awaiting either integration into the military or reinsertion into civilian life through micro credit projects run by the government with the support of international donors. Former rebels are also to be included in a special committee to be formed to establish peace in Pool. This is the first time that the government has granted the humanitarian community total access to the Pool region since March 2002.