Hundreds of thousands face severe hunger in the east, WFP says

Some 500,000 people face severe hunger in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), the UN World Food Programme (WFP) warned on Friday when it reported that its appeal to donors for US $38 million had gone "largely unanswered". In an alert to donors, the second in two months, WFP said it had received only 5 percent of the required funding. It added that its food reserves in the Congo were low, and that it had been unable to reach all vulnerable populations. In June, WFP appealed for the money to provide 46,000 mt of food aid for people affected by ethnic fighting in eastern Congo. WFP reported that, so far, New Zealand, Switzerland and Italy had responded and less than $2 million had been made available. Hundreds of people have been killed and thousands displaced by fighting among ethnic militias in eastern Congo. "Unless we can feed these people, the situation will just get worse," Jose Pita-Gros, WFP deputy country director in the DRC, said. "People are coming to the feeding centres exhausted and showing signs of malnutrition, especially the children." WFP said that at least half the population of eastern DRC was experiencing serious food shortages after five years of war. The agency said the fighting has had a catastrophic impact on food availability as farmers have been too afraid to work their lands. "Civilians report vicious attacks; they speak of rape, torture and random killings," WFP reported. The prevailing insecurity in the region, WFP said, also affected humanitarian agencies trying to reach the needy. The agency said it made two special food airlifts recently for the most pressing cases. One airlift to Bunia, the main town in Ituri District, is due to end on Saturday after delivering maize meal, pulses, oil and salt to some 65,000 new arrivals who previously had no access to food aid, WFP reported. This brings the number of people receiving WFP food aid in Bunia to about 185,000. In North Katanga, WFP said it was operating out of an airport at Kalemie and flying to the towns of Kongolo, Nyunzu and Kabalo. The agency said it would deliver 1,500 mt of food to at least 25,000 malnourished and displaced people over the next two months. Most of the aid will go to Kongolo, where thousands of people have sought refuge amid reports of continuing violence, WFP added.