New date set for return of Pool IDPs

The government of the Republic of Congo has set 15 September as its new date for returning thousands of internally displaced persons (IDPs) from the Pool region to their homes, revising its earlier target date of 31 July. "During a meeting held two days ago with representatives from the United Nations and humanitarian agencies, I announced in the name of the government the launch of a humanitarian contingency plan for the return of IDPs from Pool with a trial voluntary return of 500 people from the district of Kinkala [southern Pool] by railroad before the end of August," Emmilienne Raoul, minister of social affairs and humanitarian action, told IRIN on Friday. She added that the "necessary conditions" had not been in place to meet the earlier target date. The improved situation in Pool followed a peace agreement signed on 17 March between the government and "Ninja" rebels of Rev Frederic Bitsangou, alias Pasteur Ntoumi, which ended a year of hostilities. 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. The trial return from Kinkala would be conducted by the Congolese government, with support from numerous humanitarian agencies present in the country, Raoul said. An estimated 200,000 people were seriously affected by the year of hostilities in Pool, according to humanitarian agencies. While the majority of IDPs sought refuge either with host families or in IDP sites in the capital, Brazzaville, tens of thousands of others fled to the neighbouring regions of Lekoumou and Bouenza, to the west.