Ituri displaced hit 150,000

Up to 150,000 people are displaced by the conflict, say humanitarian workers in the area. A large displaced group in Drodro Catholic Mission, occupying two large church buildings and a secondary school, are in poor shape after camping out without assistance since the conflict started last
June.

Kwashiorkor and marasmus is evident in children and adults, and there are deaths from diarrhoeal sickness. Skin diseases, cholera and hepatitas are also present. Thirty-five people have died among the group and been buried in fields nearby.

Despite reassurances by the authorities that it is safe to return home, individual cases of attacks continued last week when Hema and Lendu returnees attempted to go back to their land. A Hema man with serious machete wounds to the head was admitted to Bunia hospital last Thursday after returning to look for food in his fields in Bambumine. Last week, there were unconfirmed reports of killings of Lendu returnees in Tchomia;
and one Hema man was admitted to Drodro hospital with arrow wounds after new attacks in the Blukwa area.