ICRC launches relief efforts in Pool

Following three weeks of evaluation and preparation, the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) began on Thursday a major relief effort in the Pool region of southeastern Republic of Congo, which was largely devastated by a year-long civil war. In a statement issued on Friday from its office in Brazzaville, capital of the Congo, ICRC said it intended to reach some 10,000 families - approximately 50,000 people - across Pool by the end of 2003. Particular emphasis would be on the distribution of seeds and tools in the districts of Kinkala and Mindouli, with a view to restoring self-sufficiency to the population. "The overwhelming demand by the people was for the provision of seeds and tools, which shows that residents want to take control of their own destiny and to not have to depend on humanitarian aid in the long term," Maarten Merkelbach, the ICRC country representative, told IRIN. He said that some 50 percent of Pool residents had still not returned to their homes, six months after the signing of a peace accord 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. On the medical front, ICRC said it was targeting for assistance the Matoumbou, Madzia and Kibouende health centres in Kinkala, and the Missafou and Massembo health centres of Mindouli district. Efforts would focus on training of medical personnel, provision of medicines, rehabilitation of health centres, and provision of the centres with clean water. In its monthly report for September, the UN World Food Programme said that many Pool IDPs were returning to "an environment with no assets and food stocks, [with] no crops expected before at least a year". WFP warned that returnees and the displaced were therefore highly vulnerable to food insecurity, and said its efforts would be focused in this domain. It also called on humanitarian actors for seeds and tools distributions to supplement food aid. In June, international medical relief NGO Medecins Sans Frontieres was one of the first international humanitarian actors to return to Pool. Its efforts have focused primarily on rehabilitation of health facilities, the majority of which were pillaged during the year-long hostilities. It has also been involved in the reconstruction of key infrastructure, such as a bridge over the Loukouni River, as part of efforts to improve access to isolated populations. On Friday and Saturday, ICRC held an International Humanitarian Law (IHL) training session in Brazzaville for members of the follow-up committee of the 17 March peace accord. In addition to serving as a means of increasing the committee's understanding of IHL, ICRC said it also provided an opportunity for the two organisations to become better acquainted with each other.