Almost half a million displaced persons

There are now an estimated 467,000 internally displaced people (IDPs) reported in the DRC, the latest monthly update from the Office of the UN Humanitarian Coordinator said. In Katanga province, an estimated 40,000 IDPs were believed to be scattered west of Manono, while some 50,000 residents of the Tchuapa and Ubangi districts in Equateur province fled renewed hostilities in the last days of March and were believed to be hiding in nearby forests. About 20,000 displaced people were staying with host families in the Kabare/Kalehe zones of South Kivu, while military activity has resulted in continued population displacement in the Walungu-Mwenga-Shabunda axis of the province. Many displaced people were reportedly arriving at Idjwi, according to the report, received by IRIN today. In North Kivu, people from the Masisi district were reported to be returning to their home communities after eight months of displacement. Increased banditry and frequent raids by Interahamwe militia, however, continued to displace a considerable number of people in rural areas of Rutshuru-Kanyabayonga. Other recent population displacements were reported in Maniema and in Kasai Oriental provinces.