DATE=3/10/2000
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
TITLE=CONGO REFUGEES (L-ONLY)
NUMBER=2-260070
BYLINE=LISA SCHLEIN
DATELINE=GENEVA
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:
INTRO: The United Nations Refugee Agency, U-N-H-C-R,
says refugees from Congo-Kinshasa continue to flee
across the river to neighboring Congo-Brazzaville to
escape fighting between government soldiers and
rebels. Lisa Schlein in Geneva reports the agency
says about 10-thousand refugees have fled to Congo-
Brazzaville over the last month, increasing the total
to around 25-thousand.
TEXT: The United Nations Refugee Agency says for a
time there was a lull in fighting between the
government soldiers and rebels. And, the agency had
hoped that the worst was over. But U-N-H-C-R
spokesman, Jacques Franquin, says the respite was
short-lived. He says people have been fleeing at a
steady rate from Congo-Kinshasa into Congo-Brazzaville
to get out of the danger zone.
/// FRANQUIN ACT ///
People report when they cross the river that
they fear much more the governmental troops.
That they are harassed, looted, that the
soldiers are taking their crops, etc. Apparently
this is also a kind of retaliation of the
governmental soldiers against the population who
appears to be, and I say appears to be, much
more pro-rebels.
/// END ACT ///
The refugees are fleeing fighting between government
troops and the Ugandan-backed Congolese Liberation
Movement.
Mr. Franquin says the refugees are scattered along a
500-kilometer stretch of land on the Congo-Brazzaville
side of the border. He says they have settled in
remote, difficult to reach villages. So far, he says
aid workers only have managed to reach 13-thousand-500
refugees in 17 villages around Impfondo. This is
about one-thousand kilometers north of the capital,
Brazzaville.
/// FRANQUIN ACT ///
This is one of the most difficult places to
reach in the world. This is a swampy area with
a lot of rivers -- the Ubangui River, the Congo
River. There is no road. Or if there are some,
they have been destroyed. So, that means the
only way to reach those people is by boat.
/// END ACT ///
Mr. Franquin says the aid agency has very little fuel
for the boats, and this is a big problem. He says the
agency's fuel supply was looted a month ago.
He says the refugees are in good health, although
malaria is a big problem. He says local nurses are
going from village to village by boat to provide the
refugees with health care and to vaccinate the
children against diseases. He says many of the
refugees are fishermen and get their food from the
river. Mr. Franquin says United Nations and
government officials are beginning an assessment trip
to the region on Sunday. They will map out ways to
reach the refugees and provide them with assistance.
(Signed)
NEB/LS/GE/JP
10-Mar-2000 12:52 PM EDT (10-Mar-2000 1752 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
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