DATE=9/16/2000
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
TITLE=CONGO / DISPLACED (L-ONLY)
NUMBER=2-266599
BYLINE=SCOTT STEARNS
DATELINE=GBADOLITE, CONGO
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:
/// Re-running w/correct in 9th graph from text ///
INTRO: Renewed fighting in the Democratic Republic of
Congo has displaced thousands of civilians, raising
humanitarian need as prospects for peace fade. V-O-
A's Scott Stearnes reports from northern Congo.
TEXT: The collapse of Congo's cease-fire has
refocused international donors on humanitarian need,
as their efforts to negotiate a political end to the
war show less and less chance of success.
Fighting between government troops and northern rebels
over the last three months has displaced thousands of
civilians, many of them crossing the Ubangi River into
neighboring Congo-Brazzaville. With both sides of
this front prepared for more fighting, relief
officials say humanitarian needs here will only grow.
Charles Petrie is the United Nations humanitarian
coordinator for Congo. He says the aid community must
be prepared to act regardless of the success or
failure of the Lusaka peace plan.
/// PERIE ACT ///
Humanitarian need, the suffering of the people
will continue whether Lusaka works or not. If
Lusaka works, then we work in a dynamic of, ah,
of appeasement, or in an environment of, of
appeasement and reduced conflict, which makes it
a lot easier to work. If, ah, if Lusaka, the
different clauses of Lusaka aren't respected,
then it does make it more difficult, because we
were, were into a, a logic of greater conflict.
/// END ACT ///
Mr. Petrie says that means negotiating for access to
civilians in need instead of operating freely across
the lines. It also means being able to respond
quickly to changing situations, where combat puts a
particular group of civilians at risk overnight.
The last months of fighting drove many people from
their farms before the harvest. So there are expected
to be some food shortfalls along the Ubangi River.
But relief officials say the greatest need here is
medical.
/// ACT, HOSPITAL NOISE ///
At the hospital in the northern town of Gbadolite,
women and children wait in line at the pharmacy. Dr.
Alexis Bulnker says the hospital functions but just
barely, each day trying to meet the minimum needs of
its patients.
/// BULNKER ACT, IN FRENCH ///
Dr. Bulnker says "we have only the minimum supplies of
drugs at the hospital here. It's enough to keep
working, but not enough to deal with an unexpected
influx of civilians or war wounded."
The hospital does get some support from the aid group
Medecins sans Frontieres, or Doctors without Borders.
Sonja Vanosch works with the Belgian chapter of the
medical relief group. She says there's a shortage of
both drugs and trained local medical staff. There are
already more people who need help than there is help
available in Congo.
Ms. Vanosch says the number of needy is expected to
rise as aid groups carry out more assessment missions
along the Ubangi River, where many people are still
afraid to go home.
/// VANOSCH ACT ///
Is difficult because the people, they don't know
what to expect. They are afraid, as you see
here, people go to the bush, they don't have to
come back, if they hear a plane they don't think
that it's humanitarian aid, but they think about
another bombing. So the access to people makes
life difficult, for them and, and for us.
/// END ACT ///
Relief officials say there's been a dramatic increase
in the number of displaced civilians and areas of
insecurity in Congo. In north Kivu province, for
example, the number of displaced a year ago was a
hundred and 20-thousand. Now, it's estimated to be
more than seven-hundred and 50-thousand. That means
more people in need of more help at a time when
there's more fighting and less of a chance for peace.
(Signed)
NEB/SS/ALW/PLM
16-Sep-2000 16:58 PM EDT (16-Sep-2000 2058 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
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