• Military Menu                       

• Introduction
• Systems
• Facilities
• Agencies
• Industry
• Operations
• Countries
• Hot Documents
• News
• Reports
• Policy
• Budget
• Congress
• Links

• WMD
• Intelligence
• Homeland Security
• Space

UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs

DRC: Ituri commission adopts interim measures to end hostilities

NAIROBI, 14 April 2003 (IRIN) - The 177 delegates of the Ituri Pacification Commission (IPC) adopted on Sunday a series of interim measures to end hostilities and provide a provisional administration in Ituri District, eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), the UN Mission in the DRC, MONUC, reported.

MONUC reported in a statement that pending the setting-up of a transitional government in Ituri, the delegates agreed to the creation of a Provisional Assembly with 32 members. In addition, there will be an executive body, with a commissioner and four assistant commissioners responsible respectively for administration, infrastructure, finance and the economy. The IPC, which met in Bunia, the principal town of the district, agreed that the interim bodies would be under the chairmanship of the special representative of the UN secretary-general in the DRC, Behrooz Sadry.

The delegates agreed that a Commission of Prevention and Verification with 18 members would examine the causes of the conflict and establish measures to prevent any escalation; it would look at allegations of violations, establish appropriate groups to investigate them and submit its results and recommendations to the assembly.

A consultative committee of armed groups involved in the conflict, comprising nine members, will evaluate the security situation in Ituri and ensure the containment of armed forces, facilitate the demobilisation of child soldiers and ensure that all armed groups respect human rights. The committee will answer to the Commission of Prevention and Verification. The delegates agreed that both bodies will be chaired by MONUC.

A provisional human rights body with 17 members will help victims of human rights violations to obtain legal and other support; it will follow up on any legal cases brought and give reassurances that anyone charged will have a fair trial. The body will also be responsible for informing the public about human rights issues.

The Ituri commission also made a formal appeal for the protection of children. MONUC reported that delegates hoped the appeal would create the right conditions to ensure respect for children's rights and to enable child soldiers to be demobilised and reintegrated into their communities.

Hostilites in Ituri, mainly between the Lendu and Hema communities, dates back years. But it has intensified significantly over the past four years in parallel with the wider war in the DRC and thousands of people have been killed. MONUC is currently investigating a massacre of Hema people allegedly by Lendu attackers in the town of Drodro on 3 April.

The Ituri Pacification Commission began work on 4 April, two days after all parties to the wider war in the DRC signed a peace agreeement in Sun City, South Africa. Ugandan troops that now control Bunia have promised to begin withdrawing on 24 April, as long as MONUC is there to help provide security once they have gone.

Themes: (IRIN) Conflict, (IRIN) Governance

[ENDS]

The material contained on this Web site comes to you via IRIN, a UN humanitarian information unit, but may not necessarily reflect the views of the United Nations or its agencies. If you re-print, copy, archive or re-post any item on this site, please retain this credit and disclaimer. Quotations or extracts should include attribution to the original sources. All graphics and Images on this site may not be re-produced without the express permission of the original owner. All materials copyright © UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs 2003