Military

DATE=5/13/2003

TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT

TITLE=UNICEF/D-R-C (L-O)

NUMBER=2-303157

BYLINE=DALE GAVLAK

DATELINE=GENEVA

INTERNET=YES

CONTENT=

VOICED AT:

INTRO: The U-N children's agency is rushing emergency supplies to victims of the recent massacre and other fighting in the Democratic Republic of Congo. V-O-A's Dale Gavlak has details from UNICEF headquarters in Geneva.

TEXT: UNICEF says it fears hundreds-of-thousands of people, mainly women and children, are suffering from the violence in Bunia, in northeast Democratic Republic of Congo along the border with Uganda. Agency spokesman, Damien Personnaz, says these people desperately need food and medical assistance.

/// PERSONNAZ ACT ///

We are trying to reach about 170-thousand people who are stranded. They just cannot go outside. They are very much hostages of the situation. There is a lot of looting, a lot of massacres which have been taking place especially last weekend, so the people are scared really to go out. What we know from the United Nations, from our office there, is that the critical needs of medicines and basic supplies are very much needed in hospitals because they are running out of medicines and they have been looted.

/// END ACT ///

Mr. Personnaz says UNICEF has sent essential drug kits as well as water storage containers and purification products to the area. He says these items are vital to setting up an emergency hospital to treat the injured. He adds that use of unclean water in the area could result in epidemics of diseases like cholera, which struck last September.

/// 2nd PERSONNAZ ACT ///

A situation that is even worse is the fact that the water treatment plant in Bunia is not functioning properly. It is only functioning for 10-percent of the population. And this will lead to a lot of waterborne diseases.

/// END ACT ///

UNICEF says it is working with other relief agencies to dispatch needed items. It says that fighting between Hema and Lendu tribes broke out in Bunia last Wednesday, the day after the last Ugandan soldiers withdrew from the area.

The U-N children's agency reports that about 30 people, including infants, were killed over the weekend. It says up to 50-thousand people have been killed and 500-thousand have fled mainly to Uganda in recent months. (SIGNED)

NEB/DG/AWP/RAE/FC