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Note: This document is from the archive of the Africa Policy E-Journal, published
by the Africa Policy Information Center (APIC) from 1995 to 2001 and by Africa Action
from 2001 to 2003. APIC was merged into Africa Action in 2001. Please note that many outdated links in this archived
document may not work.
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Zaire: Sources / NGO Statement
Any links to other sites in this file from 1996 are not clickable,
given the difficulty in maintaining up-to-date links in old files.
However, we hope they may still provide leads for your research.
Zaire: Sources / NGO Statement
Date Distributed (ymd): 961105
Contains (1) Suggested on-line sources for updates, (2) Nov.
1 statement by Steering Committee for Humanitarian Response.
The next posting contains the Nov. 4 statement by Oxfam
International.
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Africa Policy Information Center (APIC)
APIC will continue to redistribute occasional statements
relevant to the crisis in Eastern Zaire and the Great Lakes
Region. Given the fact that our distribution list is
restricted to two or three items total in a week, however, and
also covers other African issues, those wishing more frequent
material and up-to-date news should also consult other
sources. Among those we have found most useful:
On the Web:
1. The Africa News web site has a special section on the Great
Lakes (http://www.africanews.org/greatlakes.html), with
current news updated several times daily plus links to other
sites.
2. ReliefWeb (http://www.reliefweb.int), with a mirror site
for North American users at
http://www.info.usaid.gov/ofda/reliefweb/, has updates
throughout the day, and includes Reuters, VOA, PANA, AFP, plus
statements from United Nations agencies and other key
international groups.
By E-mail:
3. The UN DHA Integrated Regional Information Network (irin),
based in Nairobi, has two mailing lists available, a high-
volume "wire" list and a lower-volume "digest" list with key
weekly updates and at present twice-daily updates on Eastern
Zaire. For more information, contact UN DHA IRIN, Tel: +254 2
622123,Fax: +254 2 622129, e-mail: irin@dha.unon.org.
4. The Zaire-News listserv contains news in both English and
French, including the well-informed reporting from Le Soir in
Brussels (accents don't come through on French-language
material). To subscribe, send email to:
listserv@RS6000.CMP.ILSTU.EDU
Leave the Subject area blank. In the Message area put: sub
zaire-news YourFirstName LastName
Or send a request to: akapanga@rs6000.cmp.ilstu.edu. The list
owner is Dr. Andre Kapanga, Illinois State University.
5. Info-Zaire, a periodical bulletin, is available on the
africa.news conference on the Association of Progressive
Communications networks (for information send a message to
apc-info@igc.org). The original French version is produced by
Entraide Missionnaire, 15 de Castelnau St. West, Montreal, Quebec,
H2R 2W3; Tel. (514) 270-6089; Fax (514) 270-6156;
E-mail: emi@web.apc.org. The English version is translated by
the United Church of Canada, and distributed electronically by
the Inter-Church Coalition on Africa, 129 St. Clair Ave. W,
Toronto, Ontario M4V 1N5 Canada, Phone: 416-927-2124,
Fax: 416-927-7554, E-mail: iccaf@web.apc.org.
Additional earlier background can be found on the Africa
Policy web site, in the archive of documents distributed in
1995 and 1996 (http://www.igc.org/apic/index.shtml).
************************************************************
International Humanitarian Coalition Launches Zaire Actions
Africa News Service - November 1, 1996
Geneva - Following is a statement issued by the Steering
Committee for Humanitarian Response, a coalition of seven of
the largest International Non-Governmental Organisations which
respond to humanitarian disasters.
The members include: Care International, Caritas
Internationalis, the International Federation of Red Cross and
Red Crescent Societies, the International Save the Children
Alliance, The Lutheran World Federation, Oxfam and the World
Council of Churches. All of these organizations or their
partners are providing humanitarian assistance during the
present crisis in the Great Lakes region of Africa.
BEGIN TEXT:
Once again the Great Lakes region of Africa is on the brink of
a major humanitarian disaster. The present violence and
ensuing population movements have further intensified an
already grave situation, stretching the capacity of
humanitarian organizations to meet human needs. Humanitarian
efforts are also hampered by the lack of accurate information
on refugee movements and by extremely limited access.
SCHR members are making preparations for different possible
outcomes. For example,
* Oxfam staff have contingency stocks of water equipment and
plans in place ready to respond as the situation develops. In
response to the movement of refugees in North Kivu, Oxfam
doubled its water supply capacity in Muganga to help provide
clean water and sanitation for the 200,000 refugees fleeing
from Kibumba.
* The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent
Societies supervised food distributions to these same
refugees, and other Red Cross volunteers conducted
distributions in Katale and Kahindo prior to the evacuation of
those camps. The Federation is preparing transit facilities
for Burundian returnees.
* Save the Children is preparing for the registration of
increased numbers of unaccompanied refugee children returning
to Rwanda and Burundi and will respond to the situation in
Zaire in the areas of health, family reunification and the
provision of non food items when the situation stabilises.
* Catholic Relief Services is supporting efforts of Caritas
Goma to alleviate suffering of people in Eastern Zaire through
the distribution of food and non food items.
* ACT/LWF is pre-positioning food and non food items in
Uganda, Rwanda and Tanzania, is preparing an assessment
mission to the west of Bukavu, and has a stand-by team in
Nairobi.
* CARE International has contingency stocks of food and non
food distribution equipment and contingency plans in place to
respond in North and South Kivu, Burundi and Rwanda. CARE is
providing transportation and logisitics for food distribution
in Magunga camp and CARE's Zairian and refugee staff are
providing health care and supervision of distributions in
Katale camp.
However, at the moment, much of the relief community's
essential humanitarian response is disrupted.
The current crisis is the most serious regional conflict since
the Rwanda genocide in 1994. Tensions between Zaire and Rwanda
are escalating. Zaire has accused Rwanda of supporting the
Banyamulenge with manpower and heavy weapons, while Rwanda has
accused Zaire of instigating the conflict. The crisis is a
symptom of a deeper instability in the region which must be
tackled if the people of Central Africa are to prosper and
know security again. It is possible that this crisis could
escalate into full scale war within Zaire or between Rwanda
and Zaire, leading to regional conflagration which spreads to
other countries.
To prevent the situation from deteriorating further, the
members of the Steering Committee for Humanitarian Response
urge regional factions, regional governments and the
international community to:
1. Accelerate efforts to address the underlying causes of the
conflict in the region through a regional political settlement
The current crisis in Zaire is symptomatic of a wider regional
crisis that has been simmering for years. It is part of the
failure of regional governments, various factions and the
international community to address the political, social and
economic problems that underlie the region's tensions. The
region will continue to lurch from crisis to crisis until a
coordinated negotiations process addresses the two key aspects
of the region's conflicts: the aftermath of genocide and
poverty. Tackling these issues will include reforming the
justice system, addressing citizenship and refugee return,
generating economic rehabilitation, and establishing
responsive and accountable government. The UN Security Council
with the OAU should intensify efforts towards coordinated
negotiations to reach a regional political settlement.
Humanitarian aid saves lives, but can never substitute for the
political will to reach solutions.
2. Intensify high-level diplomatic action to reduce tensions,
bring about a political settlement and guarantee humanitarian
access. The UN Security Council and other governments should
immediately agree a strategy to increase diplomatic pressure
to secure the protection of displaced peoples and refugees,
ensure the delivery of humanitarian assistance, and initiate
immediate negotiations between Zaire and Rwanda. Ambassador
Chretien should be given as much support as possible for his
work.
3. Develop adequate contingency plans for a humanitarian
response in the event of a widening war. Preparation should be
intensified by DHA and the UN agencies to agree a contingency
plan in the event of the further deterioration of the
situation. Local, regional and international non- governmental
organizations should be involved in these consultations.
Signed, CARE International, Catholic Relief Services (member
of Caritas Internationalis), Oxfam, The Lutheran World
Federation, Save the Children, World Council of Churches.
For further information contact: Karen Donovan, SCHR at 41 22
920 0971 in Geneva. Over the weekend contact: 31 20 620 4813.
[ENDS]
[Via the UN DHA Integrated Regional Information Network "Wire"
mailing list. The material contained in this communication may
not necessarily reflect the views of the United Nations or its
agencies. UN DHA IRIN Tel: +254 2 622123 Fax: +254 2 622129
e-mail: irin@dha.unon.org for more information. If you
re-print, copy, archive or re-post this item, please retain
this credit and disclaimer.]
Distributed via Africa News Online (http:/www.africanews.org).
************************************************************
This material is being reposted for wider distribution by the
Africa Policy Information Center (APIC), the educational
affiliate of the Washington Office on Africa. APIC's primary
objective is to widen the policy debate in the United States
around African issues and the U.S. role in Africa, by
concentrating on providing accessible policy-relevant
information and analysis usable by a wide range of groups and
individuals.
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