4,000 more refugees in Kisoro district
Oct 20, 2008
ABOUT 4,000 Congolese have fled to Uganda and are now settled in areas around the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) border in Kisoro district, a UN report has said.
By John Odyek
ABOUT 4,000 Congolese have fled to Uganda and are now settled in areas around the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) border in Kisoro district, a UN report has said.
This follows rebel attacks in areas bordering Uganda in the North Kivu region of eastern DRC.
A team from the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) went to Kisoro district for a three-day assessment mission that ended on Friday.
The report said the aim of the mission was to assess the condition of the Congolese new arrivals and to discuss with them how best the UNHCR, the Government and other humanitarian agencies can support them.
Most of the refugees had settled with Ugandan families, the team observed.
“The Congolese new arrivals said they were not in need of assistance at the moment, as they were cared for by the Ugandans hosting them,†the report read.
“For the time being, they would not move from the villages along the border to a transit site that the UNHCR established in Nyakabanda, 15km from the DRC border. They want to be close to their homes in Congo to check on their property,†the statement added.
The UN expressed concern about the ability of the small health centres along the border to handle the refugees. They were also worried about the food reserves of the local population, which might run out if the number of refugees increased.
“UNHCR is going to coordinate with the district, the Government to see how best to support the residents and the refugees.
In addition to the 4,000 refugees who are settled along the border, 1,680 refugees have arrived to Nakivale refugee settlement in Isingiro district. This brings the total number of new arrivals to almost 5,000,†the report said.
The organisation is planning a mass information campaign with Kisoro district officials to inform the refugees about their rights and the assistance they would be offered in Nakivale refugee settlement.
“It is important that the refugees take informed decisions about their future.
UNHCR, the Government and other humanitarian actors are also updating the existing contingency plan to respond to a large scale influx of Congolese refugees. This would enable us provide an effective and timely response,†Stefano Severe, the UNHCR representative in Uganda, said.
In 2007, Uganda received four mass arrivals of refugees from Congo. Over 8,000 of them decided to settle in Nakivale refugee settlement. Uganda is host to 146,407 refugees, 48,606 of these are from DRC.
ABOUT 4,000 Congolese have fled to Uganda and are now settled in areas around the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) border in Kisoro district, a UN report has said.
This follows rebel attacks in areas bordering Uganda in the North Kivu region of eastern DRC.
A team from the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) went to Kisoro district for a three-day assessment mission that ended on Friday.
The report said the aim of the mission was to assess the condition of the Congolese new arrivals and to discuss with them how best the UNHCR, the Government and other humanitarian agencies can support them.
Most of the refugees had settled with Ugandan families, the team observed.
“The Congolese new arrivals said they were not in need of assistance at the moment, as they were cared for by the Ugandans hosting them,†the report read.
“For the time being, they would not move from the villages along the border to a transit site that the UNHCR established in Nyakabanda, 15km from the DRC border. They want to be close to their homes in Congo to check on their property,†the statement added.
The UN expressed concern about the ability of the small health centres along the border to handle the refugees. They were also worried about the food reserves of the local population, which might run out if the number of refugees increased.
“UNHCR is going to coordinate with the district, the Government to see how best to support the residents and the refugees.
In addition to the 4,000 refugees who are settled along the border, 1,680 refugees have arrived to Nakivale refugee settlement in Isingiro district. This brings the total number of new arrivals to almost 5,000,†the report said.
The organisation is planning a mass information campaign with Kisoro district officials to inform the refugees about their rights and the assistance they would be offered in Nakivale refugee settlement.
“It is important that the refugees take informed decisions about their future.
UNHCR, the Government and other humanitarian actors are also updating the existing contingency plan to respond to a large scale influx of Congolese refugees. This would enable us provide an effective and timely response,†Stefano Severe, the UNHCR representative in Uganda, said.
In 2007, Uganda received four mass arrivals of refugees from Congo. Over 8,000 of them decided to settle in Nakivale refugee settlement. Uganda is host to 146,407 refugees, 48,606 of these are from DRC.