protection of civilians

The M23 has been defeated militarily and today are set to sign a peace agreement with the government, but dozens of armed groups remain in eastern DRC, exposing civilians to daily violence.

In response to today’s announcement of the end of the M23 rebellion by M23 Commander Bertrand Bisimwa, Oxfam’s DRC Humanitarian Coordinator Tariq Riebl said:

A framework for peace in the Democratic Republic of Congo will fail to end the suffering of millions of peopleunless concrete actions are taken.

Over 700,000 vulnerable according to UN as North Kivu, in DRC, is hit by increased militarization, poor harvest & little access to clean water.

As the humanitarian crisis in eastern Congo grows, with thousands of people fleeing new fighting in the past 48 hours, Oxfam is stepping up the supply of life-saving aid to more than 80,000 people in and around Goma.

Communities in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo are being preyed on mercilessly by rebel groups and local militias, as well as their own government’s troops and officials, in a vicious cycle of exploitation and abuse according to a new Oxfam report.

More than 760,000 people have been displaced in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo since the beginning of 2012, in the Kivu provinces alone.

Renewed military action against the Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA) risks triggering further devastation for local people in DR of Congo, Central African Republic, and South Sudan unless more is done to protect civilians and prevent retaliations by one of Africa’s most brutal rebel groups.

Oxfam calls on governments meeting at the London Somalia Conference tomorrow to develop a coherent strategy towards the country that shifts away from the emphasis on short term security and anti-terror concerns towards a long term engagement that prioritizes the interests of ordinary Somalis.