Client name : ABC Company
Start date : 30/11/2020
End date : 21/12/2020
Cost : 30.000,00 $
Description :

Joint operations by the military forces of the DRC, Uganda and South Sudan against the rebels of the Lord's Resistance Army (LRA), which began in mid-December, continue. Aerial bombardments in Garamba Park apparently caused LRA groups to disperse in several directions, towards the Sudanese border and further south into Congolese territory. To date, with ongoing military ground operations and the presence of the LRA making security conditions extremely volatile, many areas of Haut Uélé district are inaccessible to aid workers.

The situation in the district remains extremely worrying. During the Christmas holidays, LRA rebels carried out attacks on several localities. The rebels murdered civilians, torched houses, and abducted children and adults.

The first assessment is very heavy. According to local authorities there, on December 25, the rebels killed 40 people in the town of Faradje. On December 26 and 27, they reportedly attacked the locality of Doruma and the neighboring village of Gurba, killing 89 people in Doruma and 60 people in Gurba.

- Around 20 children were kidnapped during the attack on Faradje, according to local authorities. The exact number of adult abductees is not yet known. A total of 120 houses were set on fire. The attackers looted several shops and residential houses including the general hospital, the CEI office and the police barracks.

- After the attack, the rebels would have withdrawn towards Nagoro (west of the park) and Aba (north). According to FARDC sources in Dungu, 240 soldiers were deployed in Faradje on December 26. It is also reported that the UPDF and the SPLA, from Uganda and South Sudan, have just arrived in Doruma.

- The LRA would currently occupy seven villages around Doruma: Batande (7km NE of Doruma), Manzagala (5km NE of Doruma), Mabando (7km NE of Doruma), Bagbugu (8km SE of Doruma), Nakatilikpa (12km E of Doruma) ), Nagengwa (8km NE of Doruma) and Natulugbu (6km N of Doruma). The population is moving to Watsa, Banda and Ango (Bas Uélé).

Population movements

- The whole town of Faradje was emptied of its population of around 30,000 inhabitants. Most of the displaced have taken refuge in Tadu (37km from Faradje) and Kpodo (11km from Faradje). - With the resumption of fighting we can expect other population movements. The Bangadi region remains particularly vulnerable, having no military presence to date.

- A presence of displaced persons from Kiliwa and Paika was reported in Masabe (75 km from Dungu). The number is not yet known. Another group of around 180 households is said to be present in Duru. Both localities are considered to be at risk areas due to the presence of the LRA.

Humanitarian response

- On Tuesday December 30, WFP through its partner Caritas closed the first phase of food distributions for 721 displaced households in Mangiligili (15km south of Dungu). On December 26, Caritas distributed 8,649 tonnes of food to 640 displaced households or 3,200 beneficiaries in Nanzali (17km south of Dungu).

- UNHCR, through Caritas, will assist the same beneficiaries in Mangiligili with complete NFI kits harmonized with UNICEF on Monday, December 29. An additional distribution (mats, soaps and tarpaulins) will be made on December 30 for 999 households in Dungu town to complete the kits distributed by Caritas up front. After the distributions, the NFI balances will be made available to Solidarités in order to complete their kits.

- Since the start of the operation, around 63 tonnes of food have been distributed to 3,660 households, or around 18,300 displaced people assisted by WFP through its partners ADSSE and CARITAS. The airlift through which assistance was channeled was funded under the RRM. - Next week, the INGO Solidarités will proceed with a census of beneficiaries for the distribution of 1,200 UNICEF NFI kits in two localities of Dungu, Bamukandi and Ngilima.

Gaps to cover

- Medical care needs for 1,205 displaced people from Dungu to Isiro. The INGO Medair, partner of the Health Zones of the Haut Uélé Health District, does not have funding for this emergency.