

RDC: Mouvement Social ‘MS” – Comite Executif National – Communique de Presse (08.10.2019)






UNHCR is providing returnees with transport, as well as cash assistance to help them reintegrate.
GENEVA, Switzerland, October 8, 2019 – This is a summary of what was said by UNHCR spokesperson Charlie Yaxley – to whom quoted text may be attributed – at today’s press briefing at the Palais des Nations in Geneva.
Thousands of Congolese refugees are returning from Angola to the Kasai region in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), where fighting amongst armed groups has lessened and security conditions have improved.
The first group of a few hundred people will return as part of a voluntary repatriation, which will officially being this week, following the signing on 23 August of a tripartite agreement between UNHCR and the Governments of Angola and DRC on voluntary returns.
In total, more than 4,000 refugees are expected to be assisted to return home in the coming weeks. UNHCR is providing returnees with transport, as well as cash assistance to help them reintegrate.
Meanwhile, since 18 August, some 12,000 Congolese refugees, including nearly 7,000 children, have spontaneously returned home from the Lovua settlement in Angola’s Lunda Norte province. UNHCR is grateful to the Angolan authorities for swiftly providing the returnees with trucks to assist them with their journey back to DRC.
Many of those returning spontaneously are facing extremely challenging living conditions. UNHCR is providing them with cash assistance, as well as humanitarian aid together with provincial authorities and NGO partners, at the border town of Kalamba Mbuji, where UNHCR has set up an emergency transit centre.
Similar assistance is also being provided to returnees who have reached Kananga, the capital of Kasai Central province.
Although fighting amongst armed groups has calmed, some refugees are still uncertain about the condition in which they will find their homes. Some are unwilling to return to their homes and are moving elsewhere, as they fear a return of inter-ethnic violence.
Public infrastructure, such as schools and health centers, have been badly damaged during multiple periods of fighting and are yet to be repaired. Existing facilities lack the capacity to meet all of the needs of returnees.
UNHCR continues to support the Government of DRC’s efforts to provide and restore basic services, and to promote social cohesion and reintegration efforts. UNHCR, through our partner War Child UK, is also conducting protection monitoring in Kananga and surrounding areas to identify and profile protection concerns, and ensure adequate responses.
However, massive financial support is needed from the international community, to humanitarian organisations and to the Government of DRC, to create sustainable conditions for returnees.
Current levels of funding are far below the amount needed to allow for a major rebuilding programme. For 2019, UNHCR has received just 57 per cent of US$150 million needed to help people affected by the DRC crisis.

The Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo was declared a Public Health Emergency of International Concern on 17 July.
GENEVA, Switzerland, October 7, 2019 – WHO Director-General, Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus has reconvened an Emergency Committee under the International Health Regulations (IHR) 2005 on Ebola virus disease in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
The Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo was declared a Public Health Emergency of International Concern on 17 July following the fourth meeting of the Emergency Committee. The first meeting took place on 17 October 2018.
The Committee will meet for a fifth time on 10 October 2019, in Geneva from 12-5 pm CEST, to ascertain whether the ongoing outbreak still constitutes a public health emergency of international concern and to review the temporary recommendations that are in place to manage the outbreak.
The Committee’s advice will be made public on WHO’s website and via a press conference (details below).
Background on the Ebola virus disease outbreak in Eastern DRC
The Democratic Republic of the Congo is grappling with the world’s second largest Ebola epidemic on record, with more than 2000 lives lost and 1000 survivors among the 3000 confirmed infections. The outbreak was declared on 1 August 2018, and has affected North Kivu, South Kivu and Ituri provinces. WHO and partners have been supporting national officials responding to the outbreak since it was first declared. WHO has more than 650 staff on the ground.
Neighbouring countries are taking steps to mitigate the risk of spread.
Sources of information:
• Ebola outbreak: https://www.who.int/emergencies/diseases/ebola/drc-2019
• Media resources: https://www.who.int/emergencies/diseases/ebola/drc-2019/media-resources
• Emergency Committee: https://www.who.int/ihr/procedures/ihr_committees/en/
WHAT: Virtual press conference (VPC) for journalists. An audio file of the press conference will be distributed to journalists shortly after the conference ends.
WHEN: 10 October, 2019 at 19:00 GENEVA time
WHERE: Geneva-based, UN-accredited journalists may attend the press conference in person at WHO headquarters in Geneva.
All journalists may dial in (see dial-in information below).
How to access the Virtual Press Conference – 10 October 2019
Please try to call in at least 10 minutes before the conference begins in order to be registered correctly. From the list below, please use the number closest to you. If you have problems with a number, try the toll number from a neighbouring country or call Switzerland: +41445806522, or France +33170709502, or the United States +18774230830
You can also use a VoIP programme such as Skype to call the US toll-free: +18774230830
On connecting, type PIN code: 63504156# on your telephone keypad and then record your name and media outlet (speaking clearly and slowly) and then press again the # key. Please note, only participants who have clearly identified themselves and their media outlet will be able to ask questions.
To ask a question during the question and answer session, registered participants should type 01 on their telephone keypad, this will place you in the queue to ask questions.


This Friday, there was reports of killings, of insurgency in the Musanze district in the border district to the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). It isn’t new that militias and rebels are crossing borders from Rwanda into the DRC or returns back. What is striking is the level of deaths and the favourable reporting from the authorities on the Rwandan side.
This is happening the same week, as the Rwandan authorities has displayed 25 Rwandan National Congress members in the Courts. The RNC, FDLR and MRCD have been working together of late and this weekends raid to be in response to this. However, that is just speculation. But wouldn’t be shocking that the RNC/FDLR/MRCD would react in this way after the losses of 25 members taken from them by the help of allies within the DRC.
Just take a look!
“19 Assailants responsible for killing civilians in Musanze On Friday, have been killed by Security organs, according to Rwanda Police’s statement. 5 more suspected assailants responsible for the attack have been captured Rwanda Police says the hunt is still on going” (Rwanda Broadcasting Agency, 06.10.2019).
“As for Musanze sector, it is next inside Musanze district, raising more questions as to how the attackers managed to reach this far inside Musanze district without detection. By virtue of it being such a key economic source for the country, and proximity to DR Congo, the region has obvious heavy military presence. There will be more questions as to how such an attack could have happened. According to initial reports from local villagers who were fleeing from the area into other sectors and Musanze, the attackers were speaking Kinyarwanda, with heavy accent. The villagers also said the assailants were rebels of the democratic forces for the liberation of Rwanda (FDLR)“ (The Chronicles Rwanda, 05.10.2019).
We can really wonder whose behind this, even if the Rwandan authorities will tell or the militias itself. Because, the militias would like to take credit to boost their moral and say they won over the state at one battle. Even if the state has killed several of their members and now have detained 5 more. Surely, the militia in question bled a bit out of this, but the state has done too. Even if their numbers are kept close its chest.
What is odd, is that the M.R.C.D., nor RNC or FDLR have taken any responsibility. If it was them, than they should have stated something or through their channels. However, it is silent. They have enough backers. Whose been peddling information over the years. That if they want it out. They get it out. But now its nothing. The state only showing signs of “victory”, even if the victories part is lacking. Since, it is only loss of lives and nothing substantially gained.
We only have the little information from the Chronicles, but nothing else. As the state are not saying anything. Neither, the possible militia behind it all. Not like when the MRCD did their raid a little while back. They took all responsibility and wanted to tell stories. Now it is utter silence.
We cannot know at this point, it is mere speculation, until the verified reports are out. But what is striking is that these issues are reoccurring and at a rate, that is not favourable to Kagame and his authorities. Peace.







