FAO/GIEWS: Africa Report - August 1997

CONGO, DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF

CURRENT SITUATION

There was abundant precipitation over the entire country since the beginning of the year. Rainfall moved towards the north in May, decreased and stopped in the south and the centre and remained widespread over the north. In the north and south, the second maize crop is being harvested while the main maize planting is underway in the centre. Millet and sorghum are growing satisfactorily in the east. In Rutshuru, near Goma, the current sorghum, maize and coffee crops are reported to be poor, due to intermittent rains, lack of basic inputs as well as delayed plantings due to civil disturbances and population displacements. This might also be the case in many other areas, notably in eastern, central and southern areas, although the main foodcrops are cassava and plantains which can be stored in the ground and are less affected by a lack of inputs. Distribution of seeds and tools would be especially useful in the centre and the south, where the next planting season is starting in mid-August. The food supply situation is still critical in the east where severe malnutrition is reported among remaining refugees and the security situation is still tense. Humanitarian sources estimate the number of remaining refugees to more than 20,000, in addition to about 190,000 internally displaced persons (IDPs). Nearly 95,000 of them are in the Masisi, of whom the majority are people from the Hunde ethnic group prevented from going home by continuing insecurity. Some relief assistance is provided through missionary groups and NGOs. The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) reported that as of 6 July, a total of 54 500 refugees were repatriated from the Democratic Republic of Congo to Rwanda, of which more than 40 000 Rwandan refugees have been repatriated from the eastern city of Kisangani to Rwanda. About 5 000 people have been repatriated from Amisi, Kindu Punia and Tingi-Tingi. Other smaller numbers of IDPs are in Walikale, Kirotshe, Rutshuru, South Kivu and Shaba areas. A small scale food-for-work project is underway to rehabilitate the railroad between Kinsangani and Ubundu. Some 50 000 Rwandan refugees were also reported around Mbandaka, near the Congolese border, of which an unspecified number were in forest areas. Many of them were suffering from severe malnutrition. As of 18 June, about 8 000 of them had been repatriated by air to Rwanda. About 20 000 have also fled by boat to neighbouring Congo. There are an estimated 50 000 assisted and 119 000 unassisted Angolan refugees in the south of the country. Most of the unassisted population is expected to return spontaneously, following the improvement of the situation in Angola while repatriation for the assisted refugees is scheduled to begin by mid-1997. Around 92 000 Sudanese and 37 000 Ugandan refugees also remain in the country, of which more than 18 000 arrived since mid June, fleeing fighting in the district of Kasese in Uganda. In the Kasaï region, approximately 600 000 displaced people, who arrived in 1992, fleeing ethnic violence in the Shaba region are present. Many of them are self sufficient, except in Mwene-Ditu, where their nutritional situation is reported to be critical. The 1997 cereal import requirement (January/December) is estimated at 180 000 tons of wheat and rice and 60 000 tons of coarse grains.