DR CONGO / VIOLENCE EQUATEUR PROVINCE

Another region of the embattled Democratic Republic of Congo is embroiled in violence. More than 90,000 people have reportedly fled a wave of ethnic violence in Equateur province in the northwest of the country. The victims tell of marauding gangs of armed men who fire indiscriminately at civilians. UNHCR

• Categories: News & Features / News Stories / Unifeed
• Video Length: 00:02:59
• Production Date: 2 December 2009
• Asset Language: Original
• Corporate Name: UNITED NATIONS HIGH COMMISSIONER FOR REFUGEES - UNHCR
• Subject Topical: REFUGEES; DISPLACED PERSONS
• Geographic Subject: DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF THE CONGO; CONGO
• MAMS Id: U091202a

Description

STORY: DRC / VIOLENCE EQUATEUR PROVINCE
TRT: 2.59
SOURCE: UNHCR
RESTRICTIONS: NONE
LANGUAGE: ENGLISH / NATS

DATELINE: 17, 18, 19 NOVEMBER 2009, EBOKO, IMPFONDU, REPUBLIC OF CONGO

Shotlist

17 NOVEMBER. 2009, EBOKO, REPUBLIC OF CONGO

1. Various shots, pirogues coming across the Oubangui River from the town of Dongo
2. Various shots, refugees waiting for aid distribution.

17 NOVEMBER. 2009, EBOKO, REPUBLIC OF CONGO

3. Various shots, Chantal Makele with other injured in ward
4. SOUNDBITE (Ngwako) Chantal Makele, victim of ethnic violence in Western DRC:
“The shot that hit the child happened at 6 am when we were boarding the ferry to cross to the other side. Just when they wanted to release the boat cable the members of this group started to shoot in the boat. And when they fired into the boat, the girl was hit by a bullet. And many people were killed right there.”

18 NOVEMBER 2009, IMPFONDU, REPUBLIC OF CONGO

5. Various shots, injured in the men and women ward
6. SOUNDBITE (Ngwako) Kwalo Guamine, victim of ethnic violence:
“It was a Thursday morning I saw the people fleeing but since I am not from Dongo I didn’t know where I could hide. There was a boat nearby and we hid inside, all of a sudden some young guys with guns came on board the boat and I was the first person to be attacked. They shot me in the leg and the bullet came through the other side.”

17 NOVEMBER. 2009, EBOKO, REPUBLIC OF CONGO

7. Various shots, boat on river with UNHCR staff in it
8. Various shots, distribution of assistance to refugees
9. SOUNDBITE (French) Marc Futu, UNHCR Republic of Congo:
“Right now we are loading up the goods that will be distributed to those displaced following the inter-ethnic violence near Dongo, Zaire and then Messy.”

19 NOVEMBER. 2009, EBOKO, REPUBLIC OF CONGO

10. Various shots, distribution of assistance to refugees waiting by river bank
11. Various shots, Falco Factory where hundreds of refugees have sought shelter and were receiving aide

Storyline

The fighting is between members of the Enyele and Munzaya tribes, it is reportedly rooted in a dispute over fishing and farming rights.

The violence began in a village called Dongo and the residents fled across the Oubangui river into neighboring Republic of Congo.

Chantal Makele was trying to escape the violence with her 11 year old daughter, Ruth:

SOUNDBITE (Ngwako) Chantal Makele, victim of ethnic violence in Western DRC:
“The shot that hit the child happened at 6 am when we were boarding the ferry to cross to the other side. Just when they wanted to release the boat cable the members of this group started to shoot in the boat. And when they fired into the boat, the girl was hit by a bullet. And many people were killed right there.”

Ruth’s leg was later amputated. More than 20 percent of the refugees are arriving with gunshot wounds.

The UN refugee agency started a mobile clinic service to aid the wounded who are in isolated areas. UNHCR has helped seriously injured refugees to be transferred to Impfondo hospital.

Kwalo Guamine was visiting Dongo when he got caught up in the violence,

SOUNDBITE (Ngwako) Kwalo Guamine, victim of ethnic violence:
“It was a Thursday morning I saw the people fleeing but since I am not from Dongo I didn’t know where I could hide. There was a boat nearby and we hid inside, all of a sudden some young guys with guns came on board the boat and I was the first person to be attacked. They shot me in the leg and the bullet came through the other side.”

Seventy percent of the refugees are said to be women and children. UNHCR is using boats to bring assistance to the refugees who have sought safety in the villages along the Oubangui River.

Blankets and other essentials have been provided to the refugees- now estimated to number fifty four thousand. It’s estimated another thirty eight thousand are displaced inside DR Congo.

SOUNDBITE (French) Marc Futu, UNHCR Republic of Congo:
“Right now we are loading up the goods that will be distributed to those displaced following the inter-ethnic violence near Dongo, Zaire and then Messy.”

In Eboko, a village on the opposite bank from Dongo, weary refugees waited in the heat to receive their aid package. Some of the refugees are staying with local families- but others are building temporary homes outside the village.

In the Falco site, in Betou, hundreds of refugees are squatting in an abandoned match factory,

The conditions are deplorable, there is no running water and families are cooking and sometimes sleeping out in the open.