Written question asked by Geoffrey Clifton-Brown (Conservative) on Tuesday, 5 December 2006, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Thursday, 7 December 2006. It was answered by Hilary Benn (Labour) on Monday, 18 December 2006 on behalf of the Department for International Development.

Democratic Republic of Congo Conflict

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development whether his Department plans to provide assistance to the people moving from eastern Democratic Republic of Congo into Uganda to avoid the conflict in the Democratic Republic of Congo; and whether he plans to make representations on the humanitarian situation to (a) the UN and (b) his EU counterparts.

Answer: Between 6 and 8 December an estimated 12,000 Congolese crossed into south-western Uganda to escape fighting between the Congolese army and a rebel group led by a renegade General called Laurent Nkunda. By 9 December fighting had stopped. Most of those who crossed into Uganda have now returned to their homes in the Democratic Republic of Congo. It is estimated that only 2,500 remain.The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) sent an emergency assessment team to the area on 7 December. UNHCR, the Red Cross and a number of other agencies are providing humanitarian assistance and the refugees now have clean water, shelter, food and access to health care.UNHCR and the other agencies involved have so far responded using their own contingency funds and they have not made any requests for additional resources. The DFID office in Uganda remains in close touch with UNHCR and is ready to help if required. Other EU member states that have missions in Uganda are also monitoring the situation closely.

Secondary information