Written question asked by Caroline Spelman (Conservative) on Wednesday, 30 October 2002, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Wednesday, 6 November 2002. It was answered by Clare Short (Labour) on Wednesday, 6 November 2002 on behalf of the Department for International Development.

Dept for International Development

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what assistance her Department is providing to Sudanese refugees who have recently fled the Biringi refugee settlement from north-eastern Democratic Republic of Congo. - Inc figures.

Answer: Mrs. Spelman: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what assistance her Department is providing to Sudanese refugees who have recently fled the Biringi refugee settlement from north- eastern Democratic Republic of Congo. [79146] Clare Short: It is our understanding that these refugees have become entangled in the recent fighting in Ituri province, but are not themselves directly targeted. But the security situation in Ituri is a serious obstacle to effective relief operations as current insecurity severely restricts access. Most operational relief agencies are restricted to the town of Bunia. The nearest UNHCR staff are in Aru, 80km away. Local NGOs have been attempting to access the area in the past few days. We have not provided direct assistance to this group of people. This year my Department is providing over £10 million in DRC, and £7 million in Sudan, to address humanitarian needs. We also provide core funding to UNHCR. We continue to press all sides in the conflict to allow access to humanitarian agencies. We are also doing our utmost to help resolve the conflicts in DRC and Sudan that result in these displacements within and across borders. A press statement issued on 31 October by the Security Council expresses grave concern about the situation in Ituri, and appeals to all parties to show restraint.

Secondary information