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 assessment her Department has made of the safety of Sudanese refugees in the Democratic Republic of Congo.

Answer: Mrs. Spelman: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what assessment her Department has made of the safety of Sudanese refugees in the Democratic Republic of Congo. [79147] Clare Short: We have not made any specific assessment of the vulnerability of Sudanese refugees in the Democratic Republic of Congo. Many are in Ituri Province in the troubled North East of DRC, and are at risk in the current fighting as are the resident Congolese population. The fighting has a strong ethnic component, but we do not believe that for the time being the Sudanese are being specifically targeted. UNHCR estimate about 75000 Sudanese refugees in DRC. They are vulnerable, and suffer the same levels of abuse, deprivation, and lack of basic services, as the Congolese residents and other refugee groups. An estimated 17000 Refugees were scattered after an attacks on their camp at Beringi in Ituri province. The UN Security Council on 31/10 called on all parties involved in the fighting in the area to show restraint.

Secondary information