Your daily Selection of IRIN Africa PlusNews reports, 4/28/2004

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U N I T E D N A T I O N S

Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs

Integrated Regional Information Network

CONTENT:

1 - DRC: Help victims of sexual violence among expelled Congolese, OCHA

says

1 - DRC: Help victims of sexual violence among expelled Congolese, OCHA

says

NAIROBI, 28 April (PLUSNEWS) - Tens of thousands of Congolese expelled

from Angola may be in need of psychological support and health care

following reports of systematic sexual violence they underwent upon their

expulsion, the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs

(OCHA) reported on Tuesday.

" OCHA calls for an increase in the capacity of health partners already

working on the ground and the financing of new partners with expertise in

sexual violence and the prevention and transmission of HIV/AIDS, " the

agency said in a report on the initial conclusions of a 23 April

inter-agency monitoring mission to Kahungula, in the southwestern province

of Bandundu.

Kahungula is one of the five border crossings into the Democratic Republic

of the Congo (DRC) for the diamond mine workers and their families being

expelled from Angola.

The OCHA report, based on information provided by the OCHA team in the

Congo, said new arrivals had reported abuses at the hands of Angolan armed

forces - including sexual violence and theft.

" Under the pretext of searching for hidden diamonds, Angolan military

agents have reportedly sexually abused women and girls, " OCHA reported.

" In addition to the psychological trauma caused, risk of HIV/AIDS

infection and other sexually transmissible diseases is high as military

agents are reportedly using unsanitary methods for internal body cavity

searches of both men and women. "

At the same time, OCHA reported that emergency aid for the expelled

67,000-plus Congolese, was still needed as soon as possible, although the

humanitarian situation for thousands expelled from Angola over the past

weeks may be stabilising in at least one affected zone.

Angolan authorities began to expel illegal immigrants from the country in

December 2003, targeting illegal workers in its diamond mines near the

border with the DRC. OCHA reported that the Congolese were being expelled

from the provinces of Malange, Lunda Norte, Lunda Sul and Kwanza Sul.

" To reach the border, many are forced to walk days. The weak and young are

left behind to their fate. Upon arrival in Congo, hungry, tired and

destitute, no transport is available to take them to their final

destinations, " OCHA reported.

It reported that transport assistance was needed as two trucks used by the

Office of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees in Kahemba, Bandundu

Province, were inadequate.

A shipment of relief aid arrived in the capital, Kinshasa, on Sunday from

the UN Humanitarian Response Depot in Brindisi, Italy. Items include

blankets, generators, boats and jerry cans, and will be distributed by the

UN Children's Fund, OCHA reported.

[The OCHA report is available online at:

http://www.reliefweb.int ]

[ENDS]

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