Ituri

11.2.4. Access to education

ACAPS reported in May 2019 that “Fighting in the affected area led to the closure of schools.

It is currently unclear when schools will re-open as teachers are likely to be among those

displaced (OCHA 16/05/2019). Considering the large number of displaced people, host

communities’ education facilities are likely unable to absorb the influx. Furthermore, the

lack of livelihoods and limited resources as well as food insecurity prevalent in the area are

likely to have an impact on education, as limited funds tend to be allocated to the

acquisition of food items (NRC 16/10/2018; Food for the Hungry, 30/11/2017)”.

In March 2018 the Assessment Capacities Project (ACAPS) reported that since December 2017 “Intercommunal violence between Lendu and Hema communities *…+ has internally displaced over 300,000 people and led to a severe humanitarian crisis *…+ Thousands of houses have been burned down and livelihood activities, including agriculture, have been disrupted, resulting in significant needs for shelter and food assistance”.

The briefing note specifically mentioned that “The highly volatile security context is constraining the access to the most affected areas, including displacement sites. Temporary suspension of humanitarian operations due to insecurity occur regularly”.

Following UNHCR’s team visit to the area where months of conflict between the Hema and Lendu ethnic groups resulted in the displacement of around 350,000 people, UNHCR reported in mid-July 2018 that “conditions at displacement sites are as desperate. In many places, there is no clean water, no access to healthcare and inadequate sanitation facilities.

This is particularly concerning at the displacement site near to the General Hospital in Bunia, where there is a significant and rising risk of diseases spreading. There, the rate at which people are dying has been increasing. Several people were registered dead in June [2018], while the number of people suffering from respiratory diseases and anemia is growing fast”.

UNHCR reported at the end of September 2018 that “in Djugu Territory, Ituri province, a series of new attacks are destabilizing the area which was on the way to stabilization after having been shaken by massive violence in the first half of the year, displacing an estimated 350,000 people. This return to peace is now being threatened, and UNHCR staff report 16,000 people fleeing their homes, many of them for the second time in one year”.

The same source further noted that “Some of the displaced in Ituri have again joined their former host families but others lack proper shelter and are forced to live in the open. They are in urgent need of shelter materials, food and medicines”.

During the reporting period 2 October to 31 December 2018 on the activities of MONUSCO the UN Secretary-General provided the following summary with regards to the humanitarian situation in Ituri: “Fighting in Djugu territory, Ituri Province, in early November displaced thousands of people towards Irumu and Mahagi and exacerbated pre-existing needs for protection, food, health and shelter”.

Basing its analysis on country information compiled by a range of sources the Assessment Capacities Project (ACAPS) reported in May 2019 that “Displaced populations are particularly exposed to protection risks such as SGBV, survival sex, and the forced recruitment of children into armed groups. These continue to be grave concerns among the displaced in Nord Kivu and Ituri provinces (UNHCR 10/05/2019; IRIN 10/01/2019; UNICEF

729 Assessment Capacities Project (ACAPS), DRC, Conflict induced displacement in Ituri, 16 March 2018, p. 1

730 Assessment Capacities Project (ACAPS), DRC, Conflict induced displacement in Ituri, 16 March 2018, p. 1

731 UNHCR, UNHCR team hears accounts of barbaric violence in eastern Congo’s Ituri region, 13 July 2018

732 UNHCR, UNHCR alarm at recent attacks and rising displacement in eastern DRC, 28 September 2018

733 UNHCR, UNHCR alarm at recent attacks and rising displacement in eastern DRC, 28 September 2018

734 UN Secretary-General, United Nations Organization Stabilization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, 4 January 2019, II. Major developments, D. Humanitarian situation, para. 35

31/01/2019)”.

The same source further noted that “A recent survey of 18,000 displaced people in Ituri province found that 85% of displaced children did not possess birth certificates, exposing them to multiple protection risks, including statelessness (UNHCR 10/05/2019)”.

ACAPS reported in June 2019 that “Since early June intense intercommunal clashes between Hema and Lendu communities led to the displacement of more than 300,000 people across Djugu, Mahagi and Irumu territories of Ituri province in northeast DRC. The majority of people are staying in host communities, mostly in public buildings or in the open. Some 30,000 people have arrived at existing displacement sites and at least 4,500 people crossed into Uganda in search for safety and assistance as of 18 June. Displaced people are in urgent need of shelter, NFI, and food assistance; however, most affected areas are largely inaccessible for humanitarian operations. Protection concerns are high as at least 161 people have been killed since 10 June and other incidents of extreme physical violence and sexual violence have been reported”.

The same source further noted that “Armed youth belonging to both groups are restricting movement of displaced people to access assistance and services (UNHCR 18/06/2019)”.

The UN Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination Against Women issued on 22

July 2019 its ‘advanced unedited version’ of its ‘Concluding observations’ and expressed its

‘deep’ concern “that the majority of internally displaced people are women and children, including elderly women, and that they lack access to humanitarian assistance, including food and health services, in particular in the Ituri province”.

11.3.1. Access to housing

Basing its analysis on country information compiled by a range of sources the Assessment Capacities Project (ACAPS) reported in March 2018 that “Houses are systematically burned in the attacks. Thousands of houses in over 70 villages have been burned down, mainly in Djugu territory (Congo Research Group 05/03/2018; UNICEF 16/02/2018; UNHCR 15/02/2018). Most of the IDPs are in need of shelter and NFIs. Many of them have sought refuge in churches or schools in order not to spend nights outside (OCHA 08/03/2018; Radio Okapi 03/03/2018; UNHCR 15/02/2018)”.

An August 2018 report from Refugees International described “Displaced communities have temporarily resettled in various camps throughout the province or have been residing in the homes of friends and family. The majority of the Hema fled south to the city of Bunia, or to

735 Assessment Capacities Project (ACAPS), DRC Conflict and displacement in Nord Kivu and Ituri, 14 May 2019, p. 3

736 Assessment Capacities Project (ACAPS), DRC Conflict and displacement in Nord Kivu and Ituri, 14 May 2019, p. 3

737 Assessment Capacities Project (ACAPS), DRC: Displacement in Ituri, 21 June 2019, p. 1

738 Assessment Capacities Project (ACAPS), DRC: Displacement in Ituri, 21 June 2019, p. 3

739 UN Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination Against Women, Concluding observations on the eigth periodic report of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (Advance unedited version), 22 July 2019, E. Principal areas of concern and recommendations, Internally displaced womena dn girls, para.

48

740 Assessment Capacities Project (ACAPS), DRC, Conflict induced displacement in Ituri, 16 March 2018, Crisis impact, Shelter and NFIs, p. 2

villages along the Djugu-Bunia road, whereas many from the Lendu community fled into the Mahagi and Irumu territories”.

The same source further reported that:

Following the second spike in violence in early February [2018], populations formed two displacement camps in the city of Bunia, on the grounds of the hospital and near a school. In these camps, aid is limited. Food distributions occur on a monthly basis in both, but many of the IDPs stated that the food rations were insufficient to last the month. In April [2018, the government authorities supported the return of 398 households from Bunia to their areas of origin. The government provided kits with basic nonfood items and transportation back, but the majority of those who chose to return found that their home areas were still dangerous.

Further, they had no access to their fields because of security concerns or found that their crops had been stolen or burnt. Most chose to return to living in camps in Bunia, and they do not anticipate returning until security concerns have been addressed and the dry season comes to an end in the fall.⁷⁴²

According to the same source:

The residents of the camps that RI [Refugee International] visited along the Bunia-Djugu road, in the villages of Iga Barrière and Lopa, stated that they were not receiving any food or shelter assistance. However, the camps were equipped with water and sanitation facilities, and the residents reported having access to local health centers that were being supported by NGOs.⁷⁴³

Reach Initiative’s Joint WASH and Shelter Assessments in the provinces of Central Kasai, South Kivu, Maniema, Tanganyika, Upper Lomami, Haut Katanga, North Kivu and Ituri published in December 2018 stated that [unofficial translation] “In *…+ Ituri, in *…+ 21% *…+

of the AS [health areas] covered, ICs [Informateur clé: Key informants] indicated that IDPs did not have access to land to build shelters”.

UNOCHA reported how in the last quarter of 2018 “80% of internally displaced persons have limited access to essential household goods. In host families as well as in the sites, displaced people live in crowded conditions and lack essential household items, including clothing and bedding to protect them from the elements”.

In February 2019 Médecins Sans Frontiers (MSF) described the housing situation for IDPs in Ituri as follows:

Some of the makeshift straw huts have been reinforced with plastic bags or sacks left over from past food distributions, but this provides scant protection from the rain [in Tsé Lowi site] “It helps a little, but in most huts the water still seeps in,” says Mambo, who lives in Tsé Lowi. “Some people have no protection at all.”Mambo’s neighbour, Joachim, joins in. “There

741 Refugees International, Leaving Millions Behind: the harmful consequences of donor fatigue in the Democratic Republic of Congo, August 2018, p. 12

742 Refugees International, Leaving Millions Behind: the harmful consequences of donor fatigue in the Democratic Republic of Congo, August 2018, p. 12/13

743 Refugees International, Leaving Millions Behind: the harmful consequences of donor fatigue in the Democratic Republic of Congo, August 2018, p. 13

744 Reach Initiative, Evaluations conjointes EHA et abris dans les provinces du Kasai Central, Sud Kivu, Maniema, Tanganyika, Haut Lomami, Haut Katanga, Nord Kivu et Ituri, December 2018, p. 24 [Unofficial translation provided by a COI researcher]

745 UNOCHA, Plan Opérationnel d’urgence 2019: Provinces de Nord Kivu et de l’Ituri (RD Congo), Jan- Jun 2019, 10 April 2019, p.9 [Unofficial translation provided by a COI researcher]

are no tarpaulins, no food, no latrines and only one water source that’s far away with a very low flow,” he says. “People are worried about finding food. We live in great difficulty.” *…+

Limani and Tsé Lowi are just two of 13 similar sites in the Nizi region, which together shelter around 10,000 people. Elsewhere in Djugu territory, part of Ituri province, there are an estimated 26 similar sites, while a further 8,700 people are sheltering in two sites in the city of Bunia. According to the International Organization for Migration (IOM), the displaced people living in these informal sites represent just one quarter of the total number of displaced people in the region, most of whom live with host families.⁷⁴⁶

In June 2019 UNHCR reported that:

Violence in north-eastern parts of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) is reported to have displaced more than 300,000 since early June *2019+ *…+

The majority of the displaced have sought shelter with the host communities. Some 30,000 arrived in existing displacement sites where conditions were already dire, with many needs including shelter and health *…+ People are now sleeping in the open or in public buildings, with the biggest concentration of displaced people being 10,000 sleeping in or near the church in Drodro, Djugu Territory, without any viable assistance. Nearly 20,000 people have reached Ituri’s provincial capital, Bunia. Efforts are underway to identify suitable sites around the city. Many more people are trying to get to the relative safety of sites near Bunia but are reportedly blocked by armed youth from both ethnic groups. Others are trying to cross Lake Albert to Uganda.⁷⁴⁷

ACAPS reported in June 2019 that “Emergency shelter and household items are priority needs of displaced people, who are mostly staying in open spaces, with little protection from the ongoing rainy season. The influx of new IDPs to existing displacement sites strain the capacity of the settlements and increase existing needs for shelter materials and household items”.

11.3.2. Access to livelihood

Basing its analysis on country information compiled by a range of sources the Assessment Capacities Project (ACAPS) reported in March 2018 that “Violence and displacement have disrupted the agricultural system and resulted in significant loss of maize harvest, driving most of the conflict-affected areas into Crisis food insecurity (IPC3). The next harvest season (June to August) is likely to be negatively impacted by the conflict as people are likely to have limited access to their fields. The most affected territory is Djugu which is especially concerning as it is considered to be the grain basket of the province (Jeune Afrique 13/03/2018; Fews Net 28/02/2018; OCHA 28/02/2018)”.

A Report from Refugees International from August 2018 described:

Much like those in Beni, the vast majority of affected populations from Djugu are agriculturalists. Persistent violence has not only uprooted them from their homes but has also cut them off from their sole sources of income and food. Now, they have missed two planting seasons, from which they could store food for their families or sell to markets.

746 Médecins Sans Frontiers (MSF), Ten thousand people living in desperate conditions in northeastern DRC, 7 February 2019

747 UNHCR, Massive displacement reported in north-eastern DRC amid new violence, 18 June 2019

748 Assessment Capacities Project (ACAPS), DRC: Displacement in Ituri, 21 June 2019, p. 2

749 Assessment Capacities Project (ACAPS), DRC, Conflict induced displacement in Ituri, 16 March 2018, Crisis impact, Food, p. 2