20 Nov 2012

GENEVA / GOMA

UN humanitarian agencies said today they have temporarily suspended their operations in parts of eastern Democratic Republic of Congo as fighting escalates around the city of Goma. Meanwhile the M23 advance on Goma has prompted “significant new displacement” of civilians over the last few days. CH UNTV

Posted at: November 20, 2012 4:19 pm

Duration: 02:41

Available in: SD

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STORY: GENEVA / GOMA
    TRT: 2.41
    SOURCE: CH UNTV
    RESTRICTIONS: NONE
    LANGUAGE: ENGLISH/ NATS

DATELINE: 20 NOVEMBER 2012, GENEVA, SWITZERLAND / FILE

SHOTLIST:

FILE – RECENT, GENEVA, SWITZERLAND

1. Wide shot, Palais des Nations

20 NOVEMBER 2012, GENEVA, SWITZERLAND

2. Wide shot, press room
    3. SOUNDBITE (English) Jens Laerke, Spokesperson for Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA):
    "OCHA and the humanitarian community working there in the Kivu provinces in eastern Congo are extremely concerned about the impact that the escalating fighting is having on the protection of civilians and their displacement. We are also concerned that humanitarian operations are increasingly difficult to carry out."
    4. Close up, journalist
    5. SOUNDBITE (English) Jens Laerke, Spokesperson for Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA):
    "Humanitarian assessments who were scheduled for yesterday had to be cancelled following renewed fighting around Goma. Also the relocation of some NGO staff members from Walikale and Rutshuru territory in North Kivu has meant that aid is increasingly difficult to carry out, which in turn puts thousands of people at risk."
    6. Med shot, journalist writing
    7. SOUNDBITE (English) Adrian Edwards, Spokesperson for the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR):
    "The M23 rebel advance has prompted many people to flee towards Goma and Rwanda, and a major IDP camp at Kanyaruchinya has been virtually emptied.  Previously there were around 60,000 people there."
    8. Med shot, journalists at table
    9. SOUNDBITE (English) Marixie Mercado, Spokesperson for the United Nations Children Fund (UNICEF):
    "There is also a serious risk of a spike in cholera cases due to these population movements. Cholera was already present in the Kanyraruchinya camp and in Goma, and the camps that are receiving displaced people are seriously short of water and sanitation facilities. Last week in Goma, a sudden power outage caused serious water shortages, forcing many residents to drink lake water, and this heightens the risk of waterborne disease even more."
    10. Med shot, journalist
    11. SOUNDBITE (English) Rupert Colville, Spokesperson for UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (UNCHR):
    "The advances made by the M23 rebel group over the past few days have been accompanied by a significant number of violations of human rights and international humanitarian law committed against civilians, particularly those fleeing the combat zones. These violations include wounding and abduction of civilians including women and children, looting, and destruction of properties, and threats to journalists."
    12. Close up journalist
    13. SOUNDBITE (English) Rupert Colville, Spokesperson for UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (UNCHR):
    "On the 19th of November, so that's yesterday, the UN Human Rights staff reported shooting by members of the M23 in densely populated areas near Goma airport close to UN assets and personnel. Later on the same day, the Human Rights teams had to stop their investigative work and seek refuge in one of MONUSCO's military bases in the nearby town of Sake due to rising insecurity."
    14.  Wide shot, press room

STORYLINE:

Humanitarian agencies have temporarily suspended their operations in parts of eastern Democratic Republic of Congo as fighting escalates around the city of Goma, where most aid agencies operating in Eastern DR Congo base their operations.

Jens Laerke, Spokesperson for the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) told journalists at a briefing in Geneva that humanitarian assessment missions scheduled for yesterday (19 November) were cancelled following renewed fighting around Goma.

Laerke said relocation of some NGO staff members from Walikale and Rutshuru territory in North Kivu "has meant that aid is increasingly difficult, which in turn puts thousands of people at risk."

Fighting has escalated over the past week as government forces and the rebel group M23 battle for the control of Goma. The United Nations estimates that there are over 1.6 million internally displaced persons in eastern DR Congo as a result of fighting between the national army and rebel groups in the region.

UN agencies are appealing to parties in the conflict to respect the neutrality of humanitarian workers and allow aid distribution to continue unhindered.

The fighting has displaced tens of thousands of people who were living at Kanyaruchinya IDP camp some ten kilometres from Goma. Adrian Edwards, Spokesperson for the United Nations Refugee Agency (UNHCR) told journalists at the same briefing that the M23 advance "has prompted many people to flee towards Goma and Rwanda", and a spontaneous settlement at Kanyaruchinya housing some 60,000 people "has been virtually emptied."

The United Nations Children's fund (UNICEF) fears there could be a spike in cholera cases as those displaced may not have access to sanitation and clean water services.

UNICEF Spokesperson Marixie Mercado said "cholera was already present in the Kanyraruchinya camp and in Goma, and the camps that are receiving displaced people are seriously short of water and sanitation facilities."

Rupert Colville, Spokesperson for UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (UNCHR) said that the rebel advances "have been accompanied by a significant number of violations of human rights and international humanitarian law committed against civilians, particularly those fleeing the combat zones."

Colville reported "shooting by members of the M23 in densely populated areas near Goma airport close to UN assets and personnel."

He said Human Rights teams "had to stop their investigative work and seek refuge in one of MONUSCO's military bases in the nearby town of Sake due to rising insecurity."