US embassy cable - 05KINSHASA457

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 KINSHASA 000457 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
 
FOR PRM, ALSO PLEASE PASS TO USAID FOR GHD FOCAL POINT 
POSTS FOR REFCOORDS. USUN FOR MALY AND POLSEC 
 
E.O. 12958; NA 
TAGS: PREF, PHUM, PGOV, CG 
SUBJECT:  UNHCR DONORS VISIT SOUTH KIVU 
 
REF: A. KINSHASA 00224 
B. GENEVA 00589 
 
1.  (SBU) SUMMARY:  UNHCR hosted a field mission for 
donors to South Kivu February 14-16.  This mission gave 
donors an opportunity to view firsthand the current 
state of affairs, infrastructure, political climate and 
security concerns surrounding processing of refugees in 
South Kivu.  The mission also afforded the delegation 
the opportunity to meet with South Kivu UNHCR, other UN 
agencies, provincial and territorial officials, 
relevant partners and contractor personnel. 
 
The Delegation 
-------------- 
2.  (SBU) The group traveling to South Kivu consisted 
of representatives from the French and Danish foreign 
ministries, the German and Swedish permanent missions 
to Geneva, the Belgian and U.S. Embassies in Kinshasa, 
the Swiss Ambassador to the DRC, ECHO-DRC, the 
USAID/DRC Director, the UNHCR Representative to the DRC 
and the UNHCR/DRC External Relations Officer, in 
addition to a staff member from UNHCR-Geneva. 
 
The Mission 
----------- 
3.  (SBU) Following a January 20, 2005 tripartite 
agreement between the DRC, Tanzania and UNHCR,(REF A) 
MONUC, other UN agencies, partners and donors began to 
measure needs prior to the scheduled return of 
approximately 150,000 refugees from Tanzania.  Local 
UNHCR staff piloted the delegation in South Kivu. The 
group visited Bukavu, Uvira, Baraka and Fizi, and 
concentrated on regional security issues, refugees 
leaving South Kivu for Rwanda and Burundi, Congolese 
returnees, and issues of food, housing, education and 
health. 
 
South Kivu Security 
------------------- 
4.  (SBU) While peace is slowly returning to South 
Kivu, it is fragile and security issues limit UNHCR 
activities in the province.  A wide variety of 
Congolese armed groups and Rwandan and Burundian rebels 
continue to operate in South Kivu. The insurrection in 
May/June 2004 was a major setback for UNHCR and 
humanitarian efforts in general, and the GDRC's failure 
to provide regular pay to military personnel has 
provoked renewed incidents of armed robbery in towns, 
and ambushes followed by looting of vehicles in the 
field.  Thousands of government soldiers (FARDC) and 
dependents have been sent to the Kivus without pay, 
food or support leading many to prey upon the civilian 
population.  The delegation had an opportunity to meet 
with the commanding officer of the 10th Military 
Region, General Mabe, who was candid regarding his 
limited ability to bring security to the region.  He 
reported that he was without material and means to 
enforce peace and stability in the province. 
 
Repatriation of Rwandan and Burundian Refugees 
--------------------------------------------- - 
5. (SBU) UNHCR manages ten assembly points in the rural 
areas of South Kivu which feed voluntary returnees to a 
transit center in Bukavu.  Returnees normally stay for 
2-3 days in each facility and are provided with basic 
assistance including health care.  The delegation met 
with 53 Rwandan refugees, mostly young women, children 
and infants who were being repatriated.  UNHCR reported 
that each week 100 or more Rwandans voluntarily return 
with their assistance, and are transferred from Bukavu 
to the Nyagatare (Cyangugu) transit center in Rwanda. 
The refugees are then transported by UNHCR Rwanda to 
their prefecture of origin.  UNHCR Bukavu estimates 
that they will facilitate the return of 14,000 Rwandan 
refugees this year.   From January 1, 2000 until the 
end of 2004, UNHCR Sub Office Bukavu has facilitated or 
promoted the voluntary repatriation of 73,340 Rwandan 
refugees and estimates there are 86,317 remaining. 
Because of the instability in Burundi, UNHCR expects 
few of the estimated 19,252 Burundian refugees in the 
DRC will return this year. 
Returning Congolese Refugees 
---------------------------- 
6.  (SBU) UNHCR estimates that between 30,000 and 
50,000 Congolese have voluntarily repatriated from 
Tanzania since the beginning of 2003, and that a 
further 150,000 refugees are registered in camps in 
Tanzania. In addition, an unknown number are not 
registered or in camps.  UNHCR reports that there are 
several elements that are encouraging refugees to come 
back to the DRC, some of which are referred to as "push 
factors."  These include reduced rations, official 
Tanzanian encouragement to return home, and lack of 
land, employment or opportunity.  There are "pull 
factors" also at work, such as reports of peace in the 
DRC, the requirement that would-be voters must be on 
Congolese soil to vote in upcoming DRC elections, and 
the actions of DRC political figures such as the 
governor of South Kivu, who is actively encouraging 
returns.  Spontaneous returns from Tanzania generally 
arrive on the shore of Lake Tanganyika between Uvira 
and Baraka.  Most refugees currently in Tanzania will 
return to this region, however, much of the 
infrastructure, housing and economy that they remember 
was destroyed in the war. 
 
Food, Housing, Education and Health 
--------------------------------- 
7. (SBU) FOOD - Although the Kivus were once the 
breadbasket of the DRC, conflict beginning in 1996 has 
decimated agriculture, including small-plot subsistence 
farming.  In addition, the rapidly-spreading Cassava 
Mosaic Virus and the Banana/Plantain Wilt threaten to 
wipe out the staple items of the local diet as well as 
large contributors to the local economy.  The mission 
to South Kivu visited a USAID/FAO project near Bukavu 
that is propagating Mosaic-resistant cassava. (Comment: 
This disease is a potential disaster, and could wipe 
out the main source of starch and greens in the region. 
End Comment.) 
 
HOUSING - Following the Rwandan military pullout from 
South Kivu in 2002, the front between the former rebel 
RCD-G forces and Mai Mai forces see-sawed back and 
forth across the province.  Villages were burned and 
housing was destroyed.  Only since June 2004 has there 
been relative quiet, however, residents outside of 
Bukavu and Uvira have not spent what little resources 
they have left to rebuild housing units.  Many are 
living in partially destroyed huts. Those with UNHCR 
tarps on the roof have some ability to keep out the 
rain. Families hosting returning relatives are out of 
room and resources.  As more and more refugees return 
to the area, there will be no suitable housing. 
 
EDUCATION - In Bukavu and Uvira, education is available 
to those who can afford it.  The delegation visited a 
school in the territorial capital of Fizi.  It, as with 
most of the infrastructure, was nearly totally 
destroyed.  Although it has walls it has no roof, desks 
or benches, paper, pencils or books.  Portions of the 
walls have been painted black for blackboards, but 
there is no chalk.  Children bring dried cassava root 
to take the place of chalk.  Nearly all students are 
boys.  As is the case in the rest of the DRC, school is 
not free and parents with any resources at all prefer 
to educate their boys. 
 
HEALTH - UNHCR and their partners have been able to 
provide health care to refugees in Bukavu and Uvira. 
There are international and local NGOs providing health 
care in these cities, however, the remainder of South 
Kivu is nearly without access.  The delegation visited 
the shell of the hospital in Fizi.  In May/June 2004 
renegade RCD-G forces led by General Nkunda stripped 
the hospital of every piece of equipment and materials 
down to copper wire and electric switches.  The only 
bit of equipment remaining was the frame of an 
examination table that was too heavy to lift.  Doctors 
Without Borders - Netherlands has established a basic 
clinic in what was until as recently as June a working 
regional hospital.  The clinic consists of one medical 
professional.  The delegation viewed two cots and two 
mattresses on the floor.  There was an examination 
table in the "maternity facility" and there were two IV 
poles.  This is the only medical facility in the 
territory with a population soon to be swelled by 
150,000 returning refugees.  UNHCR estimates 200 per 
week are now returning. 
 
COMMENT 
---------- 
8. (SBU) Since the June 2004 insurrection that required 
UNHCR to withdraw to Goma for security reasons, it has 
been working with its partners and other UN agencies to 
rebuild its presence in South Kivu.  The Sub Office 
(SO) in Bukavu is working well and is fully staffed. 
UNHCR is readying an SO for Uvira and they are staffing 
up and supporting partners and contractors.  Elsewhere 
in the province, assembly points in Shabunda, Baraka 
and Fizi have not been built as originally planned 
because of insecurity.  In coming months, as elections 
come increasingly to the fore, increasing numbers of 
spontaneous returnees likely will overburden the 
resources available.  Although UNHCR is attempting to 
support community-based capacity, they must do so 
without seeming to encourage returns until the 
government and local and international organizations 
can provide security and resources necessary to support 
returnees. End Comment. 
MEECE