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Kinshasa. — The head of the UN Mission for Stabilisation of the Congo (Monusco), Martin Kobler, said yesterday during a press conference that a humanitarian catastrophe is happening in the Katanga province of the DRC.“This is a humanitarian disaster. I think (we need) a bit of bad conscience in Katanga because we focused on our military activities in the Kivu (provinces), but it is important not to overlook the (situation in) Katanga,” said Mr Kobler, adding “but our priority is Kivu”.
According to the Office for the Co-ordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), in the province of Katanga, nearly 18 000 displaced people have received aid from the World Food Programme (WFP) in the last few days. However, nearly 3 000 have not yet received help due to inclement weather in the territories of Malemba Nkulu, Manono and Mitwaba.
“Ten trucks carrying 172 tonnes of food from Lubumbashi to Manono were stuck for several days in the territory of Mitwaba,” said the official in charge of public information at OCHA, Mr Sylvestre Mudingayi.
He assured that the WFP planned to further distribute nearly 650 tonnes of food to the newly-displaced in Kalemie that hosts more than 6 000 people, Malemba Nkulu’s 15 000 people and Pweto’s 35 000 people in the coming days.
The activities of the militia known as Bakata Katanga have increasued the vulnerability of the civilian population in the province. — Xinhua.
Online Reporter