Thousands of refugees flee violence in DR Congo
New York, 11 Mar – (ANA) - More than 3,000 civilians fleeing violence in the North Kivu province of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) have entered Uganda since the beginning of this year, the United Nations refugee agency reported today.
Those arriving in Uganda are mostly farmers and have spoken of abductions,
looting, harassment and rape, Adrian Edwards, spokesperson for the UN High
Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) told reporters in Geneva.
People are crossing into Kisoro district in south-western Uganda and most of
them have come form North Kivu’s Rutshuru area. Others have come from Masisi and Walikale territories in North Kivu – between 200 and 350 kilometres from the
Ugandan border. Some of the refugees told UNHCR staff that whole villages had fled night attacks by armed men, Mr. Edwards said. In Kisoro, UNHCR staff heard the account of a man who said he was sexually assaulted by several armed men after being forced to witness the gang rape of his wife. His daughter, who resisted rape, was killed by the gang. UNHCR is concerned that further deterioration of security in North Kivu could halt the tripartite process initiated by DRC, Uganda and UNHCR in 2010 to pave the way for the voluntary return of Congolese refugees in Uganda.(ANA)
FA/ANA/11 March 2012--------