Humanitarian Convoy to Help Reunite Congolese Families Separated by War

Catholic Relief Services
Friday, 4 April 2003

Catholic Relief Services (CRS) and local partner Caritas Congo today announced the departure of a convoy carrying 700 returning displaced persons and humanitarian aid from the capital, Kinshasa, to rebel-controlled Bena-Dibele, some 1300 kilometers upriver. This action marks the first significant attempt to reunite families separated by the civil war's frontline.

"Most of the passengers are women and children who have been displaced in Kinshasa and apart from their families since 1998," said Kevin Hartigan, CRS' Regional Director for Central Africa. "The convoy gives us a chance to help people return home and to deliver some much needed humanitarian aid to the area."

Funded by CRS and several Caritas and other international partners, the convoy is carrying hundreds of tons of humanitarian aid, including school supplies and building rehabilitation materials. Additionally, the convoy is bringing assistance—in the form of kitchen sets, clothing, farming tools and fishing equipment—for 20,000 persons recently displaced by fighting in the Lomami River Valley.

The initiative was conceived by the Bishop of Tshumbe, Nicolas Djomo, who negotiated authorization with the government in Kinshasa and the leadership of the Rassemblement Congolais pour la Democratie (RCD), which controls the area surrounding Bena-Dibele. The convoy is being managed by Caritas Congo with technical assistance from CRS.

Upon arrival in Bena-Dibele, passengers will be taken to points near their villages of origin and met by family members. Food and other necessities will be provided to the returnees to help ease the transition and decrease the burden on their families.

Now in its fifth year, the ongoing conflict in the Democratic Republic of the Congo has been called "Africa's first World War." At least seven African countries and three rebel groups have been involved, and more than 50 million innocent lives have been disrupted and jeopardized.

CRS has worked in the Democratic Republic of the Congo since its independence from Belgium in 1960. Program areas include emergency relief, food security, community health and peace and reconciliation work.

For more information, or to contact Catholic Relief Services, see their website at: www.catholicrelief.org