UNIVERSITY OF PENNSYLVANIA - AFRICAN STUDIES CENTER
CONGO-BRAZZAVILLE: No relief for over 200,000 displaced in Pool , 3/10/1999

CONGO-BRAZZAVILLE: No relief for over 200,000 displaced in Pool ,3/10/1999

CONGO-BRAZZAVILLE: No relief for over 200,000 displaced in Pool

NAIROBI, 10 March (IRIN) - Many of the estimated 200,000-300,000 displaced persons in the Pool region are in a "catastrophic" condition, humanitarian sources recently told IRIN. The displaced, concentrated in different areas, are facing starvation and disease outbreaks with 10-15 people, mostly children, dying every day in one settlement alone, the sources added.

Much of Pool's population was reported to have fled into the forests as a result of conflict between government forces and Ninja militia allied to former prime minister Bernard Kolelas since late September 1998. In addition, some 120,000 residents of southern Brazzaville, who fled towards Pool in December at the outbreak of fighting in the city, remain unaccounted for.

Humanitarian agencies have had no access to the region due to insecurity, and the displaced have received no relief assistance.

Government reacts to Josselin statement

Meanwhile, the government disputed a statement by French Cooperation Minister Charles Josselin last week in which he suggested that much of the area between Brazzaville and Pointe-Noire was out of government control, news agencies said.

Radio France Internationale (RFI) on 5 March quoted Congo's Foreign Minister Rodolphe Adada as saying the government controlled those regions, where it was carrying out military operations. Adada said "one cannot consider that access to areas where military operations are taking place is as simple as in any other area."

[ENDS]

Date: Wed, 10 Mar 1999 18:34:01 +0300 (EAT) From: IRIN - Central and Eastern Africa <irin@ocha.unon.org> Subject: CONGO-BRAZZAVILLE: No relief for over 200,000 displaced in Pool ,[19990310]

Editor: Dr. Ali B. Ali-Dinar, Ph.D

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