Kampala (Fides Service)- According to the UN High Commission for Refugees UNHCR thousands of refugees pouring into Uganda Over the past few days say they are running away from fighting in the Ituri region of neighbouring Democratic Congo
An estimated 5000 to 7000 crossed Lake Albert by boat and reached the village of Nkondo, 285 km west of Kampala. Most of them are women and children and many are in need of immediate medical care and assistance. They are still on the shores of the lake at the bottom of a high cliff and can only be reached by small trucks along a very rough road. Most of the refugees are not in a condition to make the three hour climb to safety. UNHCR has sent blankets, water cans, cooking sets and plastic sheeting to the site from its deposits in Kampala and Nkondo where it is organising a temporary transit centre. UNHCR is also in contact with other UN agencies to supply food and medical supplies and it negotiating with the local authorities for a water reservoir. At the moment the refugees are drinking the water of the lake which is dangerous for their health. UNHCR has heard that 10,000 more refugees have reached Ishaka, further north on the border with Democratic Congo. A UNHCR team has gone to Ishaka to get more information.
It is not clear why these people are leaving Democratic Congo. They say there is fighting in their villages between Hema and Lendu the two main ethnic groups in the Ituri region. According to the UN peacekeeping mission MONUC, the fighting is between rival militia groups FNI amd UPC-L. Uganda has 200,000 refugees. Before this recent influx, less than 10,000 were from D. Congo, most were from Sudan. (L.M.) (Agenzia Fides 18/1/2005 righe 31 parole 392)