Ituri, 3 February 2011 – As part of his recent ten-day field trip, the Deputy-Special Representative of the United Nations Secretary-General and Coordinator for Humanitarian Action in the Democratic Republic of Congo, Mr. Fidèle Sarassoro, visited Bukiringi, in the district of Ituri, as well as in Dungu and Faradjé in the neighboring district of Haut Uele. Mr. Sarassoro was accompanied by a high-level delegation, including senior members of the United Nations Agencies.

In Bukiringi, some 110 km south of Bunia, Mr. Sarassoro met with local authorities and several members of the civil society, before visiting an IDP site, a primary school, and a maternity hospital, which recently received equipment from the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA).

Security was prominent among the issues raised by the local people who requested protection against residual militia elements of the "Forces de Résistance Patriotique de l'Ituri (FRPI)" and the "Front populaire pour la Justice au Congo (FPJC)". The population regretted that the partnership between the Government and MONUSCO has not led to concrete results likely to improve the well-being of the population.

In his response, Mr. Sarassoro promised to discuss the issues with the Congolese Government, as well as with the Heads of UN Agencies and other partners. He further announced that support to the DRC Government would be intensified with the aim of restoring state authority in the area.

In Haut Uele, Mr. Sarassoro paid particular attention to the humanitarian situation in Djabir, a town near the border with South Sudan. With a population estimated at 10,000, Djabir was recently subjected to an in-coming flow of IDPs fleeing from suspected LRA attacks in the neighboring villages of Lema, Ombalaga and Gbere. The people's expectations in these localities are high and varied, ranging from building schools, to rehabilitating health clinics and constructing road infrastructures.

Bilamekaso Tchagbele/MONUSCO