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Seize the Moment to Help End Congo's Suffering

By Jan Egeland and Louis Michel

Democratic
he Congolese people. Now is
T Republic of the the time to act. Congo may
Congo's long night never have a better chance to
may finally be coming to an turn toward a more peaceful,
end. The more than 25 stable future. And we will
million registered voters gave rarely.. if ever - have a better
a massive "yes" to the new chance to help Congo help its
Constitution, showing the people escape from such
hope and will of the popula- extreme destitution and
tion to put a definitive end to despair.
the war and the conflict, and
to build a new Congo. Now we need a massive
ramp-up in humanitarian
In June, Africa's third largest assistance, one commensura-
country will hold its first Academy award film actress Angelina Jolie, a UN good- te with the country's huge
multi-party elections since will ambassador with UN troops and children in eastern scale of needs and the oppor-
independence in 1960. The DRC © Edward Parsons/IRIN tunities this aid could
hope created by these unleash. We call on all donor
elections deserves to be nations to dramatically
backed by tangible help. developed and boosted. been affected in some way. increase their investment and
Each and every day, more There are few places on Earth In the east, tens of thousands fully fund this humanitarian
than 1,200 people in the DRC where the gap between of people are forced to flee appeal. Lives can and will be
die from the lingering effects humanitarian needs and avai- their homes each month. saved if we respond gene-
of civil war, a tsunami death lable resources is as large as Violence has mortgaged the rously and quickly.
toll every six months, in Congo, but there are also future of millions of
through malnutrition, disea- few places in the world Congolese children who The humanitarian appeal
se, and displacement. With where peace and stability can lack basic healthcare, the enables donor funds to go
free elections on the horizon, so dramatically reverse this chance to go to school, or further by drawing together
we now have our best-ever situation. the ability to drink clean UN agencies, international,
opportunity to help alleviate water. national and local NGOs
the suffering of millions of In just six years (1998-2004), under one strategic frame-
Congolese. an estimated 3.9 million peo- Women have also suffered work. This unified approach
ple in the DRC have died grievously. Sexual violence ensures there is a clear, com-
Last month in Brussels, the from the effects of war. This as a weapon of war is com- prehensive picture of needs,
USD 682 million (EUR 571) death toll makes it the dead- mitted by all sides of the with no gaps in assistance
Humanitarian Action Plan for liest conflict anywhere on the conflict, and continues in and no costly duplication of
the DRC was launched. planet effort. Wherever possible,
WWII.
since
Eastern Congo. Perpetrators
Admittedly, this is not a small According programmes in the Appeal
the
to
commit rape, sexual mutila-
amount. But it represents International are designed to fortify local
tion, torture and other atro-
Rescue
what is needed to stanch the Committee, thousands of cities in a climate of impuni- structures and build commu-
hemorrhage of human life children have died from ty. Female victims are fre- nity self-reliance.
and help the people of Congo preventable and treatable dis- quently ostracized by their
to address their most basic eases like diarrhea and mal- families and left with deep Over the years, the
and urgent needs. aria, which spread during the emotional
scars
to
Congolese people have
upheaval of war. Six years of compound their physical demonstrated remarkable
To begin, Congo is a gigantic fighting have left the coun- wounds. Approximately one courage and resilience in the
country -- larger that try's public health infrastruc- in five victims has HIV. face of unspeakable
Germany, France, Poland, ture in shambles, destroyed suffering. They can now save
Ukraine and Belarus combi- livelihoods, and led to Unlike the tsunami victims, their country-- they deserve
ned -- with few paved roads widespread malnutrition. however, Congo's suffering our help.
and little infrastructure. remains virtually unnoticed
Thousands of miles of impe- In 2002 a fragile peace was by the outside world. In Jan Egeland is the UN
netrable tropical forest sepa- forged. A transitional govern- America, for example, only Under-Secretary General for
rate the capital, Kinshasa, ment, supported by the inter- 6 minutes of television net- Humanitarian Affairs and
from the eastern provinces national community and the work news last year was Emergency
Relief
devoted to the Congo,
of
where humanitarian needs presence Coordinator Louis Michel is
UN
are most acute. Ongoing vio- peacekeepers, has helped to according to a news analyst the European Commissioner
lence often restricts access to keep the progress on track recently cited by an interna- for Development and
suffering communities and and progressively increase tional NGO. Humanitarian Aid.
jeopardizes operations. the control on military groups Today, finally, the situation
in the eastern provinces. But is at a turning point. We can
But Congo also has an enor- the drama has not ended. and we must do more to
mous potential that can be Virtually every family has alleviate the suffering of the
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