GDRC WANTS TO CONTROL ACCESS TO IDPS

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 KINSHASA 001654 SIPDIS AIDAC STATE FOR AF/C ALLAN EASTHAM, C.PASCHALL STATE FOR INR/AA STATE FOR PRM TSTOLTZFUS AID/W FOR DCHA/OFDA - JBORNS, MMARX, TMCRAE AID/W FOR DCHA/FFP - DWELLER, NCARLSON, NCOX AID/W FOR DCHA/OTI - GGOTTLIEB, AMARTIN AID/W FOR AFR - KO'DONNELL NAIROBI FOR USAID/OFDA/ARO - KSMITH NAIROBI FOR USAID/FFP - PFESSENDEN, ADEPREZ ROME FOR USUN FODAG - TLAVELLE GENEVA FOR NKYLOH E.O. 12958; NA TAGS: EAID PREF PGOV PHUM CG SUBJECT: GDRC WANTS TO CONTROL ACCESS TO IDPS ¶1. (U) SUMMARY: In a recent letter addressed to all humanitarian actors in DRC, the Minister of Solidarity and Humanitarian Affairs accused the international community of not respecting human rights, of distributing expired consumables, and of coercing IDPS to return home and then abandoning them midway. The Minister is henceforth insisting that all organizations collaborate fully with her ministry before implementing any interventions, and specifically requiring that they seek and obtain an authorization from her office before even approaching any IDPs in any way. IDP return programs would furthermore be obliged from now on to cover all phases of this process, including transportation home and socio-economic assistance after arrival. The Humanitarian Advocacy Group, which is the senior forum for humanitarian planning in DRC, will respond to the letter at this point only with a request for clarification on the accusations and for a chance to meet directly with the minister. END SUMMARY. ¶2. (U) On August 25, the Minister of Solidarity and Humanitarian Affairs, Mrs. Nzuzi wa Mbombo, released a letter addressed to "all humanitarian actors" in DRC in which she states that she has received reports that principles of international human rights have not been respected by the humanitarians, and that there have been, in fact, serious abuses committed in the name of humanitarian intervention. (Comment: Nzuzi represents the remnants of the MPR, Mobutu's former party. End Comment.) She also accused the international humanitarian community of distributing products whose expiration date had passed, and of "intimidating" IDPs to return when they were not yet ready, only to abandon them before they reached their destinations. ¶3. (U) As a result, humanitarian agencies are now asked to respect the following three new rules: a. No agency may henceforth have access to IDPs in DRC without first obtaining an authorization from the Ministry of Solidarity and Humanitarian Affairs. b. All actions on behalf of IDPs in DRC must be fully planned prior to implementation in full collaboration with the Ministry of Solidarity and Humanitarian Affairs. c. Programs targeting the return of IDPs must guarantee coverage of all phases of this process, ranging from the provision of transportation to the delivery of post-return socio-economic recovery assistance. ¶4. (U) The letter was discussed at the weekly meeting of the Humanitarian Advocacy Group on August 27, attended by OFDA and other donors as well as the heads of UN Agencies. Group members decided to respond to the letter for now only by writing to ask for further clarification of the accusations and to request a meeting for UNOCHA leaders with the Minister herself. COMMENT -------------- ¶5. (SBU) In general, the humanitarian community does not hold this new ministry or this particular minister in very high regard, and suspects the letter is just the latest in a series of attempts by Nzuzi to secure control over some humanitarian resources. END COMMENT.