The international community must address civilian protection concerns and the changing dynamics of ongoing displacement.

Overview
The long-running conflict in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) has been one of the deadliest in the last half century.  More than 5 million people have died from causes associated with the conflict.  About 1.25 million people remain internally displaced in eastern DRC, and there are more than 370,000 Congolese refugees who have sought safety in neighboring countries.  Civilians in eastern DRC continue to endure targeted attacks by all armed groups including rape, looting of property, and forced recruitment and labor.  Before conditions can improve for displaced Congolese, the ongoing violence and insecurity in eastern DRC will have to be addressed.

Current Humanitarian Situation
The Kivu Conference on Peace, Stability and Development, which took place in January 2008, initially led to some improvements in security and access for humanitarian organizations in eastern DRC.  However ceasefire violations by various armed groups are ongoing and an escalation in fighting since late August 2008 has led to over 100,000 new displacements in North Kivu.  The UN peacekeeping mission MONUC plays a vital role in protecting civilians in eastern DRC, but it is hampered by resource constraints and its additional responsibilities, including supporting a national army that is poorly trained and ill-equipped.

As the insecurity continues and people remain displaced for longer periods, Refugees International has found that displaced people and host communities in eastern DRC, who assist the majority of the displaced, require assistance beyond basic services, particularly livelihood and education programs.  A decrease in violence in other parts of the DRC has allowed hundreds of thousands of displaced people to return home.  However, infrastructure, particularly roads, remains poor, and returnees are often cut off from services and access to economic opportunities.

Action Needed

• The international community must move beyond providing basic services and develop a strategy to deal comprehensively with the dynamics of the current displacement crisis.
• The UN Security Council must ensure that MONUC has a clear and achievable mandate that prioritizes the protection of civilians, as well as the resources – both military and civilian – to do the job that is asked of it.
• The new US administration, as well as the member states of the UN Security Council must provide sustained, high level political engagement to promote a long term political solution to the crisis in DRC.