HC Deb 26 November 2002 vol 395 c201W
John Barrett

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development if she will make a statement on the humanitarian situation in the Ituri district of the Democratic Republic of Congo. [82756]

Clare Short

The humanitarian situation in Ituri remains a major cause for concern. We continue to monitor it as closely as possible.

Some of the civilians displaced by the fighting have reached areas where access is possible. DFID have contributed £ 500,000 to the UN OCHA Emergency Response Fund established to help deal with this kind of contingency.

We continue to work with the UN to explore options on how to strengthen the presence of MONUC in Bunia. We have also supported UN and EU statements condemning all the violence but especially the ethnic violence in Ituri.

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