Internally displaced people
You might have heard the term IDP before, also called internally displaced person. IDPs are individuals who are forced to flee their homes, due to armed conflict, violence, human rights violations or natural disasters. This is the same with refugees, but unlike them IDPs remain within the borders of their own countries. Legally, the government in the country have the responsibility for protection, but this can often be difficult due to some government may be the cause of the displacement. There is yet no clear international legal framework for protection of the internally displaced. But, international human rights organisations often take part in making the situation better for the IDPs. The UNHCR has taken action and provides assistance and relief and they also have an agreement with other humanitarian agencies on responsibilities for protection and help.
According to the 2014 UNHCR country operations profile for DRC, it is written that in 2014, the UNHCR and their partners will enhance the self-reliance and livelihood part of the assistance providing to refugees, in addition to addressing their basic needs. They will also be focusing on providing shelter and education assistance to refugees and IPDs.
UN has said that there have been 400,000 displaced people in the recent months in the DRC due to the fighting between government troops and militia groups.
According to the communications officer for the UN humanitarian agency in Congo, Yvon Edoumou, the violence had targeted at least 20 villages in the southeastern province of Katanga since October 2013. The UN stabilisation mission in DRC said in February that they would deploy more peacekeeping troops to the country to protect Katanga’s population.
Now, that being said the peacekeeping troops in the DRC has been in the country for a long period of time. Peacekeeping as an international practice began in the 1950s, when the creation of the UN emergency for (UNEF) took place to police the border between Egypt and Israel.
In Congo in 1960 there was a crisis as national and foreign actors took control of the country, as mentioned in my previous blog post, Belgium was one of those countries. Even though there had been colony independence in the country the same year, Belgium sent soldiers back to the country to protect the Belgium people still living there. The mineral-rich province Katanga, sought secession backed by British and Belgian mining interests. The UN Security Council then authorised the secretary-general to deploy troops to assist the central government.
A year after, another crisis broke out in Congo. The Congolese Prime Minister at that time, Patrice Lumumba, was assassinated under the United Nation’s watch, and Belgium was heavily implicated in this act. Patrice Lumumba was at that time a hero for the Congolese people, as he was the first legally elected prime minister. He symbolised hope for the country, and even after his assignation he still is a sign of hope in the country today.
In the 1960s, Belgium and the US were accused of destabilising the country; today it is Rwanda and Uganda. Also in the 1960s the UN focused heavily protecting the territorial integrity of states, today there is much more focus on protecting the lives of the civilians, which comes back to the IDPs.
Source: http://www.presstv.ir/detail/2014/02/25/352153/dr-congo-violence-displaces-400000/
Why Congo Matters 