Minova/Cologne. Today Malteser International has started the targeted identification of in-ternally displaced persons (IDPs) who in recent weeks have been the victims of traumatic experiences. "Raped women, people who have been forced to witness massacre or execution, families who have been violently torn apart - it is important that these people are able to have a contact person available to them, so that they can process their terrible experiences and be able to better endure their current situation," says Dennis Mueller, Congo expert at Malteser International.

Malteser International staff members, who have received special psychological training, will visit the camps and will specifically focus their attentions on seeking out trauma patients. For further care, the patients will be brought to the SOSAME Centre, one of the specialist trauma treatment clinics in Bukavu. Since the renewal of the conflict, 34 people have already been referred to the care centre which is supported by Malteser International. Given this level of need, Dennis Mueller expects that the visits to the camps will produce a similar number of new patients. "We hope to be able to help as many of these people as possible," he says.

In addition to this psychological and psychosocial support, Malteser International is assisting the internally displaced persons with food distributions. In January, the organisation will organise the second food distribution to over 30,000 internally displaced persons. A total of 513 tons of flour, rice, vegetables, oil and salt will be distributed to the people which is enough to keep them from starvation for another month. The food supplies will be financed through the United Nation's World Food Programme (WFP).

As the number of internally displaced people grows in DR Congo, so does the urgent need for assistance - so join our network of relief and donate now: Donation Account 2020122 Pax-Bank Köln, von-Werth-Str. 25-27, D-50670 Köln, Germany Sort Code : 370 60 193, IBAN : DE93 3706 0193 0002 0201 22, BIC: GENODED1PAX Reference : "Congo" Online: http://www.malteser-spenden.de/spenden.html

Malteser International has been active in South-Kivu since 1996, where there are currently 80 national and two international staff representatives. They organise projects in the field of health care, psychosocial care, food security and the reconstruction of infrastructure.

Attention editors: Dennis Mueller, Congo expert of Malteser International, is available for interviews. Please telephone (0221) 98 22-213.

Malteser International is the worldwide relief agency of the Sovereign Order of Malta for hu-manitarian aid. The organisation provides aid in about 200 projects in more than 20 countries without distinction of religion, race or political persuasion. Christian values and the humanitarian principles of impartiality and independence are the foundation of its work. For further information: www.malteser-international.org and www.orderofmalta.org