Bonn, 27.07.2007. One year after the first democratic elections in the Congo, fierce fighting continues to flare up in the eastern part of the country. "President Joseph Kabila's central government has failed to control the troubled provinces," says Georg Dörken, Desk Officer for Welthungerhilfe (German Agro Action) for the Congo in Bonn.

The Congolese went to the polls on 30th July 2006 and the election was successfully watched over by the Eufor mission with the participation of the German Bundeswehr. UN peacekeeping troops are still stationed in the Democratic Republic of the Congo as part of the Monuc mission today "albeit with a far too small presence in eastern Congo," claims Dörken. Government and enemy rebel troops are still fighting, especially in the province of North Kivu. "There are often lootings, murders and rapes - in this province alone, over 1,000 women are abused every month."

As a result of hostilities, some 650,000 people are on the run, over 160,000 of whom have become refugees since the beginning of the year - and the rising trend continues. "This is also a political problem on many levels," says Georg Dörken, who knows eastern Congo well. "Unpaid civil servants and soldiers, the absence of safety structures and international war criminals who are on the loose here and are not being caught are partly to blame for the problems."

Welthungerhilfe is building schools and health centres, among other things, for former refugees in eastern Congo. It is also reconstructing the completely destroyed national highway between Goma and Kisangani. "The road is bringing life back to the region," says Dörken. "New houses are being built, markets are emerging and trade is flourishing."

Deutsche Welthungerhilfe has been active in eastern Congo since 1997. With a project volume of almost € 78 million euro, it is reaching over 7 million people. The relief organisation is reconstructing schools and health centres. Returning refugees are given seed, agricultural equipment and advise on how to survive until the first harvests.

NOTE for editorial staff of radio stations: the broadcast-quality original interview with Georg Dörken is available on our website.