NAIROBI, 25 May 2007 (IRIN) - IRIN-CEA Weekly Round-up 383 for 19-25 May 2007 

CAR: Negotiations under way for demobilisation of child soldiers CAR: NGO suspends activities in northwest after health workers abducted CAR: Ensure perpetrators of atrocities are brought to book, ICC urged DRC: Weapons destroyed as disarmament picks up in Ituri DRC: Thousands more flee ongoing clashes in Kivu BURUNDI: Arbour calls for stronger judiciary to build democrac

BURUNDI: Poverty strategy to focus on food production CONGO: Child trafficking on the rise

CAR: Negotiations under way for demobilisation of child soldiers

Rebels in northeastern Central African Republic (CAR) have agreed to negotiate the release of hundreds of child soldiers in their ranks to the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF), a spokeswoman said.

"We [the government, rebels and UNICEF] are in agreement on the necessity for these children to be released and reintegrated into their communities as soon as possible," Anne Boher, the communications officer for UNICEF in CAR, told IRIN on Monday.

The first batch of children is expected to be released by 1 June, she said, adding that the discussions began after an assessment mission to Vakaga region in January identified armed children among the rebels.

Full report  http://www.irinnews.org/Report.aspx?ReportId=72265

CAR: NGO suspends activities in northwest after health workers abducted

The Catholic charity, Caritas, has suspended some of its activities in the town of Bozoum, northwestern Central African Republic (CAR), after the abduction of two health workers in the volatile region, an official said.

The health workers, including a nurse working for the Italian organisation, Cooperazione Internazionale, were abducted by armed men on Saturday.

Sources said the abductions took place in the bush, 38km from Bozoum. "It is the first time armed bandits have attacked aid workers in the region," Gen Raymond Ndougou, prefect of Bozoum, told IRIN. "The abductions mark the escalation of banditry in the region."

Full report http://www.irinnews.org/Report.aspx?ReportId=72325

CAR: Ensure perpetrators of atrocities are brought to book, ICC urged

The decision by the International Criminal Court to investigate alleged crimes committed during an armed conflict between the Central African Republic (CAR) government and rebel forces in 2002 and 2003 should ensure the perpetrators are arraigned in court, a victim said.

"I contracted HIV [when] I was raped by Congolese rebels in 2002; I will be relieved if the perpetrators of this act of humiliation appear in court to be charged for what they did," a 44-year-old woman said in the CAR capital of Bangui on Tuesday. Her daughter, then aged 13, was also raped.

According to a local agency, Organisation pour la Compassion des Famille en Détresse, an estimated 1,000 women were raped by rebels from the Democratic Republic of Congo, who entered the CAR to support the regime of President Ange-Felix Patassé.

Full report http://www.irinnews.org/Report.aspx?ReportId=72322

DRC: Weapons destroyed as disarmament picks up in Ituri

Thousands of weapons and munitions collected from former rebels have been destroyed in Ituri district of northeastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) as part of an ongoing disarmament process, officials said.

The weapons were collected by the United Nations Mission in Congo (MONUC) and the DRC army during two disarmament periods from September 2004 to June 2005 and from June to September 2006.

Speaking during the destruction on 22 May, Marie-France Desjardins, a specialist in the reduction of light weapons at the UN Development Programme, said: "It is the sign of the beginning of peace because these arms would have killed people."

Full report http://www.irinnews.org/Report.aspx?ReportId=72289

DRC: Thousands more flee ongoing clashes in Kivu

At least 40 children are among thousands of newly displaced civilians in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) fleeing ongoing clashes between Congolese armed forces and Rwandan rebels, officials said.

"These newly displaced people come from the Ufamando group and the Gungu area," Kemal Saiki, spokesman for the United Nations Mission in Congo said on 23 May. The displaced civilians, including 1,382 families of about 6,010 people, had arrived in Minova and Bweremana areas of Masisi on the border between North and South Kivu.

Andrew Zadel, spokesman for the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs in North Kivu, said the civilians were fleeing clashes between the Congolese army - Forces armées de la République Démocratique du Congo - and the Forces démocratiques pour la libération du Rwanda rebels.

Full report http://www.irinnews.org/Report.aspx?ReportId=72346

BURUNDI: Arbour calls for stronger judiciary to build democracy

Burundi has made some progress towards democracy but it needed to strengthen the judiciary to ensure justice, the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights said.

"Democracy cannot faction without the institution that nurtures a culture of participation and respect for justice," Louise Arbour said in the capital, Bujumbura, on Wednesday.

"This is where Burundi faces the greatest challenges," she told reporters. "Apart from a functioning executive and legislature, [it needs] a judiciary that would inspire confidence from the population; that would rule out impunity."

Full report

http://www.irinnews.org/Report.aspx?ReportId=72351

BURUNDI: Poverty strategy to focus on food production

Burundi is to boost food production, private sector growth, education, health and energy availability as part of a four-year poverty reduction strategy, President Pierre Nkurunziza announced.

Launching a US$1.320 billion appeal to donors to fund the 2007-2010 poverty reduction strategy paper (PRSP) on 24 May, Nkurunziza said his government's plans would boost development in a country that had only recently emerged from conflict.

The donor meeting being held in the capital, Bujumbura, he added, marked its transition from a state of emergency assistance to development.

Full report  http://www.irinnews.org/Report.aspx?ReportId=72355

CONGO: Child trafficking on the rise

Hundreds of children have been trafficked into the Republic of Congo from several West African states, according to the United Nations Children's Fund.

The majority of the children - many as young as nine - come to Pointe-Noire, the Congo's second-largest city, from Benin, followed by Mali, Guinea, Senegal, Togo and one Central African country, Cameroon. They are promised work and money to return home by compatriots who employ them.

"The children are given to 'tutors' [from West Africa] against a certain amount of money with the promise of a job or apprenticeship. Some of the children are illiterate, while others have had some kind of schooling," said Constance Mafoukila, one of the researchers of the report.

Full report

http://www.irinnews.org/Report.aspx?ReportId=72268

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