The UN Refugee Agency – Congo Refugee Crisis

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Introduction

The UN Refugee Agency , The Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA) is a violent and relentless militant group led by Joseph Kony initially formed to resist the government of Uganda. It started operations from 1986, The UN Refugee Agency one of the longest drawn conflicts of the region. It is responsible for killings, abductions and displacement of persons from Africa.
According to the last survey by, the LRA abducted around 66,000 people up till 2005. The abductees are released but suffer violation at the hands of the army including sex slavery of children. Following pressure however, the army vacated Uganda and moved on to the DR of Congo (DRC), the Central African Republic (CAR), and South Sudan.
But the vacating of Uganda is not a solution and the threat and terror spread by the LRA in Congo is increasing in Congo. The group is responsible for more than 100,000 deaths (United Nations, 2013), of which more than 2,319 were in CRC, CAR and South Sudan in between 2008 and 2011. (US Department of State, 2011)
The number of abductions is also rising with over 5, 346 abductions recorded with 60 in just the last month of which only 26 returned in poor state. (US Department of State, 2011) (LRA Crisis Tracker, 2015) Towards the end of March, The UN Refugee Agency  16 Congolese were abducted and 15 of them were already refugees to the area escaping from the conflict. These peaceful farmers were abducted and 13 returned, the elders with open wounds and a young girl raped while the rest were still missing.
This sudden upsurge is not an isolated incident. The activities of terror have accelerated in retaliation to the arrest of Dominic Ongwen, LRA’s commander who committed heinous crimes. (UN, 2015)
The appalling truth is that over 1,500 children were also abducted since March 2011. (UNOCHA, 2011) Furthermore, 438,504 people have been displaced in Congo, CAR and South Sudan since December 2011. (OCHA, 2012) The LRA also loots houses and facilities and causes economic turmoil in the area with frequent exchanges of fire with the police forces. (LRA Crisis Tracker, 2015)
Rationale for Involvement
The fast deteriorating situation has mandated UN involvement. Not only are the people terrorized, driven out of homes to refugee camps but the refugees are also being abducted and tortured and terrible crimes are committed towards them including physical abuse and rape.
As in the case of Uganda, peace was restored to the nation after the departure of LRA and 95% of the people terrorized by LRA were able to start their lives again, the people of Congo can also be helped. Furthermore, The UN Refugee Agency  not just the affected people of Congo need assistance, The UN Refugee Agency  the forcefully recruited LRA fighters also need salvation. The Uganda Amnesty Commission has reinstated 12,000 LRA fighters into the Ugandan Society.
Schedule of Meetings
Day 1 AM
Augustin Matata Ponyo- DRC Prime Minister
Day 1 PM
Martin Kobler – Special Representative of the Secretary-General for the Democratic Republic of the Congo
Day 2 AM
Dr John A King – African refugee ambassador
Day 2 PM
Visit Refugee camps
Key Aims and Objectives
 To rehabilitate the families of the killed persons
 To effect the release of all abductees
 T create awareness about the threat of abduction amongst the refugees
 To provide medical aid to the injured refugee and other abductees
 To counsel the released abductees who suffer from shock or trauma
 To return the displaced persons to their homes and rebuild their lives and businesses
 To reinstate the forcefully recruited people into society
Means Used
 Pay compensation for the loss of life to the affected families so that they may be able to stabilize their financial position.
 Put UN pressure to intensify action against LRA to pressurize them to release the abducted refugees.
 Conduct awareness seminars regarding the threat of abduction for the refugees.
 Establish first aid and refugee camp hospitals inviting global volunteer doctors to treat the injured in cross fire or the injured returned abductees
 Establish counseling centers to help refugees, especially the abducted ones and their families, deal with the trauma and to call in experts from over the world for this purpose. Physical abuse and rape victims to be given two years of counseling.
 Establish an Small and Medium Enterprises fund support for the three affected areas to allow rehabilitation and financial security of the affected parties.
 Establish a system of temporary identity cards for the refugees to approach the provided services in an orderly fashion
 To established a local body similar to the Uganda Amnesty Commission to reinstate the forcefully recruited persons and the detained abductees into society
The Positive Outcomes
There are many positive outcomes to be expected by our involvement.
The pressure to release abductees may cause LRA to follow and the abductees will shield them from the physical and mental harm they suffer at the hands of the abductors. It will also reduce terror and grief amongst their families and reduce the constant terror of abduction for the refugees. The awareness programs will help them realize
The families who have lost a bread winner will be compensation in monetary terms to grant them financial stability and thus prevent poverty and hunger from spreading in the region. The Small and Medium Enterprise Fund to be established will help them use the grants to set up small businesses and secure long term income. The find will also help the refugees start basic businesses like street vending and earn a temporary livelihood.
The awareness seminars will help refugees realize the danger they are in and practice caution.
The forcefully recruited persons will be given counseling to ensure that the shock of war and the impact of the crimes they saw and were forced to commit be lessened so that they may resume daily life. The SME Fund will allow them to get employed helping them integrate in society faster and regain a semblance of normalcy.
The temporary identity card system will connect the entire system and bring order to the affairs.
Obstacles and Problems
UNHCR may face….