Following the attacks of the Lord's Resistance Army (LRA) rebels on civilian populations in many territories of Haut Uele district in northeastern DRC since 25 December last, the United Nations Mission in the Democratic Republic of Congo (MONUC) has declared that it is now taking steps to both protect and assist civilians in the area.

"Pursuant to its mandate, MONUC will do everything in its power to continue to protect civilians, notably by bringing substantial support to the DRC Armed Forces (FARDC)," said MONUC in a press release published on Tuesday.

In this regard, Ms. Leila Zerrougui, Deputy Special Representative of the UN Secretary General in the DRC, met today 30 December 2008 with the DRC's National Security Board, headed by the Minister of Interior Mr. Celestin Mbuyu Kabango, in a bid to have a sense of the Government's needs in this area. She told them about MONUC's determination to support the Government's efforts to resolve the situation.

At the military level, upon a request from the FARDC's Army Chief of Staff, MONUC has already airlifted Congolese military troops to the operational zones: 96 FARDC troops have been deployed from Dungu to Faradje since 26 December last.

Yesterday, 29 December, 105 troops were transported to Doruma and 60 more today. Moreover, MONUC committed to provide them with logistic support in terms of food stuffs, water, medicines, sanitation and fuel. MONUC is also ready to assist the FARDC in protecting the civilian population against any possible direct LRA threat.

In terms of humanitarian assistance, MONUC's Civil Affairs Section, while backing the reevaluation of the humanitarian access to affected persons and for a better protection of the populations, will continue to facilitate the organization of evaluation missions and assistance and will bring logistic support to UN agencies and NGOs, notably in Dungu where MONUC recently deployed two World Food Programme trucks that continue to be available for the distribution of assistance.

MONUC recalls that it neither took part in the planning nor in the implementation of the operations carried out by the coalition against the LRA.

The Mission also points out the 22 December 2008 Security Council declaration, which invited the coalition participants to ensure that any action is taken in respect of international humanitarian law; international human rights law and the international law of refugees; and to take appropriate measures to protect civilians.

UN Secretary-General Mr. Ban Ki-moon today condemned in the strongest possible terms the appalling atrocities reportedly committed by the Lord's Resistance Army (LRA) in recent days in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and southern Sudan. He demanded that the LRA respect all rules of international humanitarian law.

He also urged the forces of Uganda, DRC and southern Sudan on the ground to coordinate with the humanitarian community and the United Nations Missions in the region to ensure the effective delivery of assistance to those affected by the LRA attacks.