At the national level,

A commemorative service was celebrated yesterday by the President of the Senate, Bishop Pierre Marini Bodho, in memory of the eight Guatemalan Peacekeepers killed on 23 January in the Garamba National Park. The Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General, William Lacy Swing, attended the service.

General Maurice Baril (Canada) leads an assessment mission of the UN Department of Peacekeeping Operations to DRC. The delegation arrived in Kinshasa on Monday. The objective of the mission is to assess the operational capacity of MONUC Force and Civil Police, in light of the existing means and mandate. The mission will, among other things, assess the level of interaction of the Force with the different Transition's players as well as joint operations with the Armed Forces of the DRC (FARDC). General Baril is to meet with several DRC authorities, notably the Vice-President in charge of Political, Defence and Security affairs, Azarias Ruberwa. The delegation, led by General Baril, is due to visit several localities where MONUC units are deployed, namely Bunia, Bukavu, Kisangani, and Uvira. The delegation will stay in DRC until 18 February.

Mr. Swing, along with MONUC Force Commander, General Babacar Gaye, travelled to Bukavu Friday, 3 February, to attend an award ceremony for the MONUC Indian contingent. If everything is in place for peace building, MONUC will have to redouble efforts, more particularly in Eastern DRC, declared Mr. Swing.

The same Friday, Mr. Swing travelled to Brazzaville, the capital of the Republic of Congo, to meet with President Denis Sassou-Nguesso who was recently elected Chairman of the African Union. They both reviewed the DRC electoral process.

A ministerial conference is convened in Brussels on 13 February to launch a "humanitarian action plan" for the amount of US$ 1.1 billion in favour of the Democratic Republic of Congo. The conference, due to be co-chaired by the United Nations Coordinator for Emergency Relief, Jan Egeland and the European Commissioner for Development and Humanitarian affairs, Louis Michel, will be attended by 44 countries. Mr. Swing and his deputy in charge of Humanitarian Affairs, Ross Mountain, will as well attend the conference.

In Nord-Kivu, approximately 38,500 internally displaced persons from Kibirizi, Vitshumbi, Ishasa and Niakakoma localities took refuge in the territories surrounding Kanyabayonga, Kayna, Kirumba due to the clashes between FARDC and insurgent troops. Two crisis cells were put in place: one in Beni, another in Goma to monitor humanitarian situation in the Grand Nord. MONUC facilitates assessment missions by humanitarian partners and supply of assistance to displaced persons along the Beni-Lubero-Kanyabayonga and the Goma-Rutshuru axis.

The military situation will be presented by Colonel Bergeron, MONUC Deputy Chief of Staff – Military spokesperson ad interim.

Colonel Bergeron:

In Nord-Kivu, the situation is tense but remains under control. The locality of Kibirizi (60 km northwest of Rutshuru) has been under the control of an Indian unit since 6 February 2006, after 2,000 villagers fled their homes due to the behavior of the insurgents. General Satya has explained that the zone is now safe, after the insurgents have been routed in the villages of Kikulu, Nyanzale and Mutanda. Villagers have indicated that 80 to 100 insurgents pulled out of the zone after committing acts of rape and plunder. They have provided indications identifying two of the insurgents' leaders as majors Makenga and Kavundi.

The Brigade commander also has provided details on the deployment of the 2nd integrated brigade:

- The 222nd battalion (622 troops), commanded by Major Mbombo Tshibanga, has been deployed in Rutshuru.
- The 223rd battalion (600 troops), commanded by Captain Innocent, has been deployed between Mugunga Barrier and Kasengesi in the region of Goma.

As for the locality of Rwindi, where a FARDC company is already deployed, the UN Brigade will also deploy a South African company there.

Concerning the other regions of the country:

In Ituri, the situation remains volatile due to militia activities. On 5 February, a skirmish took place at Kabuna (5km southeast of Aveba) between FARDC elements and militiamen.

Units from the UN Brigade have been patrolling the areas of Aveba, Nyakunde, Marabo, Irumu and Komanda, in order to improve security for the local population facing exactions from militiamen. Preparations are underway to re-launch joint operations with the FARDC with the aim of bringing security across the entire region of Tchei.

In Tchomia (southeast of Bunia), residents are faced with the diktat of FARDC elements who have confiscated seven of their fishing boats.

In Sud-Kivu, MONUC led a joint, assessment mission to Burhyni (95 km southwest of Bukavu). Last Thursday, 2 February, 2,500 families had been displaced due to the operation carried out by the Armed Forces of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (FARDC) against Rwandan combatants of the FDLR. Humanitarian partners have already started assisting these families, including by providing health care. MONUC, for its part, met with the 10th Military Region commander to discuss security for the region of Burhyni, in Mwenga territory. This follows the local population's complaint that some FARDC elements were committing exactions including plunder, rapes and destruction of health centers and schools. MONUC calls for steps to be taken to ensure that those FARDC elements responsible of these exactions are brought to justice.