The situation has remained generally calm across the whole of the DRC territory since the last news conference.

Within the framework of the regional efforts for a smooth electoral process, Foreign Ministers of Angola and South Africa visited Kinshasa on 5 and 6 January to review the overall situation with the DRC officials, MONUC and other representatives of the International Community. Moreover, the Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General for the Great Lakes region, Mr. Ibrahima Fall, was expected in Kinshasa Wednesday for a two-day visit as part of the preparations of the UN Security Council's session on security in the Great Lakes region due on 27 January. Mr. Fall will confer with DRC officials.

With respect to the electoral process, all the registration centres in Bandundu and Equateur provinces that could not be opened during the registration period, say 109 in Bandundu and 184 in Equateur have a dozen more days and are due to close no later than 15 February.

Upon returning from South Africa, on 10 January, where he was invited to attend a conference on conflicts resolution at Cape Town University, the Special Representative, William Swing travelled to Bukavu and Bunia. In Bukavu, the Special Representative met the new commander of the South Kivu Brigade, General Maqsood, as well as civilian and military officials in the province. Referring to the electoral process, Mr. Swing said the strongest desire of the Congolese nation is to leave the past behind and to look ahead for a brighter future. In Bunia, Mr. Swing accompanied a delegation of American MPs with whom he visited the displaced camp of Che, and conferred with the community based in the Ituri district.

This Wednesday, Mr. Swing flew to Beni and Kanyabayonga to inaugurate a school built by the North Kivu Brigade in the presence of the civilian and military authorities of the province.

MONUC is seriously concerned about repeated and unjustified threats against journalists of Radio Okapi in several DRC provinces, reportedly masterminded by the province Government, military and police officials.

Humanitarian Situation

The Deputy Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General and coordinator of Humanitarian Affairs, Mr. Ross Mountain travelled on 14 January to Kalemie and Pweto, along with a delegation comprised of UNDP, HCR, UNICEF and OCHA representatives. The purpose of the mission was to assess the humanitarian situation in the localities of the North Katanga province where military operations are conducted against armed groups operating in the region.

46,000 more internally displaced persons are reported in the region, notably in Dubie and Nyonga, in the territories of Pweto and Bukama. Despite the difficult access to some territories, Humanitarian staffs alongside MONUC, are doing everything in their power to take humanitarian assistance including medicines, food and clothes to vulnerable groups. However, the protection of civilians remains a topical issue. In spite of reticence from some of the displaced persons to return to their respective villages, approximately 3,500 returned home in Kizabi, 60 km from Pweto.

Humanitarian agencies such as the WFP, NGOs SOLIDARITE, OXFAM and MERLIN continue assisting the displaced persons along the road axis OICHA-ERINGETI (North Kivu). 948 families received food and non-food items on 12 January. The WFP is preparing a new operation to distribute 200 tons of food to 5,298 families in the region. Most of the displaced fled the recent joint military operations MONUC/FARDC against the armed groups in the region.

WHO reported 2,201 cases of cholera in Ituri in 2005. The disease killed 69 people. The territory of Djugu, particularly the camps for the displaced in Tchomia, Kafe and Tche were among the heavily affected zones by the epidemic. The humanitarian agencies stepped up surveillance and prevention mechanisms to avoid new outbreak of the epidemic in the region, which mainly consist in facilitating populations' access to clean water, assistance to health centres and sensitization campaign on hygienic measures.

With respect to the repatriation of the foreign combatants based in the DRC territory, on 16 January 2006, altogether 12,704 ex-combatants including their dependents were repatriated to their respective countries.

Possible reasons for the increase in the number of FDLR combatants wishing to join the DDRRR process, indeed, may range from severed links between their hard-line leaders and their base commanders to constant military pressure forcing them to move from place to place. It could also be due to the crumbling of what was once a well-knit political, economic and military organization, and increasing realization among these combatants that they are not welcomed in the DR Congo, with the latter being the result of sensitization campaigns by MONUC.

In North Kivu, as a result of the operation that the FARDC, backed by MONUC, carried out last December against ADF/NALU combatants, the inhabitants of the region for the first time since 1996 were able to enjoy the year-end celebrations safely.

The ADF/NALU bases are left deserted, given that some of these combatants apparently have retreated to the Ruwenzori Mountains or towards the Similiki valley. Others have returned to Uganda, according to information provided by local village chiefs.

In this connection, in a letter to the highest authorities in Uganda, the Special Representative of the UN Secretary General, Mr. Swing, informed them that MONUC had reasons to believe that several of these Ugandan combatants had returned to their country. Were this information to be confirmed by the Ugandan government, Mr. Swing added, MONUC would appreciate if Kampala would take all the steps necessary to prevent these foreign combatants from returning to the DRC.

Military situation

Following the operations carried out against the ADF/NALU rebels in the later days of December 2005, with the objective definitively to resolve the problem posed by the presence and activities of the ADF/NALU in the Congolese territory, MONUC troops continue to support the FARDC in order to secure the 'Great North' and prevent the ADF from regrouping.

Also in North Kivu, during cordon-and-search operations carried out west of Goma town, in Ngungu and Lutso villages, more then 40 firearms were recovered.

In Ituri, meanwhile, the declining in the number of pockets where armed groups still roam continues. The difficult terrain and the splitting of former militias into smaller groups make the search for these gunmen difficult. As a result of the operations carried out in the surroundings of Nioka in the last days of 2005, members of Peter Karim's armed group are dispersed in Djugu and Mahagi territories northwest of Bunia. The Nepalese battalion is backing the FARDC in their efforts to rout these ex-FNI pockets.

In Irumu territory, following expiration of the ultimatum which gave FRPI militiamen until 11 January 2006 peacefully to hand in their weapons, the current joint operation 'ITURI ENCOURAGE' aims to put an end to FPRI presence in the sector of TCHEI, 25 km southwest of Bunia. This operation due to last throughout this week, involves two FARDC battalions with 1,500 troops, backed by over 300 Blue Helmets from the three Pakistani and Bangladeshi companies. The government troops have already regained control over Tchei and Kodheza localities previously occupied by the former militiamen.

In South Kivu, the situation has remained calm in the past weeks. Pakistani troops operate out over a hundred day and night zone-control missions each week in the region. On a daily basis, the operations 'SAFE PATH' ensure safe passage though the Kahuzi-Biega park, while the operations 'LAKE WATCH' guarantee security on Lake Kivu. The operations 'NIGHT FLASH' and 'GOOD NIGHT' provide security for urban centers and the region of Walungu during the night.

In Katanga, in addition to the Uruguayan contingent at Kalemie and a South African company already in Lubumbashi and Kamina, another company of South African troops is to deploy to Manono from 19 January. These troops will be accompanied by elements from the Uruguayan and Chinese engineering units. MONUC will have about 500 soldiers stationed in Katanga by the end of this month. They are due to remain there at least until the Beninese battalion arrives.