Doctors Without Borders says health conditions have deteriorated in two of the sites in Ituri Province it abandoned last week due to militia violence. The group – also known by its French acronym, MSF -- returned this week to camps in Kakwa and Tche. Both are within kilometers of the provincial capital of Bunia.
Dr. Abiye Tamrat is the head of the emergency desk of MSF in Geneva. He told English to Africa reporter William Eagle that death had occurred in the two camps because of a failure to maintain clean water and safe sanitary conditions. He also said men complained their wives had been sexually harassed by rival militias.
Dr. Tamrat said so far, up to 50 thousand internally displaced people have fled militia fighting. In pursuit of safety, they have set up camps near UN peacekeeping forces. However, he said that number is increasing, as shown by the addition of new shelters in the already established camps. For example, he said in Tche, nearly 300 were set up in the past week alone.