Access to the fields: a question of survival in DR Congo

Fighting between the military and the armed opposition displaced hundreds of thousands of people in Eastern Congo last year. The outbreak of hostilities made it impossible for farmers to plant their seeds and left the displaced dependent on maize flour, palm oil and beans distributed by humanitarian organizations.

"When I do not have access to my field, this assistance is the only source of food I have," says Bahati Balinge, a young mother from Sake who is expecting her fifth child.

When people are displaced within their countrys borders as a result of an armed conflict they are protected by international humanitarian law and benefit from protection and assistance programmes offered by the ICRC.

According to a survey (Our World. Views from the field) conducted by the ICRC in eight countries presently or recently affected by conflict, 56% of those directly affected said they had been displaced by fighting.

More on the survey

http://www.icrc.org/web/eng/siteeng0.nsf/htmlall/research-report-240609

http://www.ourworld-yourmove.org

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