by Carole Goma-Nakaya, Congo Brazzaville, August 1997
THEME = SOCIAL ACTION
Civil war has been raging in Brazzaville since 5 June 1997. Residents in the north and the centre of the city have taken refuge in the south, many in parishes run by the Archdiocese of Brazzaville.
Robert Goma-Débat belongs to the Disaster Commission of Saint Kizito's parish, situated in Hakélékélé, Brazzaville's District Number Two. He says that the first displaced people, totalling 422, arrived in the parish on Friday 6 June 1997. As soon as he saw the numbers flocking in, Father Eligius, the parish priest, set up a special committee of the parish's Caritas Commission to take care of the food situation. For three weeks, the committee did its utmost to cope with the crisis. When they were finally at the end of their resources, Father Réné Tabards, vice president of Caritas Congo, and official representative of the Order of Malta in Congo, stepped in to alleviate the situation.
The situation has indeed aggravated. It's no longer just one parish's problem, because displaced people in both the north and south of Brazzaville have to be cared for now. Health care arrangements for the displaced registered with St. Kizito's parish, and for those registered with the Catholic Disaster Aid Committee, are covered by a joint project run by Caritas Congo and the French Embassy. In the northern area of the city controlled by Mr Denis Sassou Nguesso, Father Jérémie Gaulliat, based at Massengo, channels the disaster aid.
Sister Brigitte Gengo is a member of the sub-commission which looks after humanitarian aid. She also sees to the distribution of medicine. St.Kizito's Disaster Commission has to face up to a multiplicity of medical problems, ranging from childbirth to serious medical problems. Many children suffer from diarrhoea, dermatosis and malaria.
In spite of the ceasefire in recent days, the displaced have not been able to go back home. A number hope to be able to return after the presidential elections; others, however, have lost all hope, as their homes have been destroyed and they don't know where to go.
END