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| DR Congo displacement crisis 'worse than Middle East' | DR Congo displacement crisis 'worse than Middle East' |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| Conflict has forced 1.7 million people to flee their homes in the Democratic Republic of Congo this year, causing "a mega-crisis", aid agencies say. | Conflict has forced 1.7 million people to flee their homes in the Democratic Republic of Congo this year, causing "a mega-crisis", aid agencies say. |
| This means that for the second consecutive year, DR Congo is worst-affected by conflict displacement in the world, the agencies add. | This means that for the second consecutive year, DR Congo is worst-affected by conflict displacement in the world, the agencies add. |
| DR Congo has been hit by years of instability, with rival militias fighting for control of territory. | DR Congo has been hit by years of instability, with rival militias fighting for control of territory. |
| The conflict has been worsened by the failure to hold elections last year. | The conflict has been worsened by the failure to hold elections last year. |
| "It's a mega-crisis. The scale of people fleeing violence is off the charts, outpacing Syria, Yemen and Iraq," the Norwegian Refugee Council's DR Congo director, Ulrika Blom, said. | "It's a mega-crisis. The scale of people fleeing violence is off the charts, outpacing Syria, Yemen and Iraq," the Norwegian Refugee Council's DR Congo director, Ulrika Blom, said. |
| In a new report, the Internal Displacement Monitoring Centre said that an average of 5,500 people fled their homes every day this year. | In a new report, the Internal Displacement Monitoring Centre said that an average of 5,500 people fled their homes every day this year. |
| The reasons include new armed conflicts, a rise in existing conflicts and the delay in holding elections, the report said. | The reasons include new armed conflicts, a rise in existing conflicts and the delay in holding elections, the report said. |
| Despite there being four million displaced people, as well as more than seven million struggling to feed themselves, international aid has been slow to materialise, Ms Blom said. | Despite there being four million displaced people, as well as more than seven million struggling to feed themselves, international aid has been slow to materialise, Ms Blom said. |
| "If we fail to step up now, mass hunger will spread and people will die. We are in a race against time," she warned. | "If we fail to step up now, mass hunger will spread and people will die. We are in a race against time," she warned. |
| DR Congo's Minister of Information, Lambert Mende, has however disputed the aid agencies' report, saying that the number of the displaced people is "less than one million". | |
| He told BBC's Focus on Africa programme that the displaced people were, contrary to the report, returning home from neighbouring countries. | He told BBC's Focus on Africa programme that the displaced people were, contrary to the report, returning home from neighbouring countries. |
| World has neglected DR Congo | World has neglected DR Congo |
| By James Copnall, BBC News | By James Copnall, BBC News |
| The number of displaced people is shocking - even if it is disputed by the government. | |
| Local conflicts in several parts of the country - in particular the new crisis in the greater Kasai area - are all rumbling on as a gruesome backdrop to the national crisis over elections and whether President Joseph Kabila will leave power. | Local conflicts in several parts of the country - in particular the new crisis in the greater Kasai area - are all rumbling on as a gruesome backdrop to the national crisis over elections and whether President Joseph Kabila will leave power. |
| The world hasn't been paying much attention. | The world hasn't been paying much attention. |
| In part this is because these are difficult places to report from, and news agencies and TV channels with global reach don't have many correspondents in the country. | In part this is because these are difficult places to report from, and news agencies and TV channels with global reach don't have many correspondents in the country. |
| Rightly or wrongly, DR Congo is not considered to have the same global strategic significance as, say, Syria. | Rightly or wrongly, DR Congo is not considered to have the same global strategic significance as, say, Syria. |
| DR Congo is a vast country with immense economic resources, but years of conflict have led to most people living in poverty, and there is little infrastructure. | DR Congo is a vast country with immense economic resources, but years of conflict have led to most people living in poverty, and there is little infrastructure. |
| President Joseph Kabila took power in 2001 following the assassination of his father, Laurent Kabila. | President Joseph Kabila took power in 2001 following the assassination of his father, Laurent Kabila. |
| He has won two elections and the constitution bars him from running for a third term. | He has won two elections and the constitution bars him from running for a third term. |
| Mr Kabila's critics say the poll has been delayed so that he can remain in office. | Mr Kabila's critics say the poll has been delayed so that he can remain in office. |
| Mr Kabila's government has been battling new conflicts in the last year, including in the central Kasai region where violence broke out after the government refused to recognise a traditional chief. | Mr Kabila's government has been battling new conflicts in the last year, including in the central Kasai region where violence broke out after the government refused to recognise a traditional chief. |
| At least 400 people have been killed in the conflict in the region, which is regarded as an opposition stronghold. | At least 400 people have been killed in the conflict in the region, which is regarded as an opposition stronghold. |