USAID/OTI DRC Field Report April 2004
Field Report #24
Program Description
USAID/OTI’s goal in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) is to contribute to a more stable environment in war-torn communities. To advance this goal, OTI program activities fall under two objectives:
- Support the reintegration process between war-affected youth and their host families; and
- Reinforce local, regional, and national awareness in order to foster community participation on issues key to the transitional process.
USAID/OTI is supporting the following activities to achieve this goal:
Synergie d'Education Communautaire et d'Appui à la transition (SE*CA): Implemented by Chemonics, SE*CA is a Community Reintegration and Revitalization Program to be achieved through psycho-social, civic, and vocational education; high-impact community-driven projects; and a media program supporting community participation on key transitional issues. SE*CA will facilitate the reintegration of war-affected youth through the revitalization of social and physical infrastructure of targeted communities.
Radio Okapi: DRC National Radio Initiative – OTI supports Fondation Hirondelle in its collaborative effort with the United Nations Mission in the Congo (MONUC) to broaden the effect of their national radio initiative, Radio Okapi. The station’s local language (Lingala, Swahili, Tshiluba, Kikongo) provides the population with balanced information as the peace process advances, ensuring that Congolese are more informed on progress made in the normalization of political and social affairs.
Giving Voice to the Children of Congo (GVCC): Sisi Watoto (We, the Children) – Through this Search for Common Ground radio program, OTI supports increased awareness of issues pertaining to affected youth and former child soldiers by broadcasting programs on youth-related issues and how young people can seek solutions to the violence that affects them and their communities. GVCC strengthens the role that youth play in the development of their communities and enhances their contribution to national dialogues relevant to the peace process.
Country Situation
The political opposition, which is composed of parties/former militia who were not signatories to the Pretoria peace accords signed in April 2003, continued to protest, accusing the transitional government of failing to fulfill its responsibilities during the political transition. They argue that during the transitional period, the government’s focus should be on improving the general socio-economic situation in the country, on moving the national elections calendar forward, and on improving relations with neighboring countries.
ELECTIONS: President Joseph Kabila established a calendar of deadlines that (if followed) should ensure that national elections will be held in 2005. The calendar calls for election dates as follows:
- February – May 2005: Local elections.
- February – June 2005: Parliamentary elections.
- June –July 2005: Presidential elections.
In accordance with recommendations formulated by experts of the International Committee to Accompany the Transition (CIAT), which includes Ambassadors from UN Security Council countries present in the DRC and chaired by the UN Mission in the DRC (MONUC), Parliament unanimously passed laws regarding the organization, assignments, and mandate of the Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) on April 20. In accordance with the Constitution, President Joseph Kabila must now approve these laws for promulgation.
KABILA CALLS FOR INTERVENTION OF INTERNATIONAL CRIMINAL COURT: President of the DRC, Joseph Kabila, called for the International Criminal Tribunal (ICT) in the Hague to investigate the crimes of war against humanity and genocide committed in the DRC. The ICT has received numerous reports of human rights violations and atrocities perpetrated against the civil population, particularly in the region of Ituri, in northeast DRC.
PEACE AND STABILITY: The security situation in eastern DRC remains unstable in many areas. A massacre of at least twenty-five people was discovered in the village of Lukweti in the province of North Kivu in eastern DRC. Approximately 150 houses were also burned to the ground. Those responsible have been identified as rebels implicated in the Rwandan genocide of 1994.
Tensions have heightened along the border between Rwanda and the DRC. It was confirmed on April 21 that Rwandan troops had entered DRC territory around Bunanga, and had prevented MONUC from conducting surveillance in certain areas. The Rwandan Government states that its troops are trying to prevent Rwandan Hutu rebels from conducting raids in Rwanda’s territory. The DRC government asked MONUC to demand the withdrawal of the Rwandan troops from DRC soil immediately.
DISARMAMENT, DEMOBILIZATION AND REINTEGRATION: Approximately 80 members of various Mayi-Mayi groups in Lubutu, Maniema Province who were waiting to be demobilized or integrated into the national army have reportedly returned to their rebel positions.
USAID/OTI Highlights
A. Narrative Summary
1. Synergie d'Education Communautaire et d'Appui à la transition (SE*CA)
Start-Up Development:
There has been rapid movement in the organization of the programmatic, logistical and staffing requirements of the SE*CA program. During the month of April, the program staff initiated a series of meetings with its organizational partners to discuss the performance monitoring plan and the draft design documents. Staffing-up of offices in Kinshasa, Kisangani and Bunia are continuing.
The Chemonics GO team (tasked with the SE*CA start-up) completed its assignment, with the team leader returning to Washington on April 24. Prior to departure, members of the GO team traveled to Bunia and to Kisangani to meet with local authorities and representatives of other organizations and bodies, and to assist in start-up administration.
Current Activities
Current activities are focused on the preparation of a joint OTI/Chemonics staff field trip to Kisangani and Bunia scheduled for early May, and on the finalization of the SE*CA design, and on the development of the Youth Education and Skills (YES) curriculum documents.
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2. Fondation Hirondelle: Radio Okapi And Partner Radio Network
Current Activities
Radio Okapi is continuously improving its efforts to disseminate information to the Congolese population, even in more remote areas. New relay transmitters have been set up including a new direct satellite television (DSTV) transmitter that have been installed on a hill near Bukavu, allowing for greater coverage of Okapi’s programs in this region. While some technical challenges remain, Radio Okapi plans to complete all improvements of FM coverage by the end of June. Meanwhile, Okapi Lubumbashi has been upgraded into a regional station with a full studio, reflecting the city’s importance to the political transition.
Highlights on Activity Development
This month OTI’s work with Fondation Hirondelle (FH) was focused on completing the logistic and legal steps necessary to implement the Partner Radio Network. The Partner Radio Network will draw five local stations into the Radio Okapi network, increasing the range of broadcasts. OTI partner Chemonics will procure and ship the radio equipment necessary for the linkage, and has completed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with Fondation Hirondelle for that purpose.
Success Stories
Okapi’s contribution to peace and to the political transition is key to the people of Ituri District, where warlords are trying to dissuade militiamen from disarming and reintegrating back into civilian life. Despite this pressure, many of the militia men themselves have expressed that they are tired of the war they have been going through for seven years and that they wish to join the national plan of Disarmament, Demobilization and Reintegration. Along with its partners, UNDP and MONUC, the Government has developed and launched a special plan for Ituri, called Disarmament and Community Resettlement (DCR). As a partner of the current transition, Okapi is providing key information about this DCR process. Okapi’s daily and weekly radio programs allow the population to understand the current process, become familiar with its key actors and debates, and make informed decisions.
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3. Search for Common Ground: Giving A Voice To The Children Of Congo (GVCC)
Current Activities
In April, Search for Common Ground sent a team of young reporters to visit Kindu for seven days. This was a follow up to a similar field trip organized by Search in Kindu in December 2003. The focus of the first trip was the demobilization process, and the second visit continues that theme by emphasizing the successes and challenges of the demobilization process. Five months after the first trip, the team was able to meet with and interview former child soldiers who are now either back at school or involved in vocational training, working or helping on their parents’ farms.
Since April 5, RTNC Kindu has been broadcasting Sisi Watoto radio programs, as a result of successful negotiation of the Search for Common Ground team.
Highlights on Activity Development
The themes of the Sisi Watoto weekly radio programs broadcasted this month were:
- Understanding DDR
DDR is widely used in the Congolese media. However, what is the Congolese population’s understanding of this acronym? To respond to this question, a Sisi Watoto team interviewed adults and children in the streets of Bukavu and area demobilization centers. They also organized a round table on the subject with local stakeholders in the DDR process: leaders of local NGOs, the officer in charge of the DDR at the 10th Military Region and the head of the demobilization department at the provincial level.
The Sisi Watoto team realized that there is great demand for child soldiers and demobilized child soldiers to receive information about the DDR process. The radio program, so far, was reporting on stories encouraging children to demobilize, highlighting success stories, showing challenges in the process and suggesting ways to overcome them. However, it is now clear that a more educational and didactical programming is necessary from time to time. This is why the new program, Understanding DDR, started. The program will center on recurring themes intended to enhance the understanding of different stakeholders involved in the DDR process.
- Accompaniment of Demobilized Child Soldiers
Who should support the demobilization of child soldiers? Most people believe that the responsibility is with local and international NGOs. The radio show highlighted the children’s own responsibility in the successful demobilization. The show also gives a voice to social educators and parents, who explain what their contribution to a successful reintegration of demobilized child soldiers could and should be.
- Challenges for a Successful DDR in Walungu
A team of young reporters visited Walungu territory, in South Kivu, to interview child soldiers from Mundudu 40 (M40). This former local militia is now disbanded but smaller organized groups are still operating, even if they are dormant at the military level. Child soldiers within M40 expressed their wish to leave the armed group and go back to their families. They spoke of the difficulties they encounter with their commanders. The commanders explained why they could not yet demobilize child soldiers in their ranks. The show concluded with an interview of the officer in charge of the DDR process at the 10th Military Region who spoke about the successes of the demobilization program and urged commanders from M40 to discharge their child soldiers.
- School Reintegration for Demobilized Child Soldiers: the Case of Kindu
A Sisi Watoto team met with former child soldiers who returned to school in Kindu. Demobilized child soldiers spoke about their new civilian life and general appreciation for being back in school. A teacher interviewed provided further positive feedback about the reintegration and was thrilled to be able to educate former child soldiers. To further enhance this program, Sisi Watoto added a guest interview with a youth member of Carrefour des Enfants du Congo (CARECO), a local NGO, who spoke on the importance of children’s right to education.
Success Stories
This visit of Sisi Watoto journalists to Kindu was the second time they visited this area. The first visit had been difficult, with serious tensions between some demobilized Mai Mai and the Sisi Watoto team, which even led to fear that someone among the young reporters could be injured. However, during this second visit, the demobilized child soldiers welcomed the young reporters. The team was even able to leave Kindu and visit the countryside, visiting a village called Brazza and other rural parts along the railway tracks. These territories were until recently “no-go areas” under the control of the Mai Mai. This experience confirmed that the program and team are becoming better known, understood and appreciated in key war-affected areas.
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4. CARE: Small Grants Initiative: Congo en Actíon pour la Paix (CAP)
Current Activities: Close Out
The remaining CAP staff have almost completed the extensive closeout procedures. As of the end of April, CAP staff had completed the financial reconciliation of grants, completed the entry of records in the database, finalized the program evaluation report, transferred remaining assets to continuing OTI partners, and closed out all field offices. The delivery of some equipment to ongoing projects remains, and there are some final activities that remain to be completed (such as planned trainings to civil society local leaders in Bukavu and Kisangani).
Grants Summary
| Total April 2004 |
0 |
$0 |
| Total Grants to Date |
62 |
$2,465,000 |
No new grants were approved in April. However, two cost extensions were approved, and this caused an increase in the total amount of funds committed over last month. Also reflected in the current total are a number of cost amendments that were approved in January and early February 2004 but were not recorded in the database.
Next Steps/Immediate Priorities
- Complete revised SE*CA design document by early May.
- Preparation of terms of reference for the design and implementation of a SE*CA baseline study by late May.
- Identification and deployment of consultants to complete and adapt Youth Education and Skills curriculum.
- Development of implementation plan in support of the SE*CA media strategy.
- The second Partners Radio Network evaluation trip will take place at the end of May/beginning of June.
- The first set of basic journalism training for the three radios already selected will be undertaken in early July.
For further information, please contact:
In Washington, D.C.: Bronwyn Bruton, OTI Program Manager, e-mail: bbruton@usaid.gov; telephone: (202) 712-0827
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