SYRIA CRISIS APPEAL

Oxfam reaction to the High-Level meeting on Africa's Great Lakes: Military solutions have consistently failed

Published: 27 September 2012

Sally Chin of Oxfam said:

“Focusing on a military solution will take the region down the wrong path. A long series of military operations in recent years has consistently failed to provide lasting security to civilians and have instead often led to further displacement and suffering.

“Around half a million people have been forced to flee their homes since the beginning of 2012 in eastern Congo, many of them in urgent need of clean water, healthcare, food, protection and shelter. They should be the main focus of the international community and the UN mission in the Congo should ensure that protecting these people is their number one priority.”

“We need to see increased funding from the international community towards peace-building, conflict-resolution initiatives and of course for the huge humanitarian needs in the Congo.

Contact Information

For more information: Louis Belanger - Oxfam International cell +1 917 224 0834 twitter https://twitter.com/#!/louis_press

Notes to editors

Oxfam is currently working in a camp on the outskirts of Goma trucking water for 55,000 people who have fled from the fighting between the M23 and government troops. Oxfam aims to reach 230,000 people as we scale up to meet the needs of people in this crisis.

Related links

More photos, blogs, reports on Oxfam's response to the crisis in the DRC

Permalink: http://oxf.am/JFY