IRIN – Rival ethnic communities in northwestern Democratic Republic of Congo have clashed many times over the years, but most recently over fish, observers say.

More than 200 people have died and another 150,000 have fled to the neighbouring Republic of Congo (ROC) since October 2009, when fighting erupted between the Lobala and Boba clans in Dongo, Equateur Province.

The clash was triggered by two attacks against Boba villages, including one in July 2009, in which 200 homes were burnt down.

“The clashes could have been prevented – or at least curbed – had there been more oversight of the distribution of resources at the Iwandi pool,” said local analyst Polycarpe Nyalua.

Iwandi is one of the most prolific fishing spots along the River Ubangi which runs along the border between the two countries.

Read more – http://www.irinnews.org/Report.aspx?ReportId=87961

IRIN – Galkayo Hospital in northern Somalia, once a large, fully equipped referral facility, has become a shadow of its former self since the collapse of the central government in 1991, according to medical staff.

“The hospital is for all practical purposes closed. We have nothing. It lacks basic equipment to treat even small injuries,” Abdullahi Hirsi Jestro, a doctor, told IRIN.

Jestro and other medical staff have started a campaign to re-open the hospital.

It is the only public health facility in north Galkayo, in the self-declared autonomous region of Puntland, he said, adding that the most needy were now unable to access medical care.

Read more – http://www.irinnews.org/Report.aspx?ReportId=87905

IRIN – As conflict continues in Somalia, the main hospital in Mogadishu, the capital, lacks orthopedic specialists to handle the increasing number of patients with broken limbs, a doctor has said.

“Currently, the patients with the most serious injuries are mostly young; 30 of them require specialized treatment that is not available in the country,” Mohamed Yusuf, the director-general of Madina Hospital, told IRIN. “Since 2009, we have seen hundreds of patients requiring orthopedic treatment but very few of them can afford specialized treatment; 98 percent of the patients are too poor.”

Mogadishu has borne the brunt of the fighting in Somalia, which pits an opposition Islamist group against government troops. The country has been conflict-ridden since 1991 when President Siad Barre was ousted. Although a transitional government is in place, fighting continues in Mogadishu as well as in southern and central parts of the country.

Read more – http://www.irinnews.org/Report.aspx?ReportId=87827

IRIN – Aid workers in volatile eastern Chad are anxiously watching discussions over the possible exit of UN peacekeepers, after the government has said it wants the mission out when its mandate ends on 15 March.

“The principal worry for aid agencies is what would be the impact on the security situation,” said an aid worker in eastern Chad who requested anonymity.

“If the Chadian government can create the conditions in which aid operations can go forward in a secure environment, good. But if not, continuing humanitarian work here will be very difficult.” 

The UN Mission in the Central African Republic and Chad (MINURCAT) is charged in part with protecting civilians, including the some 450,000 refugees and internally displaced persons (IDPs) in eastern Chad.

Read more – http://www.irinnews.org/Report.aspx?ReportId=87818

AfDB – Representatives of Africa defense, diplomacy, regional organizations and development  institutions, as well members of the  civil society organizations and parliamentarians met,  on 23-24 November 2009, at the African Development Bank in Tunis to discuss ways of  strengthening  regional organizations in dealing with the prevention of violent conflicts on the continent.

Read More – http://www.afdb.org/en/news-events/article/prevention-of-violent-crisis-in-africa-5459/