|TOP|Christian Aid partners in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) welcomed British parliamentarians as they toured the country last week to see for themselves the volatile situation in the run-up to the DRC’s first democratic elections in 45 years.

Ntambala Muzindusi, director of the Centre for Integrated Development, one of Christian Aid’s partners in eastern DRC, reported that the MPs had the opportunity to speak with people on the ground and see the truth for themselves as they visited the eastern town of Bukavu.

Human rights issues and concerns over the political situation also arose during meetings between the MPs and several other Christian Aid partners and local organisations where the NGOS had the chance to press the MPs on issues that the UK government should focus on at this time.

The UK MPs and representatives of the local NGOs were unanimous in their conclusion that progress would not be possible without peace.

|AD|“The main issue is security,” said Muzindusi. “Security means people are safe to go to work but support is needed to ensure that this is soon translated into lasting peace.”

According to Muzindusi, the MPs promised to raise the concerns of the NGOs with the British government.

Numerous NGOs are working to support the victims of the ongoing violence and conflict has beleaguered the country despite the official end to the civil war in 2003.

Human lives, homes, schools and hospitals have been destroyed by the fighting and women and girls continue to be some of the most vulnerable people in the region, with a UN report revealing that some 45,000 women and girls were victim to sexual violence in south Kivu Province in 2005 alone.

The European Union will deploy a 450-strong military force in Congo in the second half of May to ensure every runs smoothly with the elections which have raised concerns following calls from some parties to boycott them. They will back up the thousands of UN peacekeepers already thinly stretched over the vast country as they continue to struggle in their efforts to keep a lid on the violence.