Lake Kivu connects Goma and Bukavu; the capitals of North and South Kivu Provinces (file photo): In Goma, security incidents against humanitarian workers are on the rise

NAIROBI, 14 September 2009 (IRIN) - Security incidents against humanitarian workers in North Kivu Province of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) have increased by 26 percent since January compared to the same period last year, according to the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA).

Goma city recorded a 44 percent increase compared with the same period in 2008. There was also an increase in the level of personal violence, OCHA said in a report on security incidents against humanitarian workers in the province.

NGOs were the primary target in rural areas, while UN agencies were less likely to be targeted due to their continued use of MONUC (UN military mission) military escorts when accessing insecure areas.

In Goma, UN staff appear to be as vulnerable as NGO staff, the report said.

On access, the report said UN agencies had easy access to only 0.9 percent of the 5,300km of roads in North Kivu; over 900,000 displaced people were in areas where military escorts were required.

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