Mr. Speaker, the Bloc Quebecois welcomed the news today that the Canadian government has decided to provide additional humanitarian aid for the victims of the conflict that is now raging in Rwanda.
Only yesterday we urged the federal government to act as soon as possible on the resolution by the Security Council to reinforce the UN mission in Rwanda, and we welcome the additional contribution from CIDA announced this afternoon by the Secretary of State.
The additional emergency aid comes at the right time. We are confident that the amounts committed by Canada will help Canadian non-governmental organizations in Tanzania, Burundi, Rwanda and Zaire, as well as the International Federation of Red Cross Societies and the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees, which are also active in Tanzania and Uganda.
There is an escalating need for so many things. There is a shortage of food, drinking water and medical equipment. Public hygiene is a problem, as is the disease spreading through the refugee camps.
The Bloc Quebecois wishes to take this opportunity to commend the courage and invaluable contribution of civilians and military personnel from Canada and Quebec who are working over there with relief organizations to alleviate the suffering and help meet these needs.
Uganda has also requested the help of the international community to remove the thousands of corpses of Rwandans civilians which are rotting in Lake Victoria. A member of the government put it in the following terms, and I quote: "The situation is horrible. Thousands of bodies are caught in the marshes surrounding the many islands in the lake, and we do not have the equipment to remove them".
Meanwhile, mortar attacks prevent relief organizations from getting food from the warehouses to feed the thousands of civilians living under UN protection.
Today, according to a news release, two scheduled humanitarian flights were cancelled because a Canadian C-130 was hit by a bullet. According to the same news release, UNICEF expects malnutrition to become a problem within the next two weeks.
That is why last week, the UN Security Council authorized the deployment of an additional 5,500 peacekeepers. The UN mission in Rwanda will also be responsible for the safety and protection of displaced persons, refugees and civilians who are at risk, which will include the creation and maintenance, where possible, of secure humanitarian zones.
Ghana, Ethiopia and Senegal have each committed 800 soldiers. It is reported that they may not have the necessary equipment, including armoured vehicles, take their position
between the opposing Rwandan forces which have been fighting since early April.
As yet, there has been no response from the international community, so that the actual deployment of the peacekeepers may well take several weeks.
Meanwhile, the killing continues, and according to the latest UN estimates, more than 500,000 people have died and hundreds of thousands are refugees.
Will the Department of Foreign Affairs take part in reinforcing the UN mission in Rwanda? The Secretary of State did not answer that question today.
Canada has a very important role to play in Rwanda. CIDA's response to requests for emergency assistance by the UN and non-governmental organizations is part of that role, and we welcome that decision.
Today, at an emergency meeting of the UN Human Rights Commission in Geneva, several countries are calling for punitive action against the perpetrators of the slaughter in Rwanda and for international action to put an end to the killing. We can only hope that peace will be restored as soon as possible in that country.