Summary:
The most recent emergency was brought on by further violent fighting between government forces and non-state armed groups, which resulted in the forcible evacuation of 300,000 people from their homes in North Kivu Province just in February.
Since March of last year, more than 800,000 people have fled the conflict in eastern DR Congo, including to the provinces of South Kivu and Ituri.
Internally displaced, mainly in the country’s east, the DRC is home to Africa’s worst internal displacement problem.
UNHCR requests $232.6 million for 2023 to help refugees and internally displaced people in the DRC.
The DRC operation is just 8% funded as of right now.
The most recent emergency was brought on by further violent fighting between government forces and non-state armed groups, which resulted in the forcible evacuation of 300,000 people from their homes in North Kivu Province just in February.
The Kitchanga district in Masisi territory saw approximately 50,000 people displaced during the week of February 17th, according to the UNHCR, which also reports that another 20,000 people fled at the beginning of the week.
Survivors
Women and children who narrowly survived the carnage and are currently sleeping in the open, in spontaneous or arranged places, exhausted and traumatised, are paying the high and terrible price of conflict, according to UNHCR spokesperson Matthew Saltmarsh.
The UNHCR spokeswoman said, “UNHCR teams on the ground heard harrowing accounts of human rights violations in affected areas, particularly in Rutshuru and Masisi territories, including arbitrary executions, kidnappings, extortion, and rapes.
Inadequate resources
Conditions are appalling for those arriving at unplanned or planned camps, which the UN agency for refugees warned was now crumbling under pressure.
Since March of last year, more than 800,000 people have fled the conflict in eastern DR Congo, including to the provinces of South Kivu and Ituri. On the border between DR Congo and Rwanda, more than 130 armed organisations are active, including the M23 militia, which has in the past attacked government forces and MONUSCO, the UN peacekeeping mission in the nation. AnA M23 truce arranged last week and supposed to begin on Tuesday has not occurred.
Since March of last year, more than 800,000 people have been displaced in the area, including to the provinces of South Kivu and Ituri.
Remaining by
Where access is possible, UNHCR staff are prepared to offer psychosocial counselling and peer support to those traumatised by what they have seen or experienced.
Humanitarians have continued to caution that despite “all efforts” to safeguard and help those displaced near Goma, the provincial seat of North Kivu, access to relief still poses challenges because significant routes are sometimes impassable due to continuous warfare.
Since January, more than 5,500 individuals have walked into the neighbouring country of Rwanda, and another 5,300 have entered Uganda as insecurity and violence continue to wreak havoc in border districts.
Stop the violence!
The UN agency issued a statement, “UNHCR strongly reiterates its demand on all parties in eastern DRC to stop the violence taking a tremendous toll on the civilian population.
With 5.8 million people internally displaced, mainly in the country’s easy, the DRC is home to Africa’s worst internal displacement problem. Also, it takes in nearly a million refugees from nearby nations.
Also, it is one of the UNHCR’s globally underfunded missions. UNHCR requests $232.6 million for 2023 to help refugees and internally displaced people in the DRC. The DRC operation is just 8% funded as of right now.