On the brink of a humanitarian catastrophe
Families are now camping in schools and churches without food and the proper sanitation
It is feared that thousands of people fleeing from the violence in eastern DRC could be facing a humanitarian catastrophe.
Since the fighting intensified early Monday between Congolese army and rebels group (CNDP) in Kibumba, about 20,000 thousands people fled their homes. Most of them arrived in Kibati camp at Kanyaruchira.
They were forced to flee yesterday as fighting started just some 15km from Goma. Some went to Mugunga 1 and 2 camps but that are already full.
Families are now camping in schools and churches without food and the proper sanitation.
“Since we left our village Kibumba, we were sleeping in the street and we did not get any assistance” says Alphonsina, a displaced person to a church.
Harerimana Bwenge, a teacher at a local school says the school is now hosting around 200 families and says they are faced with a delicate situation as most of them don’t have food.
“I was at school when I saw people leaving the village; from there I fled too without even get paid my monthly salary, so we don’t have money and no food” says Bwenge
The panic rush by families has led to families being separated.
N. Safari has five children but she arrived at Saint Esprit church with only one and she doesn’t know where her husband and others children are.
“Our village is one that was providing foods to Goma, we used to eat three times a day but now we are starving” says Bonifuda.
Hope is quickly fading away as families cannot access food as most of the humanitarian organisations have closed their offices and evacuated staff.
“ActionAid has had to cancel its distribution of emergency supplies to 12,000 families today in Masisi camp in North Kivu province. The organisation was also due to distribute 3,000 jerry cans for storing water to displaced people in Mugunga camp 1 outside Goma town,” Sankoh added.
The humanitarian situation is deteriorating further as international humanitarian agencies are forced to suspend their ongoing relief operation.
General Nkunda, the leader of the National Congress for the Defence of the People (CNDP) has declared a unilateral ceasefire but the situation remains tense.
© ActionAid