DR Congo: Thousands displaced by violence

Crowds fleeing violence

Source: CAFOD

There has been an alarming increase in rebel attacks in the northeast of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. (DR Congo). The latest attacks took place in the surrounding areas of Beni town, where local aid workers supported by UK charity CAFOD, are responding to the needs of an estimated 40,000 people who have arrived in the town.

The Bishop of Beni Butembo, Mgr Melchoir Sikuli said: "Beni has been hit again with over 200 people killed by rebels who attacked the villages by the border of North Kivu and Ituri around the villages of Mabelenga, Ndalya, Idou, Ndimo. Massive numbers of displaced people can be found in the centre of Beni and Eringeti."

CAFOD's Country Representative Bernard Balibuno reports: "It is mainly women and children fleeing with fear in their eyes and all that they own strapped to their backs. People are now living in dire conditions, in the open air, without food, water, shelter and medical care are urgently needed, as well as essential daily items such as blankets, buckets, and cooking utensils."

Masika, a mother who fled with her six children, told aid workers: "We have walked over 75 km in the rain and now we are sleeping in the open and we have no food. Children are becoming very weak. The government officials have registered our names two days ago, but no help is coming."

Over the last year increased levels of violence across the region have forced up to a million women, children, and men to flee their homes. Host families offer vital refuge for people fleeing, despite their own challenges says Balibuno: "Host families share their already limited resources with families despite seeing their own humanitarian situation deteriorate day by day.

Balibuno concluded that Ebola and dealing with COVID-19 is a major concern:

"Local aid workers in the area are concerned at this latest mass movement of people with the resurgence of Ebola in the area and the continued spread of the Coronavirus."

LINK

CAFOD - www.cafod.org.uk