Demonstrations in the North Kivu province of the Democratic Republic of the Congo have escalated since violence between armed groups re-erupted in August.

The anger of the population is based on the perception that MONUC is not doing enough to root out the CNDP, a rebel group led by Laurent Nkunda, and that the international community at-large is not doing enough to alleviate the suffering of the people in North Kivu. Consequently, UN agencies have been met with stone throwing and riots in many public demonstrations.

Erin Weir and I met with internally displaced Congolese in Rutshuru to ask about why they had fled their homes, and the conditions in the makeshift camps that they have settled in. The interviews were conducted in French, Swahili and the local language, and even though I only have a basic understanding of French, their message was unmistakable.

Many had lived in the camp since August, while others had arrived as recently as two weeks ago. Some of those who had arrived in August received plastic sheeting for shelter, but more recent arrivals had not yet received any support. Infrastructure continues to be poor; there is just one tap of fresh water for some 3,000 families, and virtually no latrines. Most are unable to sell their goods in the market because they are required to pay a tax to enter, which they cannot afford. We were encouraged to hear that a support group for survivors of sexual violence had been formed by women who participated in a similar group in their previous camp.

Most of the displaced people just want to go home, but violence in their home villages makes return impossible. When one man from this camp tried to return home, he found that their homes had been burned. Still others who returned met rebel forces that demanded that they ‘donate’ a son or another male to fight with rebel forces. They are afraid to return to their homes now, so they cannot cultivate their fields for food, and are relying on humanitarian agencies to provide them with the basic necessities.

They want to be self-reliant and return to their lives, but unfortunately it seems that their lives are moving away from normalcy. Many of the people displaced in North Kivu have been driven from their homes many times—some have returned home and been forced to leave again after violence re-erupted, others have been forced to move to a new camp after attacks on their first one.

With the multiple armed groups and rapidly changing security situation in North Kivu, it is difficult to get humanitarian assistance to displaced people who are grouped together on the side of the road. Too often they are forced to move from those improvised camps to provide human buffer zones between armed groups, and it is difficult for humanitarian organizations to assess their needs and deliver assistance in these difficult conditions.

As I write this post, we have heard reports that approximately 6,000 people from two camps near Kimbumba are moving towards Goma to escape fighting between government and rebel forces over the last few days.

Although the situation has worsened in recent months, it is all the more essential that the Government of D.R. Congo and the international community work together to deliver assistance and provide security to the displaced people who have suffered greatly during this crisis.

--Teresa Weathington
Refugees International

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