UN Reports 35,000 Congolese Refugees Have Fled to Burundi Amid Ongoing Violence
The UN refugee agency, UNHCR, announced on Thursday that 35,000 Congolese nationals have fled to Burundi since early February as Rwanda-backed M23 rebels continue advancing through North and South Kivu provinces.
Escalating Lawlessness in DR Congo
The UN human rights office (OHCHR) in DRC has expressed deep concern over increasing instability, reporting that several warlords responsible for severe crimes, including rape, have escaped from prisons in Goma, Kabare, and Bukavu in recent days.
Patrice Vahard, Director of the UN Joint Human Rights Office in DR Congo (UNJHRO), warned that these fugitives now pose serious threats to their former victims, judicial officials, and lawyers who represented survivors of sexual violence.
“**The consequences will be huge, not only for the rule of law but especially for these women who believed in justice and now face the risk of encountering their tormentors again**,” he stated.
Thousands Seek Refuge in Burundi
According to UNHCR spokesperson Olga Sarrado, most of the refugees arriving in Burundi are women and children, many of whom are exhausted and traumatized.
“**Many tell our teams that they lost family members, including children, while fleeing**,” Sarrado said.
She described dire conditions at the border, noting that a majority of refugees enter through unofficial routes, often risking dangerous crossings over the Ruzizi River.
Some refugees have been forced to seek shelter in open spaces or makeshift structures, while others have been temporarily housed in schools and a stadium near the border.
The humanitarian situation is worsening, with severe shortages of basic necessities, including access to food, water, and sanitation facilities.
Partial Resumption of Aid in Goma
The UN World Food Programme (WFP) announced on Thursday that it has been able to partially resume food aid deliveries in Goma, which fell under M23 control three weeks ago.
However, ongoing clashes between M23 rebels and national forces have worsened food insecurity, forcing many people to flee displacement camps in search of safety.
“**Soaring hunger levels are a major concern**,” the agency warned.
In North Kivu, WFP has reached 9,000 people with emergency food aid, significantly below its target of 83,000 individuals.
“**Security must improve to allow us to reach tens of thousands more vulnerable people at risk**,” WFP emphasized.
Rising food prices further complicate the crisis, as WFP struggles to provide nutrition support for malnourished children in the region.
Rising Food Prices and Increasing Desperation
The ongoing violence has fueled dramatic price hikes for essential goods, according to WFP:
– Maize flour prices have surged by 67%
– Salt is now 43% more expensive
– Cooking oil costs 45% more than before the crisis began
“**Families are left with no food, no security, and nowhere safe to go**,” said WFP spokesperson **Shaza Mograby**.
Despite efforts, humanitarian organizations are struggling to reach those in dire need due to blocked access routes and the closure of Goma International Airport.
Urgent Funding Needed to Sustain Aid Operations
The WFP-run UN Humanitarian Air Service (UNHAS), which plays a crucial role in transporting aid workers and humanitarian supplies, is facing imminent funding shortages.
**$33.1 million is urgently required** to prevent operational suspension by the **end of March**.
In response, the UNHAS fleet has relocated to Kalemie in Tanganyika, establishing a new operational hub to continue aid deliveries in eastern DRC.
So far in 2024, UNHAS has:
– Transported 2,464 passengers, including humanitarian workers evacuated from Goma and Bukavu
– Delivered 23 metric tons of essential supplies across DR Congo
Call for Peace and Continued Humanitarian Support
Peter Musoko, WFP’s Country Director for DRC, emphasized the urgent need for peace:
“**The longer we are unable to deliver food aid, the more desperate the situation becomes. I do not want to see children and mothers sink deeper into hunger and malnutrition. We need the violence to stop so we can carry out our humanitarian work. The most vulnerable people in DRC cannot
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