Hundreds of thousands of civilians who have fled a horrific surge in violence in eastern DR Congo need urgent support, Islamic Relief partners say.
Islamic Relief is stepping up support to local partners as the fighting between the M23 militia and the Congolese army has ripped apart communities over the past few weeks. The level of violence is horrific with families burned alive in their homes and women and young girls raped. Around 3,000 people are reported killed, and homes, schools, hospitals and health centres have been burnt to the ground.
Around 70 camps for displaced people on the edge of the city of Goma have been emptied, with families forced at gunpoint to dismantle their shelters and evacuate back to the villages they originally fled from. Many are now walking for up to 100 miles without food.
Many farmers are unable to safely reach their fields due to the violence, leading to growing fears of a major food crisis and widespread starvation. The crisis is also further increasing the risk of disease outbreaks, including cholera, measles, malaria and mpox, with the DRC accounting for 90% of global mpox cases.
Jonas Habimana, a representative of BIFERD, a local Congolese NGO partner of Islamic Relief, said:
“Thousands of people have been attacked and displaced. The humanitarian needs are very high, but the means of responding are very low. Many organisations have had to close operations due to the fighting and funding cuts, and the displaced families are now extremely vulnerable.
“People in camps have been ordered to dismantle their own shelters and evacuate. Now they are fleeing under the threat of violence back to villages in the conflict zone which they had previously evacuated. But they cannot go back without food and many of these villages are abandoned and have little to offer them. They face serious protection concerns on the way, including abuse from armed groups, sexual violence and limited supplies or services in the villages.”
“The response is not enough amid this complex crisis and additional resources are needed.”
Islamic Relief is working with BIFERD and another local partner organisation to deliver food and water to displaced people.
Islamic Relief is calling on the warring factions to ensure civilians are protected from attacks, and can access sufficient food, medicine and other vital aid. At a time when global funding is decreasing, we are calling on international governments to ensure that civilians affected by forgotten crises such as in eastern DRC receive the aid they desperately need.
