UN Official Alerts of Deepening Crisis in Eastern Congo

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    GOMA, Congo — During his initial visit to the central African nation, the United Nations’ humanitarian leader emphasized Thursday the urgent need for increased global assistance for individuals displaced by conflict in the rebel-dominated eastern regions of Congo.

    “The scale of needs here is vast. Communities are in critical need of essential services such as medication, food, and security. They face monumental problems and challenges, necessitating increased support,” stated Tom Fletcher, the U.N.’s chief for humanitarian affairs, following his visits to refugee settlements in the war-torn eastern provinces of North and South Kivu.

    The long-standing conflict in eastern Congo worsened in January after the M23 insurgents, allegedly backed by Rwanda, made significant territorial gains, capturing the strategically vital city of Goma in the North Kivu province and, subsequently, Bukavu in February.

    In February, the closure of makeshift refugee camps by the rebels triggered the displacement of over 110,000 individuals in mere days, as reported by the U.N. and local residents.

    Among those affected is Maombi Pascaline, who, along with her six children, escaped the M23 insurgency and sought safety in camps before being compelled to return home by the rebels in Shasha, a territory under rebel control near Goma.

    “When they arrived, they instructed us to return home, claiming the conflict was over. They warned that anyone who did not comply would be considered an adversary,” recounted Pascaline.

    Similarly, 60-year-old widow Kasiwa Rusezera, also residing in Shasha, shared that he was forcibly evacuated from a displacement camp.

    “When M23 entered the area, they threatened to burn down the camps sheltering us, demanding that we dismantle our makeshift homes, leaving us with no choice but to leave,” Rusezera lamented, adding that now they are left with nothing.

    M23 is just one of nearly 100 armed groups clashing for dominance in the mineral-rich regions of eastern Congo, near the Rwandan border. This conflict has escalated into one of the world’s most severe humanitarian predicaments, displacing over 4 million people. This includes hundreds of thousands that have been forced from their homes this year alone.