The administrator of Kalehe territory in the Democrat ic Republic of Congo(DRC), Thomas Bakenga, has issued a plea for urgent humanitarian assistance for at least 600,000 displaced people who have fled the ongoing conflict in North Kivu province.
Bakenga made the appeal on Friday, May 24th, after visiting displacement sites in Minova, South Kivu, according to UN Radio Okapi.
The influx of displaced people comes amid renewed fighting between the M23 rebel group and the Congolese army in Masisi territory, North Kivu.
“We found more than 600,000 displaced people who are spontaneously trapped in 68 sites,” Bakenga explained to radio Okapi, highlighting the dire situation.
While he acknowledged some aid efforts from organizations like Save the Children, CIRC, and PAM, Bakenga stressed that the needs far outweigh the current support, particularly considering the vast number of displaced people.
“These displaced persons are obviously in difficulty of humanitarian assistance,” he said. “We have registered some humanitarians who have agreed to help, but it’s not enough. We now have assistance for only 52,000 households.”
Bakenga’s plea extends beyond just the displaced population. He urged humanitarian organizations to consider the host families who are also struggling to support the influx of people.
The situation in Minova underscores the growing humanitarian crisis in the Democratic Republic of Congo. With hundreds of thousands displaced and in need of basic necessities, urgent action is required from the international community to alleviate the suffering.
