Thousands flee renewed fighting

Democratic Republic of Congo | 29 October 2008

The humanitarian situation in the Kivu region of northeastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) continues to deteriorate rapidly. This past weekend, intense fighting erupted around the town of Rutshuru, some 70 kilometres from the provincial capital, Goma. On Sunday, Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) medical teams in Rutshuru treated 70 war wounded and have since been working around the clock.

Thousands of people are fleeing the fighting — many have been on the run for weeks. The situation is extremely volatile and changes from hour to hour. MSF teams continue to provide independent emergency medical aid to people in towns and camps throughout the conflict zone, namely in and around Kitchanga, Masisi, Mweso, Nyanzale and Kayna.

In Kitchanga, Masisi, Mweso, and Rutshuru, MSF is the only remaining international organization providing medical and humanitarian assistance.

On Monday, fighting broke out near Kibumba, a village between Rutshuru and Goma. Thousands of people, from Kibumba town and nearby camps for the displaced, have fled to Kibati, about 12 kilometers from Goma, where two camps already existed.

"When we heard about the situation near Kibati, we sent our team to evaluate," explains Marie-Noëlle Rodrigue, head of MSF’s emergency desk. "We saw a lot of people staying on the side of the road, coming from the Kibumba area. Most of them have already fled once and were already living in displaced camps."

"Now they have had to flee again,” says Rodrique. “For them the situation is very difficult as they arrived with only what they could carry. They need shelter, food and clean water soon. We are making a rapid assessment of the situation."

MSF is currently working in three hospitals in the area of North Kivu and is also supporting several health centres, providing primary and secondary healthcare. The organization has also sent mobile clinics to reach people in need of medical care. MSF is sending additional international staff to the region, and is setting up a new base in Bukavu, South Kivu, to support relief efforts.

"In the Kitchanga and Mweso areas, and also around Masisi and Nyanzale, we have set up mobile clinics to enable us to reach those that cannot reach us," explains Ottawa's Annie Desilets, MSF project coordinator in Kitchanga.

"It's not always easy to find the displaced people,” says Desilets. “We go to an area one week where there is a village and we go back the next week and it's empty. Are they in a centre, a village or a camp where we can provide healthcare? Or are they hiding in the bush where we cannot access them? We don’t know."