This weekend’s joint SADC-EAC summit in Tanzania on the conflict in Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) is a vital opportunity to ensure desperately needed humanitarian assistance reaches hundreds of thousands of displaced people in Goma.
When African leaders come together in Dar es Salaam on Saturday, it is essential they act to ensure the swift re-opening of Goma’s airport, and the establishment of humanitarian corridors into the city and surrounding areas to allow the delivery of basic essentials and support to the masses of people stranded by the conflict.
While the M23 yesterday (Thursday) named a new governor for the city, the situation for civilians in Goma is still deteriorating at an alarming rate due to the overwhelming number of people in the streets, and a general lack of functioning infrastructure. The disbanding of the camps housing displaced people, by rebel soldiers entering Goma, has left thousands extremely vulnerable, including several children who had either travelled to Goma alone, or become separated from their families by the fighting.
Many health centres, schools, churches, and community shelters are overcrowded, and families are constructing makeshift shelters in the open, which are not built to withstand the oncoming rains. Large numbers of children and elderly people are ill, without blankets, tarpaulins, buckets to draw water, or soap to wash with. A rapid response is urgently needed to improve the humanitarian situation.
CAFOD is liaising closely with a local female-led organisation providing emergency aid and shelter alongside humanitarian assistance. The women are identifying host families who can welcome displaced people to stay. They are also providing food assistance like beans, rice and flour; hygiene products such as soap and children’s nappies; and psychological support to people who have suffered catastrophic trauma from conflict.
Bernard Balibuno, CAFOD’s Country Representative in DRC, said:
“CAFOD staff remained in Goma throughout the recent escalation, and we are currently one of only a few organisations able to provide humanitarian support inside the city. We are continuing to offer assistance to vulnerable people caught up in the chaos.
“We urge all those in positions of influence at the summit, as well as in DRC and the wider region, to come together and support viable efforts towards peaceful negotiations, and to work to bring an end to the suffering of so many; to protect civilians and prevent any further increase in the fighting.”
When the conflict in DRC escalated last month, entire communities fled in the direction of Goma, ahead of advancing rebel soldiers. Thousands are now stuck, without access to shelter or basic essentials, in what is a highly complex and volatile situation.
A ceasefire announced this week by the rebel group has brought some respite, with fighting diminished in the city, but the situation remains extremely fragile and the insecurity is limiting access to many communities in need.
Notes to editors
To request live or pre-recorded interviews with CAFOD staff in Goma or Kinshasa, please contact our Media Officer Rosalind Mayfield (rmayfield@cafod.org.uk, +44 (0)7856 799169).
More information on CAFOD’s work in Democratic Republic of Congo
CAFOD is the official aid agency of the Catholic Church in England and Wales, working with communities across Africa, Asia, the Middle East and Latin America to fight poverty and injustice, including those worst hit by climate change.