By RFIPosted on 19-12-2019Changed on 19-12-2019 at 13:50

In the east of the DRC, at the Nyamunyunyi camp, the majority of CNRD combatants and their families have gathered together pending their repatriation to Rwanda. This movement has already started with the first buses, but for those who are patient in the camp, the humanitarian situation is deplorable and at least 19 people have died.

It is mainly women and children that are seen in this Nyamunyunyi camp. On site, the High Commissioner for Refugees (HCR) and the National Commission for Refugees (CNR) proceed to registration before voluntary repatriation.

" The law in the DRC allows registered refugees to stay in the DRC as long as they need international protection. It seems for the moment that the majority want to return ; we are doing the recording. We organized a first convoy on Friday and another convoy yesterday, who returned to Rwanda and we are in the process of registering the candidates for the convoy of tomorrow, "explains Jacquie Keegan, one of the UNHCR officials.

Unsustainable living conditions

Ernest Bwami is protection assistant at the National Commission for Refugees. He indicates that “ at the beginning there was a little resistance, but since their husbands left for Rwanda, the adhesion is massive. "

Most of these women confirm that they would like to return and follow their companions: “ We have been here for more than a week, the situation is very bad there. We don't have enough food. Many of us spend the night under the stars, our children die, even adults. I counted four dead. We do not want to stay in these conditions. We want to return to our country. "

On the ground, the Congolese army continues its offensive against the CNRD who are fleeing to Walungu territory. She claims that in collaboration with the local population, she captured around 50 other combatants as well as 320 members of their families.

■ An extremely worrying situation for the ICRC

Last weekend, the UN's office for the coordination of humanitarian affairs denounced the inhuman conditions facing these refugees: at least 19 people died - including nine children - in the space of ten days ( between 4 and 16 December) according to the International Committee of the Red Cross which is currently working in the Nyamunyunyi camp. The ICRC specifies that 281 isolated children have been transferred to a " transit and orientation site ", in an attempt to reunite them with their families.

    On the same subject

    DRC: one year after the fact, the Yumbi massacre still goes unpunished

    DRC: opponent Moïse Katumbi creates his own political party

    The DRC freezes the assets of the Lebanese Saleh Assi, sanctioned by the United States

    comments