Thousands flee renewed fighting
Democratic Republic of Congo / 30.10.08
© Espen Rasmussen
A MSF mobile clinic in Rubare, two hours drive from Goma in North Kivu, DRC.The humanitarian situation in the Kivu region of northeastern Democratic Republic of Congo is continuing to deteriorate rapidly. Over the weekend, intense fighting erupted around the town of Rutshuru, some 70 kilometres from the provincial capital, Goma. On Sunday, Médecins Sans Frontières 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 is changing from hour to hour. Médecins Sans Frontières 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, Médecins Sans Frontières is the only remaining international organisation providing medical and humanitarian assistance.
On Monday, fighting broke out near Kibumba, a village between Rutshuru and Goma. Thousands of people, from Kimbumba town and nearby camps for the displaced, have fled to Kibati, about 12 km 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 Médecins Sans Frontières' 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. 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."
Médecins Sans Frontières is currently working in three hospitals in North Kivu and is also supporting several health centres, providing primary and secondary healthcare. The organisation has also sent mobile clinics to reach people in need of medical care. Médecins Sans Frontières is sending additional international staff to the region, and is setting up a new base in Bukavu, South Kivu, to support the 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 Annie Desilets, Médecins Sans Frontières project coordinator in Kitchanga.
"It's not always easy to find the displaced people. 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 health care? Or are they hiding in the bush where we cannot access them? We don’t know."
