(ANS – Gitega) – On December 10, anti-government rebel forces occupied the city of Uvira, the second largest city in South Kivu Province in the Democratic Republic of Congo. This latest action follows what took place last January in the city of Goma, when rebel militias invaded the city, taking possession of it and exacerbating the humanitarian crisis already underway. According to the United Nations, in the ten days following the occupation of Uvira alone, more than 200,000 people were displaced and around 65,000 were forced to flee from the DR Congo to neighbouring Burundi, but these numbers are rising rapidly.

For security reasons, following the occupation of Uvira, the Burundian government closed the border with the Democratic Republic of Congo, preventing displaced Congolese from returning to their country and directing the flow of people mainly to two refugee camps: Gatumba, near Bujumbura, and Buganda, in the north-west of the country, about 20 kilometres from Bujumbura. Even refugees who had been taken in by host families or who had rented houses were invited by the Burundian government to go to the transit camps in Gatumba and Buganda for security reasons.

As of December 21, the two camps had registered approximately 94,808 people, and these numbers are increasing every day. Most of these refugees are women and children living in extremely precarious conditions and are completely destitute. Everything is lacking: food, makeshift shelters, drinking water, and basic sanitation. This situation, aggravated by promiscuity, overcrowding, and inadequate infrastructure, exposes refugee populations to serious health risks, with serious concerns about the emergence and spread of contagious diseases.

Burundian government officials, after explaining that Congolese refugees are living in catastrophic conditions in Burundi, have appealed to humanitarian organisations to help the country cope with this new emergency.

‘We cannot wait!’ commented Michela Vallarino, President of the Salesian ‘Volontariato Internazionale per lo Sviluppo’ (VIS) NGO which has been in Burundi alongside the Salesian Congregation since 2004 and which intends to intervene immediately, providing food and health kits, blankets and basic necessities.

‘We would like refugee children to also be able to celebrate Christmas at least under a tent, with some food, a blanket and the medicines necessary for their health,’ The President said.

For further information, visit: www.volint.it