The United Nations humanitarians have said that escalating violence in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo, DRC, has continued to uproot thousands more people to neighbouring countries where they face dire conditions without many basic necessities.
The UN refugee agency, UNHCR, on Thursday said that 35,000 Congolese nationals have now reached Burundi since the beginning of February, as Rwanda-backed M23 fighters continue to advance across both South and North Kivu.
The UN human rights office, OHCHR, in DRC also expressed concern over growing lawlessness as warlords responsible for grave crimes, including rape, were reportedly sprung from prison in Goma, Kabare and Bukavu in recent days.
Similarly, the Director of the UN Joint Human Rights Office in DR Congo, UNJHRO, Patrice Vahard, in a statement, emphasized the severity of the situation.
"The consequences will be huge, first for the state of law, but in particular for these women who believed in justice because they received help, but who unfortunately now risk being confronted by some of their tormentors," Vahard said.
Also, UNHCR spokesperson, Olga Sarrado said that those fleeing DR Congo had been entering Burundi via its northwestern border.
Sarrado described dire conditions at the border and said that the majority of those arriving from DRC do so by unofficial means, with many taking risks to cross the Ruzizi River.
In the same manner, the UN World Food Programme, WFP, announced on Thursday that it had partially resumed food assistance to parts of Goma, which fell to M23 rebels three weeks ago.
In North Kivu, WFP said it has reached 9,000 people with emergency food assistance out of a target of 83,000.
Humanitarians continue to struggle to reach the most vulnerable while major access routes remain blocked and Goma International airport remains closed.
In recent weeks, the UN Humanitarian Air Service, UNHAS, fleet relocated to Kalemie in Tanganyika, establishing a new operational hub for eastern DRC.
So far this year, the air service has transported 2,464 passengers, including humanitarian workers relocated from Goma and Bukavu.
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