The Norwegian Refugees Council (NRC) is extremely concerned about the deteriorating humanitarian situation faced by communities in Mpati, in North Kivu province of the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
Some 30,000 people were forced to flee the area following fighting between government forces and armed groups between 25 and 26 March. Most of these people were already vulnerable and had been staying in camps before the fighting broke out.
“All parties to the conflict, leaders of armed groups and individual fighters must spare civilians and respect international humanitarian law,” said NRC’s Head of Mission in DR Congo, Mickael Amar. “Families – including many women and children – have been forced to flee multiple times. Their situation is incredibly dire.”
NRC has been working to support local and displaced communities in Mpati, but had to suspend operations on 21 March due to the volatile security situation. It was about to set up education and food-security projects to help 34,000 vulnerable people in the area.
“Conflict parties must allow aid agencies to provide access to communities in need, wherever they are,” continued Amar. “If this does not happen we will see an already critical situation turning drastically worse.”
Some 775,000 are estimated to be displaced in North Kivu province, according to the United Nations.
