DRC: New Year in Horror – The Urgent Need for a Large-Scale Humanitarian Intervention

Fleeing violence, displaced people are living in precarious conditions. Camps like Kanyaruchinya, north of Goma, are hosting thousands of families, including many children.

The eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) is facing an alarming humanitarian crisis, exacerbated by the region’s chronic instability and the impasse in peace negotiations. This situation is fueling a climate of terror and worsening the suffering of civilian populations.

The ongoing conflict between the Armed Forces of the Democratic Republic of Congo (FARDC) and the M23 rebels continues to fuel fears of devastating consequences for the local population. The situation is already dire: the United Nations reports that nearly 7 million people are now internally displaced. These individuals, fleeing violence, are living in extremely precarious conditions. Camps like Kanyaruchinya, north of Goma, are sheltering thousands of families, including many children. Against this backdrop, New Year celebrations were overshadowed by the pain of exile and a severe shortage of resources.

Despite this tragic reality, two local NGOs, Goma Actif and Leader Volontaire, are providing invaluable support to displaced people by delivering food and comfort. However, in North Kivu, where a large proportion of displaced people are concentrated, living conditions continue to deteriorate rapidly.

The plight of these populations, frequently left without aid and forced to survive on their own, underscores the urgent need for a large-scale humanitarian response. The international community must act to support a sustainable political solution, bring peace, and ease the immense suffering of these millions of individuals.

Despite the recent failure of peace negotiations, efforts must not falter. Restoring peace in the DRC is not only a political imperative but also an urgent humanitarian duty.”

africanews