Congo crisis leads to huge influx of refugees to Uganda, overburdens resources: UNHCR
Geneva(The Uttam Hindu): The UN refugee agency has stated that more than 41,000 refugees have crossed from the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) into Uganda since January, many of them having witnessed killings, “sexual violence and other traumatic experiences during their flight". The fighting in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) between Rwanda-backed M23 rebels and Congolese troops has claimed many lives and forced even more families from their homes.
According to a UN report released on Tuesday, approximately 600 Congolese people have been crossing the border into Uganda each day since the end of last month. Uganda, which has the largest number of refugees in Africa, is currently sheltering nearly 600,000 refugees, out of a total of 1.8 million in the region. “This risks overwhelming the country’s capacity, as it also responds to the needs of over 70,000 Sudanese refugees who have arrived fleeing the two-year-long war in Sudan. Transit is overwhelmed, with Uganda's Nyakabande, one of the main transit centres, reaching six times its capacity,” said the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR).
The agency further stated that many of the new arrivals – mostly women and children – came by foot or local transport, while there have been “increasing reports of men travelling separately from their families to avoid being forcibly recruited by armed groups.”
Children are especially vulnerable, often arriving in a weakened condition due to a high prevalence of malaria and malnutrition, according to the UNHCR. The funding shortfall is seriously affecting the humanitarian response, forcing the UNHCR to reduce some standard protection services, such as legal aid for refugees, in order to focus on the most urgent needs. “While the Ugandan authorities, UNHCR, and partners are working to strengthen support to the newly arrived refugees, vital services across the country have had to be deprioritised, including health facility closures and the loss of some 250 health workers,” UNHCR added.
A report from the UN Human Rights Council, released on April 1, reveals that civilians in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) are still suffering greatly due to ongoing violence. In North and South Kivu, there were 602 reported victims of extrajudicial or summary executions within a single two-month period. Last week, the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) warned that ongoing violence in North and South Kivu in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) continues to kill, injure, and displace civilians.
