The ongoing conflict in the Democratic Republic of Congo has driven 63,000 refugees into neighboring Burundi, marking the largest such influx in decades. Many are stranded in dire conditions at an overcrowded stadium, while others remain stuck in open fields, the United Nations warned on Friday.
Around 45,000 displaced people have taken refuge in a crammed open-air stadium in Rugombo, a few kilometers from the Congolese border, where the national army is locked in battle with M23 rebels.
‘Absolutely Dire’ Conditions
“The situation is absolutely dire. Conditions are extremely harsh,” said Faith Kasina, regional spokesperson for the East and Horn of Africa and Great Lakes, speaking to reporters in Geneva.
“The stadium is literally bursting at its seams, and there is no additional space for shelter.”
Sanitary conditions inside the stadium are critical, with only 10 to 15 latrines available for tens of thousands of people. Many families have been forced to sleep in open fields nearby, exacerbating health risks, the agency said.
As the number of arrivals grows, aid efforts are struggling to keep pace.
“Numbers keep swelling—it’s a race against time to try and save lives,” Kasina added.
The refugees include a significant number of unaccompanied children who have been separated from their families, the agency noted.
Logistical Challenges in Relocating Refugees
The UNHCR announced on Feb. 21 that it planned to move people out of the stadium. However, logistical challenges have slowed the process. Transporting large groups to the Musenyi refugee site in southern Burundi takes six to eight hours. The agency said that the site, designed to house 10,000 people, is now 60% full.
The UN urges international donors to contribute to its $40.4 million emergency appeal to provide lifesaving assistance. The funds will support an expected influx of up to 258,000 refugees across Burundi, Tanzania, and Zambia.
M23 Conflict Escalates
The latest advance by the M23 rebel group represents the most serious escalation in more than a decade of the long-running conflict in eastern DR Congo. The violence is rooted in the aftermath of Rwanda’s 1994 genocide and the battle for control over DR Congo’s vast mineral resources.
Rwanda has repeatedly denied accusations from DR Congo, the UN, and Western governments that it backs M23 with arms and troops. Kigali insists it is defending itself against the threat posed by a Hutu militia that it claims is fighting alongside the Congolese military.
Meanwhile, Burundi has had troops stationed in eastern Congo for years, initially to target Burundian rebels. More recently, its forces have been aiding in the fight against M23.
As violence surges in the region, mob justice and vigilante killings have escalated in eastern Congo’s Bukavu, according to witnesses and civil rights activists.
