The Number of Internally Displaced Persons Peaks in the Democratic Republic of Congo

A humanitarian tragedy of unprecedented proportions is taking place in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), where a record number of at least 6.9 million people have been forced to flee their homes due to the ongoing conflict. This conflict sees the rebels of the Mouvement de 23 Marzo (M23) against the militias loyal to the government, causing severe depopulation.

Fighting has intensified since early October, with particular ferocity near Goma, the capital of North Kivu province. The M23, which has gradually extended its control over parts of the east of the country since 2021, represents only one of the several militias that dominate much of the region, despite the presence of international peacekeeping forces. The situation in Congo is further aggravated by the constant escalation of violence, making the country one of the main epicentres of humanitarian crises globally. Based on reports from the International Organization for Migration (IOM), as of October 2023, an estimated 5.6 million of the 6.9 million internally displaced persons were in the eastern provinces of North Kivu, South Kivu, Ituri, and Tanganyika. In North Kivu, in particular, nearly one million people have been forced to leave their homes due to ongoing conflicts.

This serious state of crisis has exacerbated an already extremely precarious humanitarian situation, disproportionately affecting the civilian populations of the area who have become displaced. These communities are now isolated by the ongoing fighting, with devastating consequences on their ability to access medical care, in an already fragile national health system, partly offset by the presence of Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) teams in the area.

In response to this catastrophe, the International Organization for Migration (IOM) has declared that the vast majority of displaced persons are in urgent need of humanitarian assistance. "IOM is stepping up its efforts to address the crisis in the Democratic Republic of Congo, where the number of internally displaced persons has reached an all-time high of 6.9 million," the UN agency said.

IOM's Head of Mission in the Democratic Republic of Congo, Fabien Sambussy, said: “The recent increase in violence has forced an extraordinary number of people to flee their homes in a very short period of time. Rapid delivery of humanitarian aid to those most in need is crucial.”

It should be noted that, when we talk about this region, there are huge natural resources at stake in the subsoil of the Democratic Republic of Congo. These resources are often the cause of numerous local micro-conflicts, which, beyond the official motives of the various rebel groups, conceal the objective of maintaining control over large swathes of territory. Unfortunately, these struggles are not motivated by the interests of the Congolese people, but rather by those of foreign states and multinational extractive industries, which provide financial support to various groups of mercenaries.

The DRC is the world's third largest producer of diamonds, although much of the production is destined for industrial use rather than jewellery. In addition, the country boasts the second largest rainforest in the world, vast areas of fertile soil and endless water resources. There are also huge deposits of copper, cobalt, gold, zinc and, above all, coltan, a precious mineral essential to the mobile phone industry. Not to mention oil, which contributes significantly to the country's wealth. In addition, the DRC grows important commercial products such as cocoa, coffee, cotton, palm oil, tea, gum, sugar, china bark, as well as maize, rice, potatoes and cashew nuts. However, this wealth, as is often the case in many African nations, is not distributed fairly, but ends up in foreign accounts managed by a corrupt and greedy political apparatus.

In the region north of Goma, Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) teams are closely monitoring the consequences of the crisis in the territories of Masisi, Rutshuru and Lubero. Due to the shifting of the fighting fronts, most of the main access routes to the region have been cut off. This has had a serious impact on trade in North Kivu, as connections with this agricultural region, known as the "granaries of the province", are crucial. Cut off from the rest of the province, the inhabitants have not been able to sell their crops or buy basic necessities, the price of which has doubled.

With rising costs and decreasing access to health services, food scarcity in the province is worsening. According to United Nations reports, more than a third of the population living in North Kivu, i. e. three million people, are currently at risk because of the unavailability of food. Monique Doux, MSF project coordinator in Rutshuru, provided revealing data, saying: "In the medical centres we supported in the Rutshuru region, during 2022 we treated over 8,500 malnourished children, an increase of 70% compared to the previous year. " In Rutshuru territory, as well as in Lubero and Masisi, there is a clear lack of organisations able to offer the necessary help. Monique Doux concluded: “It is as if the people here had been left alone. MSF has been the only humanitarian organisation operating in the Rutshuru area for several months, but the needs of the community far exceed our capacity to respond.”

Mondo Internazionale APS - Private Reproduction ® 2023