The ongoing conflict in the Walikale region of North Kivu province in the Democratic Republic of Congo continues to have devastating impacts on the local population, particularly on the thousands of displaced people forced to live a precarious existence. Emile Muhombo Balume, in charge of the Association for Rehabilitation for the Development of Environmental and Community Activities (ARDACO), recently observed up close the critical humanitarian situation along the Pinga-Mutongo-Kibua axis.
Testimonies collected on the ground reveal an alarming reality: the displaced populations trying to survive in this area are enduring extremely difficult living conditions. Plagued by recurring clashes between M23 rebels and local armed groups, these people are facing a widespread shortage of essential resources. Health facilities are severely underfunded, medicine stocks are depleted, and access to decent living conditions is a pipe dream for many of them.
The displaced, deprived of any landmarks and living in constant uncertainty, are forced to seek refuge in unsanitary places, exposed to bad weather and diseases. Children, the most vulnerable in this tragedy, are beginning to show alarming signs of malnutrition, a direct consequence of the precariousness of their situation.
More than 50,000 displaced people are forced to survive in this landlocked region where access to humanitarian aid remains limited due to the precariousness of the infrastructure and the prevailing insecurity. Human rights violations are commonplace, and local armed groups continue to sow terror through their violent and arbitrary actions.
Faced with this unprecedented humanitarian crisis, it is imperative that the international community step up its efforts to help these vulnerable populations. The urgency of the situation requires a rapid and coordinated response to alleviate the suffering of the displaced and offer them a safer and more dignified future. It is our duty to show solidarity with those who are suffering and to work together to end this cycle of violence and misery.