In the Mabalako-Cantine region of North Kivu, displaced populations are experiencing difficult times due to the prevailing insecurity in the region. Humanitarian actors trying to provide assistance are facing many obstacles, hampering their crucial mission.
Recently, incidents have been reported where armed groups, youth from citizen movements and pressure groups have prevented humanitarian workers from accessing IDP sites. These actions seriously hamper the distribution of essential humanitarian aid and plunge vulnerable populations into a situation of extreme precariousness.
Last November, a humanitarian convoy was denied access to Mabalako towards Cantine by an armed group that blocked the road. Similarly, a STAREST assessment team was confronted with a similar situation where youth refused to let them pass. These incidents are evidence of a growing climate of insecurity that is compromising humanitarian work in the region.
STAREST Provincial Coordinator Jean-Claude Kasomo expressed his concern about this situation. He pointed out the misinformation circulating about the work of humanitarians, thus creating misunderstandings and hindering their action. He highlighted the direct impact on the populations suffering from this alarming situation.
Deborah Nyonyi, Administrative Secretary of the Baswagha-Madiwe groupement, shared these concerns and announced awareness-raising actions planned to educate young people on the importance of the work of humanitarians in the region. She stressed the urgency of intervening to help the thousands of displaced people living in inhumane conditions.
Following the recent ADF attacks that caused the death of more than 70 civilians in the western part of the Baswagha-Madiwe groupement, humanitarian needs are becoming increasingly pressing. This insecurity situation highlights the urgency of concerted action to ensure humanitarian actors have access to vulnerable populations and meet their essential needs.