Nyiragongo in shock again
Barely a year after the eruption of Nyiragongo, many human and material damages are counted. In addition to the deaths, thousands of displaced persons and numerous material damages such as the loss of houses, fields... With numerous actions made by humanitarian workers, a glimmer of hope was on the horizon, before another drama arrived. Reportage.
For a year we could see families victims of the volcanic tragedy working hard to leave their grim life and find their daily life. Others still, leave the camp to return to houses granted to them and then become independent again and carry out daily work in complete safety. AGIR-RDC was already involved and hope was already spreading on the faces of the victims.
But, as misfortune never comes alone, these populations who seemed to be getting back on their feet stumbled again, and not by their fault. In fact, during the night of May 23 to 24, bullets rang out in the Kibumba region, located about ten kilometers north of the city of Goma. This same region is home to disaster camps such as Mujoga where our actions were concentrated.
Around 2:00 a.m., while it was still dark, the region was attacked by "alleged M23 rebels". Total panic, in the cold, the families scattered; the men from their wives, the children from their parents. Until dawn, some rushed to the homes of relatives in the city of Goma, while others who had no relatives took refuge in schools and churches in Kanyaruchinya.
On Wednesday, May 25, 2022, tensions were still high. The inhabitants of Kibati and Mujoga also decided to leave their region and flee from the danger that they sensed was already close at hand in order to avoid it. Today, the displaced population has been living in conditions of sad vulnerability and in an unsustainable environment due to the promiscuity in which they live.
Alarming situation
At the elementary school Kanyaruchinya, a classroom is packed with 30 to 60 households. Obviously, these victims have fled with their belongings, some are able to gather a few herds, small goods for traders, spare clothes, etc. Others unfortunately have nothing. Others unfortunately did not bring anything with them. What a pity!
Those who have moved with their valuable possessions or their small businesses are selling to find money to meet the urgent needs of their families and those who cannot take care of themselves, such as children who have strayed from their parents, the children of soldiers, etc.
"We haven't eaten in three days, we have nothing to cover ourselves with when we sleep, we don't have any clothes, just us and our families, ... we have lost other family members and we don't have a phone to try to locate them...". Testifies, dead in the soul a displaced person met. He called on various local, national and international structures to come to their aid.
This tragedy occurred during the period of preparation for the state exams and ENAFEP (National Examination for the End of Primary Education). Many students and pupils are now blocked by the security situation. Jolie, 12 years old and a student in the sixth grade at Ep Kibumba, said he had just fled with his younger brothers.
"My father is a soldier and stays in Bukavu, so we fled when my mother was not in the area because she had gone to visit Dad. I didn't take anything with me, just my little brothers who were in my care," she confessed, sobbing. Unable to hold back her tears, she added, "I have no news of my parents and I have no phone to call them.
Many children are in the same situation as Jolie and some parents are tormented by the lack of family members. On the other hand, Moise, a father of 7 children, tells us that he found himself at the CBCE church in Buhene on Tuesday night with his son, not knowing where his wife and the rest of his family are: "I don't know what to think or where to stand, I'm upset, drowned in my thoughts and especially very worried because until now I've been wondering how to find my family and how I'm going to survive"
First observation
On Thursday, May 26, AGIR RDC visited some of the establishments that had received displaced persons, including some beneficiaries of the TWAWEZA SHINDA (We Can Overcome) project. This project, let us recall, was set up in favor of the victims of the eruption of the Nyiragongo volcano living in different camps such as Mujoga for their holistic recovery after the volcanic drama.
Having observed the situation, we proceeded to the evaluation of the needs of these victims and the urgent needs turned out to be "those of finding their relatives, having enough to eat, to be clothed and to stay in more or less viable conditions. The serious promiscuity in which they live exposing them to innumerable diseases.
That's four days of anguish, of flight, of crying, of loss, and especially of insecurity. Back from this northern part of the city, the situation we experienced leaves us without words and a big question arises: What will be the next step? Humanism obliges, we must act together to try to help and respond urgently to our compatriots who do not deserve this situation. Let us not forget, they have only one help, Us.