SOS for Thousands of Displaced People Left to Their Own Devices in Fizi and Mwenga

A severe humanitarian crisis is unfolding in the Fizi and Mwenga territories of South Kivu province in the Democratic Republic of Congo, where thousands of displaced individuals are left to fend for themselves. Residents from villages including Mulima, Point Zéro, and Rugezi in Fizi, and Kipupu, Mikenge, and Kiseke in Mwenga, were forced to flee into the bush on July 24.

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As I present this sad situation to you, the inhabitants are in the bush, the wounded have nowhere to be treated, children are dying of hunger, and those who persist sleep under the stars, exposed to bad weather and various diseases.

These displaced populations are living without shelter or essential assistance. Local sources attribute the mass displacement to drone bombings, allegedly launched from Rwanda, which commenced on July 24 and are reportedly ongoing in the region. The alert was raised by Professor Nyamangyoku Ishibwela, the national parliamentarian elected for Fizi.

He denounced a major humanitarian crisis where even civilians injured during the strikes are struggling to receive medical attention. "As I present this sad situation to you, the inhabitants are in the bush, the wounded have nowhere to be treated, children are dying of hunger, and those who persist sleep under the stars, exposed to bad weather and various diseases," Ishibwela stated.

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In as much as I am presenting to you this sad situation, the inhabitants are in the bush, the wounded have no place to be treated, children are dying of hunger and those who persist sleep under the stars, exposed to the weather and various diseases.

The parliamentarian urged national authorities and the armed forces to fulfill their duty of protecting the population and national territory. He also called on the government to provide urgent aid, including food and non-food items, to the suffering population. Ishibwela praised the resilience of the affected communities, calling the attacks another "external aggression" and referencing President Félix-Antoine Tshisekedi's words: "Darkness will not reign forever."

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The darkness will not reign forever.