from MARIA MACHARIA in Nairobi, Kenya
Kenya Bureau
NAIROBI, (CAJ News) – RWANDAN forces and the March 23 Movement (M23) armed group have been urged to facilitate the delivery and accessibility of humanitarian aid to people in Goma, in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).
Recent fighting and bombings of medical facilities in the city, which the M23 seized towards the end of January, have severely limited access to aid for people in need.
“Rwandan and M23 forces should urgently address the humanitarian catastrophe caused by the arrival in Goma of hundreds of thousands of displaced people who fled the fighting in recent weeks,” said Lewis Mudge, Central Africa director at Human Rights Watch.
Speaking from Nairobi, Kenya, the official urged all parties to the conflict to ensure people have access to food and medical care, and ensure that aid workers can move freely to deliver aid.
M23 and Rwanda forces clashed with the Armed Forces of the DRC (FARDC) and a coalition of abusive militias known, as well as United Nations peacekeepers and forces from the Southern African countries.
The fighting in Goma has disrupted the activities of humanitarian agencies and organizations, including those providing essential assistance to displaced and vulnerable populations in North and South Kivu provinces.
Goma’s airport was closed after the M23 took over the city, cutting off essential supplies to the city. Last week, unidentified assailants looted a warehouse containing humanitarian supplies.
No less than 700 people have been killed and at least 2 800 others injured are receiving medical care in area facilities, according to the World Health Organisation (WHO).
Goma, the capital of North Kivu province, normally has a population of more than 1 million people.
It was already home to more than 500 000 people displaced before the recent fighting and the arrival of thousands more displaced, according to the UN.
– CAJ News