Thursday, February 9, 2023
No Result
View All Result
Afric Info
  • News
    • Cameroon
    • Egypt
    • Ethiopia
    • Ivory-Coast
    • Ghana
    • Kenya
    • Nigeria
    • South Africa
    • Sudan
    • Tanzania
    • Uganda
    • Zimbabwe
  • Health
  • Sports
  • Travel
  • News
    • Cameroon
    • Egypt
    • Ethiopia
    • Ivory-Coast
    • Ghana
    • Kenya
    • Nigeria
    • South Africa
    • Sudan
    • Tanzania
    • Uganda
    • Zimbabwe
  • Health
  • Sports
  • Travel
No Result
View All Result
Afric Info
No Result
View All Result
Home Health

Congo-Kinshasa: A Humanitarian Desert – Lacklustre Response Amid Horrific Violence in DRC

November 3, 2022
inHealth
Share on FacebookShare on Twitter


In August, following an outbreak of violence in the provinces of Mai-Ndombe and Kwilu, in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) head of mission Alessandra Giudiceandrea spent several weeks in the region as part of our emergency response.

She describes her shock at witnessing the aftermath of the violence, her frustration at the difficulties of mobilising other humanitarian organisations, and her unease at the security-based approach to resolving this crisis.

“No one foresaw what happened in Mai-Ndombe and Kwilu provinces – including us. Like anyone else, we were taken by surprise by the scale and intensity of the violence: people killed, houses burnt down, thousands of people displaced from their homes.

According to Congolese authorities, at least 180 people were killed – although the actual toll is likely to be much higher. One might ask: how on earth did we get to this point?

The current situation was sparked by a land dispute, rooted in longstanding customary and administrative tensions, in an area where many communities live. Localised incidents snowballed into indiscriminate acts of violence.

Within a few days of our arrival in Kwamouth territory, where the clashes started, we saw how a cycle of revenge had set in, with attacks and reprisals on all sides. The violence soon extended beyond Kwamouth territory. Hate speech exploded and yesterday’s neighbour became ‘the enemy’.

As humanitarians, our role is not to judge. Instead it is to limit the dramatic consequences of the violence for the people caught up in it. On National Road 17, on the way to Bandundu, we passed entire villages that had been burned to the ground. We saw inhabitants who had been massacred, their bodies mutilated. It was clear that women and children had not been spared. Despite my long experience with MSF, I can say that you never get used to this level of violence.

One of our patients told us that during the attack on his village, he recognised his neighbour. To protect his wife, he was forced to kill him. Alessandra Giudiceandrea, MSF head of mission in DRC

Heartbreaking testimonies

One of our patients told us that during the attack on his village, he recognised his neighbour. To protect his wife, he was forced to kill him. Children, now orphans, told us that they had seen their parents murdered.

In the panic that followed attacks, family members lost track of each other, remaining without news of their loved ones for weeks, often without knowing whether they were dead or alive. Violence, anxiety, guilt: events like these create lasting psychological trauma.

As the attacks were regularly followed by looting, many of those who managed to flee have lost everything. Today, some of the displaced people are sheltering in sites in urban centres such as Bandundu, but almost two-thirds are still scattered in villages on the borders of Kwilu and Kwango provinces, sometimes several hours’ walk from their homes.

Some have been able to benefit from the solidarity of host families, who share what little they have. Others have found refuge in the forest and do not dare leave. All of them need support.

Acting fast and making a difference

MSF was the first humanitarian organisation to deploy teams on the ground at the end of August. Within a few weeks, we had provided hundreds of medical consultations. By boat or vehicle, we transported more than 20 patients in serious condition to Kinshasa for specialist medical care.

Some patients had infected wounds that were weeks old because they had not dared seek medical attention. For our teams, reaching these patients often meant travelling for four to five hours by boat to pick up one or two people. It was a lot of work and exhausting for the teams. But they provided vital support.

In the course of this emergency response, we kept on asking ourselves the same questions: are we doing enough? Are we doing it right?

Beyond the provision of medical services, bearing witness is another way to make a difference for people in need. This is precisely what we have been trying to do for the past two months, in order to bring on board other humanitarian and protection organisations so that an adequate response can be provided to this crisis.

Mai-Ndombe is a humanitarian desert

Unfortunately, our calls for an increased humanitarian response have not been heeded. ‘Not enough needs.’ ‘Too few resources.’ ‘Too much insecurity.’ Here, as in so many other areas of DRC, trying to mobilise others is tiring and frustrating.

In recent weeks, the clashes have become less frequent but also more scattered. They now extend over a large area north of Kinshasa, between the Congo River and the Kwilu River, making it very difficult for us to respond everywhere at once. In villages that have not been attacked, the inhabitants continue to live in fear.

Sign up for free AllAfrica Newsletters

Get the latest in African news delivered straight to your inbox


Success!

Almost finished…

We need to confirm your email address.

To complete the process, please follow the instructions in the email we just sent you.


Error!

There was a problem processing your submission. Please try again later.

The situation remains highly unpredictable. The absence of attacks does not mean that everything is under control or that life has returned to normal. Tensions and hate speech are still present.

Unfortunately, our calls for an increased humanitarian response have not been heeded… trying to mobilise others is tiring and frustrating. Alessandra Giudiceandrea, MSF head of mission in DRC

The entire social and community fabric must be rebuilt. Protection organisations have a crucial role to play in establishing dialogue, raising awareness of the protection of civilians and ensuring the care of orphaned children, among other things.

In these circumstances, a purely security-based approach to the current crisis does not seems to be a viable solution. As humanitarians, we have seen this too well in other parts of the country plagued by violence. All too often, such approaches jeopardise the provision of rapid, impartial, neutral and independent humanitarian assistance where it is most needed.

How long will Mai-Ndombe remain a humanitarian desert? More than two months since violence broke out, this situation raises important questions about how the humanitarian system functions in DRC and about its capacity to respond to the multitude of simultaneous crises affecting the country. These are questions that urgently need to be addressed.”

ADVERTISEMENT



Source link : https://allafrica.com/stories/202211030419.html

Author : MSF

Publish date : 2022-11-03 12:46:47

Tags: health
Previous Post

Drought in Kenya: How the Kenya Cash Consortium is improving the well-being of affected families – Kenya

Next Post

UK court finds Glencore must pay R2bn for bribing African officials

Last News

Eskom COO job to be scrapped after Oberholzer retires – News24

South Africa reports 3rd cholera case – Newsroom Odisha

23 mins ago
Eskom COO job to be scrapped after Oberholzer retires – News24

Unity schools gradually losing purpose of establishment, says lawyer – Guardian Nigeria

45 mins ago
Eskom COO job to be scrapped after Oberholzer retires – News24

University of Ghana converts plastic waste to fuel – BusinessGhana

1 hour ago
Eskom COO job to be scrapped after Oberholzer retires – News24

Eastern Cape Health official who used ‘Covid-19 pandemic to illegally enrich himself’ jailed for PPE fraud – IOL

1 hour ago
Eskom COO job to be scrapped after Oberholzer retires – News24

Why Ponzi scheme thrives in Nigeria – Guardian Nigeria

2 hours ago
Eskom COO job to be scrapped after Oberholzer retires – News24

Merkel receives Unesco peace prize in Ivory Coast – The News International

2 hours ago
Eskom COO job to be scrapped after Oberholzer retires – News24

Zimbabwe-born teen ace Madanha included in Australia Under-20s … – New Zimbabwe.com

2 hours ago
Eskom COO job to be scrapped after Oberholzer retires – News24

Wanted: Someone to explain what is happening in Nigeria – Daily Trust

2 hours ago

Categories

No Result
View All Result
  • Africa News

© 2022 AFRICC.info.

This website uses cookies. By continuing to use this website you are giving consent to cookies being used. Visit our Privacy and Cookie Policy.
Go to mobile version

Congo-Kinshasa: A Humanitarian Desert – Lacklustre Response Amid Horrific Violence in DRChttps://climatiseurmobile.org  https://www.chaussures-enligne.be/  https://theanimalenclosure.com/  https://www.7a7.org  https://www.le-paradis-des-bebes.com/  
---
Nature, Not Nurture, the Culprit in OCD * Geox U Symbol L, Baskets mode homme, Noir (Black), 43 * Exclusive: US Planning HIMARS Training Center in Europe, General Tells VOA – Voice of America – VOA News *  *Livres Alès : des livres de 300 livres pour orner la médiathèque Daudet * BESTEEL 3Paires Acier Inoxydable Boucles d’Oreilles Homme Femme Stud Clou d’Oreilles Ronde Mate Piercing Cartilage 6MM… *  *-*Difelikefalin Helps Upper Back Itch, but With Side Effects * JBL Pro Flora Tuyau CO2 pour Aquariophilie 4-6 mm * The best Super Bowl 2023 TV deals we found *  *Tapis Shetland Imperméable Respirant Réglable Coupe-Vent En Marron * 1 paire réglable de couvre-lames de hockey sur glace * 
https://www.maquillages.info/  https://chaussuresdefootball.fr  https://femmes.meilleureschaussures.com  https://paschers.info  https://lacavernedujouet.com  https://pksportsnews.com  https://chaussuresbaskets.com  https://lenoblebricoltout.fr  https://dedalusweb.net  https://www.africnews.fr  https://www.deguiseo.com  https://www.leparadissurterre.com  https://maillotde-bain.com  https://respectology.info  Congo-Kinshasa: A Humanitarian Desert – Lacklustre Response Amid Horrific Violence in DRC*Congo-Kinshasa: A Humanitarian Desert – Lacklustre Response Amid Horrific Violence in DRC