DR Congo: Innocents trapped between Government and Interhamwe Rebels.

27 November, 2009 - 10:56

Marungu, in the east of DR Congo, is a remote and impoverished region subject to intermittent conflict. In recent years the situation has improved due to a period of relative calm and the work of local NGOs and community groups but this is now under threat.

Pastor Ruben Kinyama, Director of local NGO ARM Congo, sent the following report last night. He has been trying to enter Marungu district, East Congo, but the security of the whole area has been thrown into turmoil by a Government troops crack down on rebel forces. An influx of refugees and fleeing Interhamwe rebel fighters into Marungu has created a potentially volatile situation. The local population are mostly ethnic Tutsis while the Interhamwe are largely Hutu who fled after the genocide in Rwanda.

“I and my agricultural management team have been trying to enter the area for the last week but the security situation has prevented us,” writes Pastor Ruben. “There have been reports of fighting in the south and some minor skirmishes in the surrounding area. But things have escalated quite dramatically in the last 2 days.

Nobody is able to travel, the entire area is under a security alert and our local security forces have pulled out so as to avoid engaging with the Interhamwe or joining the DR Congo government forces.

I am very concerned about the safety of the children and staff in ARM homes and orphanages in the area. We have not been able to contact them since the crack-down began.

I am particularly worried as the Interhamwe rebels are now moving into the Marungu town along with their families, and the government army is in pursuit. Many of the surrounding villages are evacuating and are moving in to Marungu town as well. Marungu is remote and extremely poor. The local community can barely support itself so this influx, combined with fighting, could be disastrous.

The situation is potentially very volatile as the majority of the people in Marungu are Banyamulenge (ethnic Tutsis) but the Interhamwe are Hutus, many of whom fled after the genocide in Rwanda.

Yesterday there was heavy fighting in one of the villages, near a Red Cross clinic, approaching the town and today the weekly market was abandoned. Heavy guns have been seen being pulled into the town.

Please pray for the people stuck in Marungu as the situation looks dire. I will keep you updated as events unfold. Please do everything you can to let people know about the situation here. God willing, someone that reads this can help.”

World Emergency Relief UK (WER) has been working with ARM Burundi and Pastor Ruben for 14 years. During this time hundreds of children have been rescued from refugee camps, conflicts and from exploitation. WER will continue to post Pastor Ruben's updates here and on our website at http://www.wer-uk.org/breaking_news

You can help the innocents in Marungu by:

1. Forwarding this message to others to raise awareness of the situation.

2. Donating money so that WER can ship food, emergency medicines and build a resettlement fund. Donate money at http://www.wer-uk.org/donate or by calling 0844 2492129

3. Contact the Foreign Office by emailing MSU.PublicIn@fco.gov.uk and requesting that they keep pressure on the DR Congo Government to resolve the situation peacefully.

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