Congolese refugees who crossed to Uganda to seek asylum are currently stranded outside the Red Cross offices in Kisoro district.
The refugees started entering the country on July 17th this year through Nteko in Nyagishenyi, Kisoro district, following escalation of fighting in the Eastern Democratic Republic of Congo.
At least 131 Congolese refugees were resettled at Oruchinga refugees’ camp in Isingiro district by the United Nation Refugees Agency, UNHCR.
But on Tuesday this week, 56 Congolese refugees were temporarily settled outside the Red Cross Office in Kisoro awaiting help from the UNHCR.
Uganda Radio Network visited the area and talked to the refugees, who said they were starving.
Nyiramasaka Feresita, a 50-year-old refugee says she spent 3 months sleeping in the bush in fear of being killed by the militia men operating in the Eastern DRC.
Speaking in Kinyarwanda, Nyiramasaka who came from Mabende village in north Kivu, said she walked for seven days to reach the Ugandan border.
// Cue in: “these rebel forces”…
Cue out: …” forcing them out”//
She escaped with her two children aged 10 and 7 respectively. Nyiramasaka and her two children are stranded in the compound of the Kisoro Red Cross offices.
Like Nyiramasaka, Sibomana Emanuel also escaped the clashes from Kasavu-Kihita in Kivu to Uganda a journey that took him seven days.
// Cue in: “he has been sleeping”…
Cue out: …”spend four months”//
The refugees told URN that they depend on one meal a day and they are receiving food relief from the Food and Agriculture Organization.
But Johnson Byamukama, the Kisoro Red Cross Branch Manager says that they have received some food items, which are yet to be distributed to the refugees. He says they still have the challenge of finding means of locating their relatives, some of whom are already in Oruchinga camp.
Byamukama notes that they also face other challenges related to medication and toilet facilities at the center.
// Cue in: “Today received”…
Cue out: …”Give them shelters”//
He explains that the Red Cross office has 50 trained staff on standby but they still lack some basic facilitation such as transport to take the refugees to Oruchinga since they are expected to spend only two days in Kisoro.
Fresh fighting in D R Congo erupted in June as the Congolese forces launched an offensive against the militia men operating in the East ahead of the general elections later this year.
