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The International Organization for Migration (IOM) revealed that the number of displaced people in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) has reached a record high of 6.9 million following renewed conflict between Tutsi-led M23 rebels and militias loyal to the government in the eastern province of North Kivu in October.
The International Organization for Migration (IOM) revealed that the number of displaced people in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) has reached a record high of 6.9 million following renewed conflict between Tutsi-led M23 rebels and militias loyal to the government in the eastern province of North Kivu in October.
IOM in its report said that most of those who fled their homes desperately needed help to meet their basic needs. There is no respite in the security situation, which is worsening day by day so also the number of migrants looking for new pastures. It is estimated that nearly 200,000 people have fled their homes since the resumption of the fighting in the Rutshuru and Masisi regions, north of Goma.
IOM is alerting the concerned multilateral aid organizations that efforts should be taken at the earliest to avoid a humanitarian crisis resulting from the mass exodus of vulnerable people from DRC, which is a perennial issue for the Congolese people, who are forced to live with host families. This dilemma has continued for the Congolese people for decades.
IOM is helping to manage 78 camps housing some 280,000 displaced people and is strengthening mental health services for people in psychological distress. The IOM is calling for additional financial resources for its operations in the DRC, saying it has received less than half of the US$100 million requested.
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The eastern part of the DRC has been plagued by violence from local and foreign armed groups for a long. The UN peacekeeping mission, MONUSCO, is one of the largest and most expensive of its kind in the world. Its annual budget is one billion dollars. Yet, the peacekeeping force is largely unpopular among the local people, since they are reported to be indulging in criminal and corrupt practices.
