Andrew Philip, Amnesty International researcher, blogging from the field.
Today we were at Ishasha, on the bridge over the river that divides the DRC and Uganda, and we saw hundreds of people crossing, probably over 5000. Today’s flux was unusual, according to an UNHCR official who told us they had never seen so many arrivals in one day since the end of October.
Fighting between the Mayi Mayi and the CNDP armed groups happened today in Nyamilima and Kinyandoni. People flee to get out of the DRC as soon as they can. Some are lucky and get accommodated in large tents, but today, thousands of people will sleep outside, many of them with no food and very little water remaining after the twenty kilometres they had to walk to make it to the border.
No protection is available for the people fleeing, for those hundreds on the road between Nyamilima and Ishasha today.
Today again, we took testimonies from people who have seen killings, rapes and abductions. One person described to us today the killing of his wife and two infant children at the end of October.
There is also a need for urgent humanitarian assistance for those fleeing. In Ishasha the organisations present are struggling to cope with the influx of refugees.
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