UN refugee agency calls for continued protection for people fleeing escalating conflict in eastern Congo

By Beyza Binnur Donmez

GENEVA (AA) - The UN refugee agency on Tuesday advised that Congolese nationals fleeing the conflict in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo, as well as those outside the country who originate from the area affected by the conflict, "may need refugee protection" under international and regional legal frameworks.

Patrick Eba, the deputy director of UNHCR's division of international protection, told a UN press briefing in Geneva that the security and humanitarian situation in the country continues to deteriorate with hundreds of thousands of people on the move in North and South Kivu provinces.

Close to 80,000 people have fled armed clashes into neighboring countries, including around 61,000 who have arrived in Burundi since January this year, Eba noted.

He said the significant population movements continue inside these provinces, adding that currently only around 17,000 people remain in displacement sites, schools, and churches around Goma, while 414,000 others have been on the move for the last four weeks, encouraged by the de facto authorities to return to their villages of origin.

"At least 209,000 individuals from these sites have arrived spontaneously in Masisi, Nyiragongo, and Rutshuru territories, where basic services are not equipped for the sudden surge in population," he said.

Given the widespread insecurity in these provinces and surrounding areas, he said that many more may need to cross borders to find protection and assistance.

"UNHCR calls on states to register all asylum-seekers from the DRC (Congo) and provide them with documentation. Asylum claims should be processed through fair, transparent and efficient procedures, including the use of a prima facie approach to recognition where relevant, in accordance with international and regional refugee law and other relevant legal standards," Eba said.

"For Congolese nationals outside the country who are considering voluntary return to eastern DRC, UNHCR emphasizes the importance of informed decision-making," he said, and urged that individuals should have access to up-to-date and detailed information on security, governance, and livelihoods in their places of origin to make fully informed choices regarding the return.

According to the UNHCR, there are more than 1 million Congolese refugees across Africa, mainly in neighboring countries that have a long history of providing protection and assistance.

"We encourage them to continue upholding their refugee law obligation and humanitarian commitment and call on the international community to step up support for host countries in providing protection and assistance to refugees from the DRC," he added.