Over 7,000 refugees from fighting in eastern DRC arrive

UN humanitarian officials in Burundi said on Tuesday that just over 3,000 Congolese had arrived in Burundi after fleeing the recent fighting in the town of Uvira in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), between rival militia groups supported by either the DRC government or Rwanda. An official with the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs told IRIN on Tuesday that 2,000 of these refugees were being cared for on site at Gatumba, Burundi, which is about 30 km northeast of Uvira. The remaining 1,000 refugees are scattered among the local population. They started arriving on Saturday after pro-Kinshasa government Mayi-Mayi militia seized Uvira from forces of the pro-Rwandan Rassemblement congolais pour la democratie-Goma. The UN High Commissioner for Refugees has issued each refugee at the site with one blanket and a six-day supply of energy biscuits. There is water, shelter, a mobile clinic and latrines at the site. Farther north, in Cibitoke Province, authorities registered another 4,500 Congolese refugees as at Monday. "But more are still arriving," an official from the UN's Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs said. This group of refugees is from the DRC border villages of Ruberizi, Bwhegera, and Ruvungi, who crossed the Rusizi River into Burundi. "They brought some belongings, food, non-food items and some cattle," the official said.