Mulongwe camp : a Burundian refugees’ demonstration banned, hunger and insecurity denounced

SOS Médias Burundi

Baraka, May 26, 2025 – The National Commission for Refugees (CNR), Baraka branch, has canceled a peaceful demonstration planned for Monday, May 26, by Burundian women refugees from the Mulongwe camp in Fizi territory (South Kivu). These women intended to denounce living conditions deemed inhumane in the camp, including hunger, insecurity, and the lack of medical care. In a letter sent to several institutions—including the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR)—the protesters highlighted the deteriorating humanitarian situation. They stated that for six months, the UNHCR has not provided any food or financial assistance to more than 15,000 refugees in the camp.

“Even in Gaza, Ukraine, or Israel, displaced people receive regular aid despite the war. Why not us?” their message says.

Hunger, but also medical care, is critically lacking.

“Many people are dying for lack of food and medicine,” they warn.

Security fears and pressure

Mulongwe refugees also express serious security concerns. According to them, the camp has been infiltrated by Congolese and Burundian armed groups, and the presence of Burundian soldiers has been reported, fueling fear and instability.

Faced with the announcement of this mobilization, the CNR called an emergency meeting in the camp. It asked the women to abandon the protest, promising a response to their demands within a week. At the same time, it urged them not to give in to the temptation to join armed groups active in the region.

According to joint data from the UNHCR and the CNR, more than 43,000 Burundian refugees currently live in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, spread across several camps and sites in the eastern part of the country.