Busuma : mass deaths and indifference, Burundi’s humanitarian scandal

SOS Médias Burundi

Ruyigi, January 2, 2026 – At the Busuma camp in Ruyigi district, Buhumuza province, eastern Burundi, more than 90 Congolese refugees have died in less than a week, victims of blatant negligence by the authorities and a critical lack of food, shelter, and medical care. While the humanitarian catastrophe worsens, these vulnerable populations continue to perish amid indifference, as the small east African nation grapples with the massive influx of displaced people fleeing hostilities between the M23 rebels, composed mainly of Congolese Tutsis, and the Congolese army in South Kivu.

A humanitarian crisis exacerbated by a lack of resources

According to information gathered on the ground, the critical shortage of food, insufficient shelter, lack of medical care, and precarious sanitation facilities are worsening the health of the most vulnerable, particularly children, the elderly, and those with chronic illnesses. This situation is unfolding against a backdrop of ineffective responses from humanitarian actors present in the camp.

Between December 25, 2025, and January 1, 2026, 93 Congolese refugees reportedly died in Busuma, a figure illustrating the scale of the crisis. The victims were buried in precarious conditions, often without funeral ceremonies and without respect for the customs of the bereaved families, exacerbating the trauma within the refugee community.

The average of more than ten deaths per day reflects a situation described as catastrophic by several observers, representing a serious violation of human rights and the fundamental principles of humanitarian action.

Heartbreaking testimonies

A Congolese refugee, speaking on condition of anonymity, describes the situation :

“In a single day, a family lost six people: five children and their mother. The father was left alone, without support, without food, without assistance. It’s unbearable.”

He adds :

“Another time, we found an elderly couple, both suffering from chronic illnesses, dead in their shelter one morning. No one had helped them. They passed away in complete silence.”

Displacement linked to fighting in South Kivu

These mass displacements are linked to the ongoing violence in South Kivu province, where fighting pits the FARDC, supported by Burundian troops from the FDNB and the Wazalendo militia, against the M23 rebels. With the M23’s dramatic advances in the Ruzizi Plain in December 2025, Burundi repatriated a large portion of its troops, deployed there since March 2023. Despite this partial withdrawal, fighting continues.

These clashes persist despite the Washington Agreement, signed on December 4, 2025, between the DRC and Rwanda under the US mediation, in which Burundi participated as an observer, represented by President Évariste Ndayishimiye.

The M23 and the AFC: geopolitical and mining stakes

Reactivated in 2021, the M23, composed mainly of Congolese Tutsis and now integrated into the Congo River Alliance (AFC), led by Corneille Nangaa, former president of the Congolese Independent National Electoral Commission (CENI), currently controls several strategic territories in North and South Kivu, including Goma and Bukavu, the capitals of the two Kivus, as well as major mining sites, notably the Rubaya deposit, one of the world’s largest coltan deposits.

Kinshasa accuses Kigali of supporting the M23, while Rwanda denounces the alleged support of the DRC and Burundi for the Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda (FDLR), a Rwandan Hutu armed group whose members are accused of participating in the 1994 genocide against the Tutsis. Despite repeated denials from Kigali, a report by the UN Group of Experts, which Rwandan authorities have dismissed as a “sham,” asserts the presence of 5,000 to 7,000 Rwandan soldiers alongside the AFC/M23 rebels.

Humanitarian pressure and appeals for aid

Meanwhile, nearly 90,000 Congolese refugees were received in Burundi in December alone, adding to more than 70,000 who arrived earlier in the year, increasing the humanitarian and security pressure in several provinces of the country.

Faced with this crisis, refugees and the civil society are increasingly calling for urgent, sufficient, and responsible humanitarian assistance, in accordance with international standards, particularly the 1951 Convention relating to the Status of Refugees.

Priority needs include :

access to food,

shelter,

healthcare,

drinking water,

and dignified living conditions.

The voluntary return of Congolese refugees is being discussed as an alternative, provided it takes place in safe, humane conditions that respect the dignity of those concerned.

Peaceful mobilization announced

In this climate of distress, peaceful protests are planned within the camps. Starting Friday, January 2, 2026, at 7:00 p.m., symbolic actions, including whistling protests, were expected to be observed to express collective discontent with a tragedy that many refugees feel is being ignored.

As the number of victims continues to rise, the situation in Busuma is a stark reminder to the international community and raises the critical question of the effective protection of Congolese refugees in Burundi.