• World
  • Feb 03
  • Sreesha V.M

India urges citizens to leave Bukavu in Congo

• The Embassy of India in Kinshasa has advised all Indian nationals residing in Congo’s Bukavu to immediately depart to safer locations by whatever means available while the airports, borders and commercial routes are still open.

• There are about 1,000 Indian nationals in Congo.

• Rwanda-backed M23 rebels captured the eastern Congolese city of Goma and are looking at expanding their area of control.

• There are reports of M23 being only around 20-25 kms away from Bukavu. 

• The Embassy of India in Kinshasa is closely monitoring the security situation in eastern Congo.

Crisis in DR Congo:

• The crisis in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), especially in Goma, is worsening. 

• The M23 armed group is capturing towns and villages, leading to more deaths and displacement. 

• The rebel group has taken control of most of Goma since entering the city last week in the biggest escalation of a decades-long conflict springing from the Rwandan genocide against the Tutsis, and a continuing struggle for control of rich mineral resources in the region among a plethora of armed groups.

• The UN Security Council has called for immediate and coordinated international action to address the escalating situation.

• Peacekeepers with (MONUSCO) have launched the second phase of an operation called Horizon of Peace in Djugu territory, aiming to contain an escalation of violence by armed groups.

• The region is overwhelmed with displaced people, and humanitarian organisations like the World Food Programme (WFP) are highlighting the dire conditions in the camps. 

• This crisis reflects a complex mix of local conflicts, regional factors, and the need for global intervention. The international community is urged to act swiftly to help bring peace and stability to the area.

• The World Health Organisation (WHO), International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), and Médecins Sans Frontières (Doctors Without Borders,) are urgently working to bolster healthcare services, but with supply chains disrupted and facilities at capacity, response efforts are severely strained.

• Additionally, health authorities warn of an increasing risk of disease outbreaks, including cholera, measles and mpox, due to mass displacement, unsafe water sources and inadequate sanitation.

(The author is a trainer for Civil Services aspirants.)

Notes