"Desperate Flee: Congolese Refugees Risk Life and Limb to Escape Conflict"

"Facing forced conscription and escalating violence in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, refugees like Jordan Bita make perilous journeys across the Rusizi River to seek safety in Burundi. Reports reveal high risks, including drowning, as families grapple with the harsh realities of conflict and displacement."

Jordan Bita, a 25-year-old Congolese man, made a fateful decision to evade conscription by M23 rebels—choosing to brave the treacherous waters of the Rusizi River rather than remain at home. Clinging to a black bin bag containing his meager possessions, he navigated the furious currents, ultimately emerging on the Burundian side. This crossing symbolizes thousands of others fleeing the escalating violence and desperation in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo.

The conflict has escalated dramatically, with M23 rebels swiftly capturing key cities like Goma and Bukavu within weeks. "I managed to flee safely because I was crossing through the forest and moving along the bushes," Bita recounted, emphasizing the danger posed by the ubiquitous M23 fighters who are aggressively conscripting local men to join their ranks.

Burundian forces are vigilant along the banks of the river, monitoring the influx of Congolese families—an estimated 70,000 people seeking refuge since the conflict intensified. Bita spoke after his luggage was thoroughly searched by Burundian troops; no weapons were allowed across the border. “I’m bringing food for my family who are already at a makeshift camp,” he stated, referencing a nearby town where shelter is scarce.

As the BBC team filmed near the river, Amani Sebakungu, another refugee, emerged shaken but relieved from the waters, declaring, "In the river, you just have to take heart and say if I die or survive, so be it. God willed I crossed safely." However, tragedy looms as reports indicate at least twenty individuals have drowned attempting to navigate the 300-meter distance across the river, which is perilously deep in places.

Clarice Kacindi recounted a devastating loss—a child swept away while she crossed with three others on a raft. "M23 are making our lives very difficult," she lamented, underscoring the dire humanitarian crisis impacting countless families. In Rugombo, makeshift camps house hundreds—with up to 25 people sharing a single tent, and food rationed to just one meal a day.

As the main border post at Gatumba remains abuzz with refugees, men are being prohibited from crossing, retained in Uvira to defend the city from advancing M23 troops. The backdrop for this crisis includes Burundi's military involvement in DR Congo, as they assist in combating the rebels in a historical context of enmity towards Rwanda.

Brigitte Mukanga-Eno, an official from the UN refugee agency, emphasizes the critical need for support in handling the unprecedented influx of refugees, cautioning against potential tensions between the incoming refugees and host communities. An elderly refugee, Magega Mwarui, shared her own turmoil, stating, "I have fled to Burundi so many times,” revealing the generational cycles of displacement.

Each voice, each story echoes the urgent plea for peace amid a backdrop of ethnic strife and continuing conflict—heralding the continuing struggles of individuals like Charlotte Odile, who fled with her children after her husband was killed. Now, she seeks sanctuary in a region fraught with uncertainty, yearning for stability and a place to call home.