A growing number of refugees are fleeing violent conflict in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), with many making perilous river crossings into Burundi in search of safety. The United Nations refugee agency (UNHCR) warns that the crisis is rapidly outpacing available resources, leaving thousands at risk.
Since January, over 71,000 people have crossed the border into Burundi, escaping clashes in eastern DRC. Many are now being relocated to the UNHCR-supported Musenyi refugee site in southern Burundi. Originally designed to host just 3,000 people, the camp is now sheltering over 16,000, raising concerns about overcrowding and access to basic services.
“This is one of the most challenging humanitarian situations we’re facing,” said Ayaki Ito, UNHCR’s Director for Emergencies, during a press briefing in Geneva. “We’re being stretched to our limits.”
Ito shared harrowing accounts from the field, including the story of a mother who crossed the 100-metre-wide Rusizi River with her three children and belongings wrapped in a plastic sheet to help them float. The journey is extremely dangerous, with the river known to be infested with crocodiles and hippos.
The crisis is compounded by severe resource shortages. Food rations at Musenyi have already been halved, and without urgent funding, supplies are expected to run out by the end of June. The onset of the rainy season has also flooded emergency tents set up in low-lying farmland, raising the risk of waterborne diseases.
“Basic services like schools, clinics, and sanitation are overwhelmed or simply don’t exist,” said Ito. He also highlighted the lack of hygiene kits for nearly 11,000 women and girls, and the absence of child- and women-friendly spaces for community support.
UNHCR’s funding shortfall has also hampered efforts to trace and reunite children separated from their families. Meanwhile, aid teams are dealing with a 60 percent surge in reports of sexual violence, particularly rape, in conflict zones across the DRC.
Adding to the challenge, many refugees are moving back and forth between Burundi and DRC, as insecurity and desperation persist on both sides of the border. Nearly half of the 700 people who crossed into Burundi last week had previously been registered as refugees.
Despite these mounting difficulties, the UNHCR stresses that providing life-saving aid and protection remains a top priority. However, the agency warns that without urgent international support, it may be forced to scale back operations at a time when needs are greater than ever.