24 November 2008

Many displaced Congolese are returning to their villages rather than risk starvation in the refugee camps.

ActionAid workers have witnessed hundreds of men, women and children climbing into trucks near Kibathi camp to return to their homes - or what is left of them - in war-ravaged eastern Congo.

Muamba, a displaced Congolese woman, waiting to climb onto one of the trucks said: "Instead of dying of hunger here, we prefer to die in our own village. It is not safe here, especially for women."

Those leaving said they were doing so because of shortage of space in the camps. Overcrowding has forced many to sleep on rocks and go hungry, as food supplies run out.

Alpha Sankoh, ActionAid DRC country director, said: "Lack of funding is a key concern. The issue of displaced people returning to unsafe areas under the control of rebels is really worrying. They're not receiving the much needed food and other vital supplies such as clothing and medication."

Hakizimana Faustin, together with his family and children, has chosen to return to Rugari, where many have fled from the fierce fighting.

"I am going back because of hunger," he said. "There is no peace in my village but even here there is shooting every night.  The camp is full and we have to live outside."

The authorities are trying to move us to other camps but there we think we would die of hunger. People are not getting enough food."

Kibathi camp was originally constructed to accommodate 2,500 people, rather than the 65,000 who are seeking protection, shelter and food.