MISNA
Congo DR
01.19.02
Most of the residents of Goma (North Kivu, east Democratic Republic of Congo) that fled the tragic eruption of the Nyiragongo volcano, underway since Thursday morning, are headed toward Bukavu (administrative centre of South Kivu around 200km away), but so far no form of assistance has been organised along the road or anywhere. This was the statement released to MISNA by civil society sources in South Kivu, launching a pressing appeal to national and international aid agencies to set up assistance centres for the many tens of thousands of displaced people headed toward the administrative centre. It is difficult to establish exactly how many are on the way, "but they are definitely in the tens of thousand" . Though "a large part of those present in Goma at the time of the eruption fled toward Gisenyi, the adjacent Rwandan city - they explained - a good number also took the road in direction of Sake, from which they can reach both Masisi, theatre to widespread violence, and Bukavu, a prefered destination and home to the homonymous archdiocese" . Many of the Congolese refugees sheltered in Rwanda "will certainly eventually attempt to return in Congo, probably by travelling along Lake Kivu and crossing the border in Cyangugu, which will mean a significant increase in displaced seeking refuge in the administrative centre of South Kivu". MISNA sources estimated that at the moment of the eruption there were some 300-thousand people residing in Goma. (BO)