The conflict between the Teke and Yaka communities is said to be over a traditional land tax.
Since July, insecurity has forced thousands from their homes in Kwamouth, near the border with the Republic of Congo.
Escape vehicle
New data indicates that 27,000 mainly women and children have been displaced and need urgent assistance in Kwilu and Mai Ndombe suburbs.
Another 2,600 people have sought refuge in the Republic of Congo after crossing the Congo River in boats. Many have been separated from family members while fleeing for safety.
“Heavy rains have made getting to safety more difficult for citizens and many key routes have become inaccessible to humanitarian vehicles delivering life-saving assistance,” said UNHCR Representative in DRC, Angele Dikongue-Atangana.
He noted that aid groups that reached the displaced areas reported that people fled for their lives, seeking refuge in the forest.
The harvest is not ready
Many had to leave their fields and harvests, and walk for days to reach the town of Bandundu, about 245 kilometers – or 152 kilometers – away.
Host families in Bandundu and other towns have welcomed those forced to flee, the UN agency said. A local chief killed 28 people, including a young man who was injured in the fight.
Another host family has opened its doors to 77 people, but resources are running low and others Families have started rationing food to one a day.
Open-door policy
At the border with the Republic of Congo, UNHCR has supported the authorities by registering new arrivals and providing relief materials.
Once in the Republic of Congo, many asylum seekers find shelter with host families. But the conditions are inhospitable and some have to sleep in the open, while others have built shelters.
Those who live with host families face more crowded situations.
Malnourished children
“There is not enough food (and) More than 30 malnourished children have been identified by local health workersincluding a child with severe malnutrition who was referred to the nearest hospital in Gamboma,” said UNHCR’s Ms. Dikongue-Atangana.
The latest displacement in the DRC has placed additional pressure on the agency’s already underfunded response to help 521,000 refugees and more than 5.5 million internally displaced people.
There are only three months left in the year, only 40 percent of the $225.4 million appeal has been funded.
Similarly, in the Republic of Congo, UNHCR has only accepted 16 percent of the $37.4 million needed for its refugee response this year.
