Men risk drowning to flee conscription by rebels

Jordan Beta preferred the risk of swimming across the Hadeer River instead of staying at home and avoiding it by the rebels in the Eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo.

The 25 -year -old clung to Bin Aswad’s bag with some property as he used strong currents to move through the Rusizi River, which forms the border between Dr Congo and Burundi.

This was the last stage of a desperate trip to escape Brundi in Burundi with the escalation of the conflict in the east of Dr. Congo, where the M23 rebels seized the cities of Guma and Bocavo in the past five weeks.

“I managed to escape safely … because I was crossing the forest and moving along the bushes instead of the main road.”

“This is because the M23 fighters are everywhere and they are forced us to join them to fight against the government,” he said.

The Buronian forces are watching the river bank in the Sigitoc Province in the northwest, where they cross the Congolese families.

They are among nearly 70,000 people who resorted here during the past month as the M23 rebels – supported by Rwanda, continued to go to the north – to advance in the south in Dr. Kongo.

At the end of January, they took the main axis of Juma in the northern province of Dr. Kongo and Kevo and in mid -February, Boukavo, the capital of southern Kivu, fell.

The luggage of Mr. Bita was accurately examined on the orders of the Burundian forces – no weapons are allowed.

After that, he picked up his bag and carried it on his head, and made his way to the top of the very slope hill to the nearest refugee camp, about 12 km (seven miles) in the town of Rugombo.

He brings with him the food that is strongly needed – the meal of corn, peanuts and beans – to his family who is already in a temporary camp at the city’s football field.

Another man, Amani Sebaconjo, seemed exhausted and was trying to breathe his breath as he was raising from Rosieh

Since the BBC team had an interview with Mr. Sebaconjo, the Burundian army ordered us all to evacuate the area as the M23 rebels were monitored towards the river on the other side.

Later, when looking at a relative hill, we can see rebels who suffer from military fatigue walking in one file and preventing people on the Congolese side from performing the crossing.

The risks that flee the real face.

Over the past two weeks, at least 20 people have been washed away while trying to swim at an altitude of 300 meters (984 feet) across the river, which is 10 meters deep. It is believed that many other drowning were not reported.

Claris Cassinde lost her three -year -old child while crossing 10 days ago.

“One of my children was lying in front of me while I detained three others next to me. We had many other people in the raft, and when we got to the middle of the river, the raft was stormed by two and my child’s departure.”

“M23 makes our lives very difficult. They must stop this war. Even if you want to go home, I will have to start zero. I stole everything that we left behind,” she said.

Hundreds of white tents have been placed on the stadium where the leaves are treated for those looking for asylum.

It shares up to 25 people a tent, as many others sleep under the stars. The food is picked into only one meal per day.

To the south, the main border position between Dr. Kongo and Burundi in Gatumba is also busy.

It is usually an hour by car between the nearby city of Overira and the main city of Burundora in Burundi with tinnitus with merchants and vehicles.

Now, only one -way traffic with refugees flowing to Burundi – especially women and children.

BBC told BBC that men were not allowed to the border and were asked to stay in UVIra to defend the city from M23.

Burundi has more than 10,000 soldiers deployed in Dr. Congo help the army there to fight M23.

There are now many of their soldiers in Uvira, with a population of more than 300,000.

It is located on the northern end of the Tanganyika Lake and is now at a maximum alert where the M23 rebels are running south of Bukavo and is said to be 70 km.

Burundi was a natural ally of Dr. Congo for years due to Rwanda’s enmity.

The relations between Rwanda and Burundi have always been hostile, accusing each other of trying to topple their governments.

The two countries participate in a similar language and ethnic makeup – with Tutsi and Hoosto societies often compete for power – both of which have suffered from a terrible ethnic appearance.

But unlike Rwanda, headed by the President of TURTSI, the majority Hotos in Power in Burundi.

The Burundi government fears that if the M23 introduces its presence in southern Kivu by taking UVIra, it will strengthen a Burundian rebel group called Red Tabara.

Its headquarters is located in southern Kivu, and it consists mainly of Tutsi – has attacked Burundi in the past.

“It is a terrible matter for Burundi. This is the first time in more than 20 years to receive the country this large number of refugees,” BBC told the BBC.

“We need to support this country to receive refugees to improve the conditions of those who are still making their way to Burundi so that there are no clashes between refugees and host societies.”

Magega MWARUI, eighty -year -old, can witness the years of turmoil in the region, and often cause ethnic competitions.

“I fled to Burundi several times. We cross this river carrying the small property that we left.”

She said: “Since I was young, before I turned to blind … there were times that I almost drowned while fleeing the conflict.”

Charlotte Odyssey, who is now living in a camp outside Rogombo, told us for those who were officially registered as refugees, that she came to Burundi with her four children after her husband was killed by M23 rebels in southern Kivu.

“I hope to find a house for my children and peace,” she said.

Additional reports by Robert Kipro from the BBC.