OPM Registers 23,000 As More Refugees Pour In
Congolese refugees in Bundibugyo district, western Uganda
Relief Agencies in the country Friday rushed to Bundibugyo district following an influx of 23,000 refugees from the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).
Office of the Prime Minister, UNHCR, Uganda Red Cross Society – URC have already set camp in Bundibugyo to offer assistance to people fleeing a new wave of insurgency by rebels of Allied Democratic Front(ADF).
Commissioner for Refugees in the Office of the Prime Minister, Apollo David Kazungu said they had so far registered 23,000 refugees fleeing fighting.
According to him they expected the numbers to swell to over 30,000 by the end of the day.
Kazungu says the World Food Program have dispatched food items to Bundibugyo while URC has come in with none food items like tents.
Kazungu explained that they are trying to identify a transit centre in Bundibugyo where these refugees can be accommodated for the time being.
Speaking to the media, the UNHCR Country representative, Mohammed Adar said the agency had sent an assessment mission to Bundibugyo for find out the state of the refugees at the six locations.
Most of the refugees are currently taking shelter in primary schools. Adar confirmed they were preparing blankets and tents to shelter the refugees from the cold nights since it’s a mountainous area.
UNHCR has also sent a medical team to Bundibugyo to establish the health of the refugees.
Mohammed Adar explained that they will have to wait for at least two days to see how many are willing to go back after the fighting stops.
Adar explained that their experience is that the refugees from DRC usually return home when fighting stops so they have to wait to see how many will remain before they can move them to Kyangwali refugee camp.
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