The sudden irruption of M23 fighters—supported by the Rwandan army (RDF)—into the city of Uvira last week has triggered a major humanitarian disaster. In the space of only four days, nearly 40,000 Congolese fled the South Kivu region to seek refuge in neighbouring Burundi, in conditions described as “catastrophic” by aid workers on the ground.
According to a TV5MONDE investigation carried out in Burundian transit camps, men, women and children are sleeping on bare ground, without water, without food, without toilets, without medicine, and exposed to the elements. “Our children are suffering from malaria. There has been no food assistance since we arrived,” testified a mother of seven who fled from Sange ahead of the rebel advance.
A military offensive that violates the Washington peace agreement
This new wave of displacement comes barely a week after the signing in Washington of a de-escalation agreement between the DRC and Rwanda, under the auspices of President Donald Trump. The text—endorsed by Kigali—committed both sides to halt cross-border offensives and to stop any military support to armed groups.
On the ground, however, the reality is starkly different: M23 tanks, pickup trucks and fighters filmed inside Uvira; FARDC positions attacked; Burundian troops mobilised; civilians forced to flee and others killed in the brief clashes.
For residents interviewed by TV5MONDE, responsibility is clear: the M23/RDF offensives constitute a “betrayal” of the commitments made in Washington, plunging the region back into instability.
This violation has sparked near-unanimous condemnation from international partners, from Western chancelleries to European institutions, which had hailed the agreement as a “historic opportunity” for stabilisation.
The exodus into Burundi: survival on the edge
Despite Bujumbura’s announcement closing its border, refugees have continued to stream across since 5 December. UNHCR officials speak of an “exceptional and extremely rapid influx of entire families” into a country already facing a severe economic crisis—aggravated both by the insecurity around Uvira, its main commercial gateway, and by international sanctions. Rising fuel prices have deepened poverty.
In the Kansega transit camp, two hours from Bujumbura, some refugees describe unbearable scenes: bodies seen on the roadside, children without food, human waste around sleeping spaces, continuous rain, and looming epidemic risks.
“We find faeces next to where we sleep. This will create disease. We have lost everything,” said a displaced man from Luvungi, before appealing directly to the U.S. President: “Let Donald Trump come to our aid. Let him ask Paul Kagame to stop the war in the DRC.”
Burundi on the front line—yet out of resources
The Burundian authorities have allowed refugees to cross the frontier, while stressing their lack of means. UNHCR describes the emergency set-up as “entirely temporary”, with no funds available at year-end.
A more durable site is expected to open soon in Bweru to “restore a minimum of dignity” to families, but transfers will depend on several factors: the military evolution around the M23; cooperation between Burundi and the DRC; and regional diplomatic options.
A widening crisis threatening regional stability
While some Congolese fled toward Fizi and Kalemie, others had no option but Burundi. The risk of security spill-over is real: involvement of Burundian soldiers in combat, FARDC soldiers fleeing with weapons and ammunition, uncontrolled movement of armed civilians, and a heightened risk of bilateral tensions.
Civic actors interviewed warned that if Burundi stops cooperating with Kinshasa, the return of refugees will be impossible—Uvira is accessible only through this border.
A humanitarian crisis attributable to the forces of aggression
Beyond statistics, one central fact emerges: it is the offensive launched by M23 and the Rwandan army—directly violating international commitments—that triggered panic, mass displacement and the collapse of human conditions. These attacks undermine the territorial integrity of the DRC, the fragile Washington framework, American calls for cessation of hostilities, and ongoing regional initiatives (Luanda, Doha, Lomé).
In condemning the cycle of violence, the refugees themselves express the core of the tragedy: “It is not good to live in a country that is not yours. Give us peace so we can go home.”
JEK
