By Arsene Arakaza
Last Wednesday night, Burundian refugees living in the Lusenda camp in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) heard several gunshots in the vicinity of the camp. Some refugees even fled the camp on Wednesday night. They are calling for the camp to be made safe, as it is often in the middle of armed clashes.
The insecurity around the Lusenda camp is caused by clashes between the Congolese army and rebel groups, according to a source on the spot. The two groups exchanged fire for at least four hours.
Shortly before the confrontation, the Burundian refugees had noticed an unusual movement of Congolese soldiers who even broke into the camp.
“In the afternoon of Wednesday, the Congolese soldiers came to the camp heavily armed. They drank and ate in restaurants and did not pay,” said an anonymous source in the newspaper.
The Burundian refugee representative says it alerted the officials of the Lusenda camp but no authority went to the camp to reassure them.
Burundian refugees in Lusenda camp are calling for strict measures to secure the camp, which is located in an environment where clashes between the Congolese army and rebel groups have become common place.
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