After the M23 takeover, Dr. In the Goma of Congo, the prices of food touch the sky. Humanitarian crisis news
The cost of some essential foods has exceeded double in Goma, which is the main city in the Eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), which was captured by the M23 rebels last week according to the local people and the NGOs.
As a result of rising costs and deteriorating displacement crisis, basic nutrition is out of access to many people, and hundreds of thousands of people in the city can be pushed into severe hunger, according to the anti-poverty NGOs, Action Aad.
Collecting data from three goma markets – Virunga, Lenin and Kituku – Organization employees reported price hike on some foods including flour, beans and oil from 18 to 160 percent from January 25 to 160 percent from January 25 to 16.
On the night of 26 January, Rwanda gave fighters-supported fighters in Goma from the March 23 agitation (M23), declared it under their control. There was a sporadic fight between rebels and Kangoli forces in later days, with cutting power, water and internet services, and business shutdown.
More than a week later, Power has been largely restored and food products are available in the city, local people in Goma told Al Jazira. But he also confirmed that the prices of many items doubled since the acquisition.
“I am asking new officials to do everything here to stabilize the situation here,” told Al Jazira in the weekend, seven shopping mother Julien Anifa in Goma in Goma. “We buy various products at a high price. And it is economically affecting us at this time of war. ,
Speaking anonymously to protect his safety, an Action AD Community Swayamsevak in Goma, said: “Everything has become expensive. We were paying $ 20 for a bucket of rice, and now it is at least $ 23. Large drinking water bottles have also doubled from $ 1 to $ 2. ,
“During the fight, prices doubled – things you could buy for $ 2 suddenly cost $ 6 because there was no food in food. Now prices have fallen slightly, but they still mostly most people There are too many for. “
Action Aad on Monday warned that rising costs were forcing families to go without food, which threatens hundreds of thousands of malnutrition.
“We have no income – people cannot go to work due to struggle, so it is difficult to get money. Everyone is broken, “said the community volunteer of the Action Aid.
“Families who were living away from $ 5 in a day are now alive at $ 2. This means that if you were eating three times a day, now you can eat only once. ,
‘Assistance efforts are being blocked’
More than 90 percent of the food supply of goma comes from the surrounding areas, the Action Aid said, but the violence has cut access to the road, which has reduced and increased price.
The NGO stated that intensive hunger crisis could have “horrific effects on women and girls” and put them at greater risk of exploitation and misuse.
According to integrated food safety phase classification, before the recent increase, 25.5 million people of the country were already in “crisis” and “emergency” levels of food security.
In the next five months, 4.5 million children under the age of five – as well as 3.7 million pregnant and breastfeeding women – may face acute malnutrition according to the World Food Program (WFP).
The WFP has also warned about further displacement of “hundreds of thousands of people” in camps at Eastern DRC.
Camps hosting the displaced people in Goma depended on human aid before the January 26 increase. But the fight disrupts the necessary work of the aid agencies, leaving tens of thousands without support.
“We need to get immediate help – and fast. But right now, assistance efforts are being blocked, ”said Yakub Mohammad Sani, Director of DRC country of Action AD. “We ask all sides to struggle to allow safe, unhealthy access to human organizations.”
At the end of Monday, M23 declared a ceasefire, stating that the rebels would stop their advances in the eastern DRC “for human reasons”.
