Civil society in the province of Tshopo alerted, Friday February 9, to the precarious humanitarian situation of thousands of families victims of floods in several regions of this province.
These families lost their homes and other valuable possessions washed away by the waters. Most continue to spend the night in canoes due to lack of means to rebuild huts.
They are located in particular in Isangi, Basoko, Banalia, Yauma and Kisangani which are the most affected areas.
Civil society is reporting cases of water-borne diseases in these entities most affected by this disaster.
« Today, we have thousands and thousands of people, fortunately there are charitable organizations which take care of some of these people, unfortunately the accommodation conditions are not really up to what we was waiting ”, says Pierre Kibaka, a member of civil society in Tshopo.
This activist alerts provincial and national authorities in order to provide assistance to the many families in distress:
« What we do not understand, we are following through the media that the Government is providing assistance through the Ministry of Social Affairs and National Solidarity to victims in certain provinces. We ask ourselves the question why not those of the city of Kisangani too? Do you know that here in the city of Kisangani, we not only have the river, we also have the Tshopo river, we have the Lomami river. And today Isangi is practically in the water, no one is coming to help, that is why we are launching an urgent appeal to the central government and we even think that among the priority issues that the provincial deputies must take in charge, it’s this file. We cannot let an entire population live in poverty like that…”
Contacted by Radio Okapi, the advisor to the provincial minister of humanitarian affairs, Leon-Trésor Osono, promised to make a statement later.