Congolese bishop deplores escalation of violence as city of Goma claimed by rebels

(OSV News) -- Amid tragic escalation of violence in Congo, Bishop Willy Ngumbi Ngengele of Goma has assured the people of the church's closeness and compassion, as rebels entered the eastern city of Goma, forcing thousands to flee and triggering wave of looting and deaths.

On Jan. 27, the rebels claimed they had seized the city, the humanitarian base of the eastern Congo provinces of North and South Kivu, but Congolese authorities have disputed the claim.

The rebels led by members of the Tutsi ethnic group and allegedly backed by Rwanda had advanced on the city for weeks. As it gained ground, the group left behind a trail of death, destruction and displacement, which saw tens of thousands of displaced people pour into Goma.

Bishop Ngumbi said in a Jan. 27 statement that he's especially close to "the wounded and the families of victims" and urged "clergy and the consecrated, as well as the faithful and any person of good will to kindly lend the necessary assistance to anyone in need."

Bishop Ngumbi said he was horrified and "disgusted" by the bombing of Charity maternity hospital, where several newborns died.

He also deplored "the looting of some businesses and warehouses by the population and sometimes by the military," as he called on the parties in the conflict and ordinary people to respect human life and public structure, because of both human dignity and international law.
"In particular, I ask everyone to guarantee the protection of life, and access to all basic services and to avoid sexual violence,"Bishop Ngumbi said.

Goma -- a city of more than 2 million people -- sits on the northern shore of Lake Kivu, just on the border between Rwanda and Congo. Apart from being a base of humanitarian response, the city is a gateway to mining regions in eastern Congo.

Since entering the city on Jan. 26, the rebels and the Congolese army have engaged in fierce fighting, which according to reports have left at least 25 people dead. As the rebels marched into the city, Congolese and troops across the border exchanged fire, leaving relief agencies fearing more violence and a humanitarian crisis.

"The fighting is raging. We are under the beds," Georgette Kahongya, a Catholic in Katoyi, a neighborhood on the outskirts of Goma, told OSV News. "We have no water or food. I fear many of us may die if this does not stop."

The international Christian humanitarian organization, World Vision, said an estimated 400,000 people had fled the eastern Congo violence this year alone, with many pouring into Goma.

The whole region has been in turmoil in recent weeks, according to the organization, with camps of internally displaced persons being shelled and hundreds killed. Many of those injured or killed in the violence are children, according to the charity.

David Munkley, World Vision's director of operations in eastern Congo, said in a news statement sent to OSV News that "the situation is terrible."

"There are not only thousands of people caught in the middle or fleeing this violent conflict but now we can't reach the tens of thousands of people who were previously relying on us for food and other vital support," he said. "Key roads surrounding Goma are blocked, and the city's airport can no longer be used for evacuation and humanitarian efforts. Power and water have reportedly been cut to many areas of the city."

The rebels' M23, or March 23 movement, that took Goma was formed in 2012 by about 300 members of the National Congress for the Defense of the People, a Tutsi-led military organization in eastern Congo known by its French initials as CNDD.

The movement got its name from the date in 2009 when CNDD and the Congolese government signed a pact to end a rebellion by the Tutsi ethnic community in eastern Congo. The pact required the integration of CNDD fighters into the army, protection of minorities and equitable distribution of resources, among others.

After remaining dormant for over a decade, the rebel group launched fresh attacks in 2022, claiming that the pact had been broken. Since then, M23 has quickly seized towns and more territory in eastern Congo.

On Jan. 27, African political leaders were trying to dialogue to end the Goma violence and halt any further advance by the rebels.

Kenya President William Ruto, the chairman of the East African Community, of which Rwanda and Congo are members, has called for an emergency summit on Jan. 29 to discuss the violence.