Minembwe, South Kivu – A severe humanitarian crisis is unfolding in the remote highlands of Minembwe, South Kivu, where the Banyamulenge community remains trapped under siege by a coalition of forces reportedly involving troops from the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and Burundi.
Local leaders describe a desperate situation marked by scarcity, isolation, and rising prices.
A kilo of sugar now sells for 35,000 Congolese Francs (around $15) — an astronomical figure in a region where most families survive on subsistence farming. Basic items such as salt and soap have become unaffordable luxuries.
“We are living through a slow, silent disaster,” said one Banyamulenge community leader. “No one is allowed to leave, and no food or medicine is allowed in. The situation is unbearable.”
Minembwe’s isolation has deepened as residents have been completely cut off from Uvira, the nearest town with access to supplies and medical care.
While other tribes can travel freely to and from Uvira, Banyamulenge civilians are reportedly blocked at checkpoints and accused of sympathizing with armed groups.
The region’s geography further exacerbates the crisis.
To the west lies an expanse of dense forest that isolates Minembwe from major trade routes, while to the east, coalition forces led by Burundi’s FNDB troops have surrounded the area, preventing any humanitarian access.
Local reports indicate that food stocks have nearly run out, livestock has been looted or slaughtered for survival, and medical supplies are exhausted.
Communication with the outside world is sporadic, and humanitarian agencies have so far been unable to reach the besieged community.
Human rights observers warn that without urgent international intervention and the opening of humanitarian corridors, Minembwe risks descending into a full-scale famine and humanitarian disaster.
As one resident put it, “We are cut off from the world — surrounded, starving, and forgotten.”