Ingos in DR Congo Call for a Cessation of Hostilities and the Respect for International Humanitarian LawA deadly attack on Friday 3 May directly hit displacement sites hosting over 55,000 families around Goma in the North Kivu province in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo .
Overcrowded displacement camps are no longer safe spaces for the civilian population, especially for women and children. In addition to indiscriminate shelling, the close proximity of heavy artillery with the camps together with the widespread presence of armed elements within the sites have resulted in a rise of security incidents endangering both the affected populations and aid workers.
As indiscriminate attacks on displacement sites are becoming more frequent, the humanitarian toll has reached a breaking point while the delivery of aid becomes more challenging. This is not a time for business as usual. We are calling for the immediate cessation of hostilities and for all parties of the conflict to abide with International Humanitarian Law and protect civilians in conflict.