As the war continues to intensify in the eastern part of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, particularly in the areas of Uvira, Katogota, Sange, Kiliba, Luvungi, and Kamanyola, the situation of Congolese refugees who have fled to Burundi is taking a new and alarming turn, becoming a story marked by suffering, hunger, and serious allegations of abuse.
The AFC/M23 coalition, which is fighting against the Kinshasa government, has stated that Congolese refugees in Burundi—especially those in the temporary Gatumba camp—are facing severe abuse as they attempt to return home. The group claims that some of these refugees are being beaten by individuals said to include soldiers, others are being killed, and others are being arrested, simply for trying to go back to their country.
The Burundian government, for its part, has in recent days explained that the large number of refugees entering the country has made it difficult to provide adequate care. Authorities have said that the country lacks sufficient capacity and have appealed to international donors for urgent assistance amounting to 33 million US dollars to sustain the lives of these refugees.
However, for the refugees themselves, these statements do little to change their daily reality. They say life in Burundi is extremely harsh. Food is scarce, prices have risen sharply, and refugees have no jobs and no income.
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Ajax Ramadhani, one of the Congolese refugees, told the BBC that their living conditions are far worse than many people imagine.
He said: “The price of flour has gone up a lot. Two mandazi that Burundians used to buy for 500 now cost 500 each. We don’t know why. We did not come here because we were happy. We came because we had a problem. But you hear people saying a Congolese person cannot lack money. Where would a refugee get money from?”
In the temporary Gatumba camp, located near the DRC border, the health situation continues to deteriorate. Doctors and local authorities say that cholera—largely caused by poor sanitation and a lack of clean water—has already claimed many lives. Others are dying from hunger and extreme weakness.
The Deputy Mayor of Uvira, Kifara Kapenda, recently released alarming figures. He told Radio Okapi that on December 18 alone, eight people died, while five others died the previous day. He added that in just ten days, more than 40 people died from cholera and hunger, highlighting the severity of the humanitarian crisis in the area.
In response to the security situation, AFC/M23 announced that on December 20 it helped more than 1,000 Burundians who had been living in the DRC to return home. However, the group says that, on the other hand, the Burundian government is refusing to open its borders to allow Congolese refugees in the camps to return to their country.
AFC/M23 spokesperson Lawrence Kanyuka explained that some Congolese refugees have tried many times to go back home, but the borders have remained closed. He said the information they have suggests that the Burundian authorities may be planning to transfer them to camps far from the border—something refugees say would further worsen their situation, separate them, and deny them any chance of returning home.
On December 21, AFC/M23’s Deputy Coordinator in charge of political affairs, administration, and diplomacy, Bertrand Bisimwa, issued a strong statement saying they were receiving numerous disturbing testimonies from the Gatumba camp. He said that Congolese refugees attempting to leave the camp to return home are being beaten and, in some cases, killed by individuals alleged to be Burundian soldiers.
Bisimwa said: “We are receiving many testimonies from our fellow Congolese refugees in the Gatumba camp in Burundi, reporting abuse and, at times, killings, simply because they want to return to the DRC. The information we have indicates that Burundian soldiers are responsible.”
In a message posted on the social media platform X, Bisimwa shared audio recordings in which a woman speaking Swahili can be heard, her voice filled with grief and fear. She describes how refugees try to board vehicles heading toward the border but are beaten with sticks and forced to return, with some dying and others being detained.
She said: “We try to get on vehicles, people beat us with sticks and send us back. Those who collapse collapse there. We tried again a second time; they beat us and we returned. Brothers and sisters, speak out for us. Commanders are coming; they want to kill us. Some have already died, others are detained here in the Gatumba camp. Please help us return to Congo. Our ambassador says nothing.”
These allegations come as the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) reports that between December 5 and December 21, 2025, Burundi received 94,808 Congolese refugees who entered through Buganda, Gatumba, and Rumonge. This large number highlights the immense pressure Burundi is facing, while also raising serious concerns about the inadequate protection of the refugees’ human rights.
