Cape Times

Congolese refugees live on snails as hunger crisis worsens

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KINSHASA: SOME refugees in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) are reportedly surviving on snails as the unrelentin­g violence triggers one of the most serious humanitari­an crises in the world.

Persistent clashes between rival ethnic groups as well as the armed forces and militia have led to destructio­n of farmlands.

The vicious cycle of conflict and displaceme­nt has left many farmers unable to till their land resulting in shortages forcing families to survive on whatever food they can forage.

The Internatio­nal Committee of the Red Cross (IRCR) said families were eating mostly snails in remote villages in the south-eastern province of Tanganyika, where inter-ethnic conflict has uprooted more than 650 000 people from their homes.

Further west in the Kasai Province, families are also struggling to feed themselves after fighting by rival ethnic groups forced them out of their homes. Despite the tumultuous atmosphere being unfavourab­le for farming, ICRC and local farming associatio­ns are supplying farmers with seeds and tools to plant, hoping tensions will eventually ease.

It is estimated that more than 4.6 million Congolese children are acutely malnourish­ed, which is the most life-threatenin­g form of malnutriti­on. More than 4 million people in the Central African country are internally displaced, which is the highest on the continent.

Riots against President Joseph Kabila’s stay in power despite the expiry of his term in late 2016, have worsened the crisis in the country of some 80 million people. – CAJ News/ African News Agency (ANA)

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