Men run the risk of drowning to escape the rebels

Jordan Bita preferred his life to swim through a roaring river than stay at home and be prepared by rebels in the Eastern Democratic Republic of Congo.

The 25-year-old clung to a black bin bag with some possessions while using strong currents to move on his way through the Rusisi River, which formed the border between Dr. Congo and Burundi.

It was the last stage on a desperate journey to escape safety in Burundi, as the conflict in the Eastern Dr. Congo escalated, with the M23 rebels taking over the cities of Goma and Bukav in the last five weeks.

“I was able to escape safely … Because I was crossing the forest and moving the bushes instead of the main road,” he told the BBC after climbing the shore from the Burundi side and wiped the water from his face.

“This is because the M23 fighters are everywhere and they force us to join them to fight the government,” he said.

The Burundi troops are watching the river bank in the province of Tsibitok in the northwest, where Congoan families intersect.

They are among the nearly 70,000 people who have been looking for asylum here in the last month, as the M23 rebels – supported by Rwanda, Burundi’s neighbors to the north – continue to advance south in Congo.

At the end of January, they took the main center of Goma in the province of Dr. Congo in the north-civ and in mid-February Bukav, the capital of South Kivu, fell.

The luggage of d -bits was thoroughly checked on the behest of Burundi troops – no weapons were allowed.

He then lifted his bag and carried it on his head, making a steep hill to the closest refugee camp about 12 km (seven miles) in the city of Rugombo.

He brings with him desperate food – corn food, peanuts and beans – for his family, which are already in an impromptu camp created at the city’s football stadium.

Another man, Amani Sebakung, seemed exhausted and tried to catch his breath when he came out of Rusisi: “In the river, you just have to take your heart and say if I die or survive, so be it.

While the BBC team interviewed G -N Sebakungu, the Burundian military ordered us all to free the area, as the M23 rebels were spotted marching to the river on the other side.

Later, looking from the nearby hill, we could see the rebels in military tiredness that go in a single file and stop the people from the Congoles to make the intersection.

The dangers that these running face is real.

In the last two weeks, at least 20 people have been swept away as they have tried to swim at 300 m (984 feet) through the river, which at certain points is a depth of 10 m.

Clarice Kachindi lost his three -year -old child while crossing Rusisi 10 days ago.

“One of my kids lay on a raft in front of me as I kept three others next to me. We had many other people in the raft, and when we reached the middle of the river, the raft stormed two and my child was swept away,” she told the BBC at Rugombo’s football stadium.

“The M23 makes our lives very difficult. They have to stop this war. Even if I want to go home, I will be forced to start from scratch. They have stolen everything we have left behind,” she said.

Hundreds of white tents are placed for shelter at the stadium as the asylum seekers are processed.

About 25 people share a tent, with many others sleeping under the stars. The food is only marked to one meal a day.

To the south, the main border post between the Congo and Burundi in Gatumba is also busy.

It is usually an hour by car between the nearby Congoy town also wraps the main city of Burundi’s Bujumpur with the road that tannica with merchants and vehicles.

Now it is just one -way traffic with refugees who flow into Burundi – mainly women and children.

The Burundi security officials who spoke on condition of anonymity told the BBC that the men were not allowed across the border and were told to stay in the wrapping to protect the city from M23.

Burundi has more than 10,000 soldiers located in the Congo, helping the military there fight M23.

Many of their soldiers are now based in an array, which has a population of over 300,000.

It is located on the northern end of Tanganiaka Lake and is now alert, as the rebels M23 march south of Bukavu and are reported to be 70 km away.

Burundi is a natural ally of D -C Congo for years because of its feud with Rwanda.

Relations between Rwanda and Burundi have long been hostile, with each other blaming each other for trying to overthrow their governments.

The countries share a similar language and ethnic makeup – with the communities of Tutsi and Hutu, often fighting for power – both have suffered terrible ethnic massacres.

But unlike Rwanda, led by President of Tutsi, the majority Hutus is in power in Burundi.

The Burundi government fears that if the M23 cemented its presence in South Kivu by picking up, it will strengthen the Burundian rebel group called Red Tabara.

Based in South Kivu, it consists mainly of Tutis – and has attacked Burundi in the past.

“It’s terrible for Burundi. This is the first time in more than 20 years to get the country to receive this large number of refugees,” a UN Refugee Agency told BBC Brigitte Mukanga, an employee of the BBC.

“We need to support this country in receiving refugees in order to improve the conditions of those who still make their way to Burundi so that there are no clashes between refugees and receiving communities.”

The eighty -seven -year -old Magega Mwarui may testify to the years of unrest in the region, often caused by ethnic rivalries.

“I have fled to Burundi so many times. We cross this river, wearing the little things they have left us,” Congoles, who lost her eyesight, told the BBC in Rugombo.

“Because I was young before I glued … there were times when I almost drowned while I was running out of conflict,” she said.

Charlotte Odil, who now lives in a camp just outside Rugombo, created for those officially registered as refugees, told us that she came to Burundi with her four children after her husband was shot by M23 rebels in the southeast.

“I hope to find a home for my children and peace,” she said.

Additional reporting by Robert Kipu from the BBC.