Video: Hearing the stories of the people fleeing DRC

Thousands of Congolese people fled across the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) border into Uganda in late November. An Amnesty International research team was present, recording their stories.


Many of those fleeing had been on the road for days, carrying what few possessions they had been able to gather in the moments before an armed group attack swept down on their towns and villages.

Many told the research team how they had been robbed by marauding gunmen on the roads leading to the border inside DRC. Others witnessed abductions of civilians by armed group fighters, usually to serve as porters to carry looted goods.

A large proportion of those fleeing were children, many of whom had become separated from their parents during their flight. Around 30,000 have so far sought refuge in Uganda.