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Fleeing DRC to Uganda: Africa’s other refugee crisis

Lake Albert has become ground zero for thousands of Congolese families escaping fierce fighting into Uganda.

The tragedy of Uganda’s boat people
Refugees flee Congo across Lake Albert in small, over-packed canoes and flimsy fishing boats. It takes up to 10 hours to make the perilous journey. Several refugees have already drowned attempting the crossing. [Ingebjorg Karstad/Norwegian Refugee Council]
By Ingebjorg Karstad
Published On 1 Mar 2018

Hundreds of families are risking their lives on rickety boats every day fleeing violence in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, mirroring Europe’s migration crisis.

They cross the dangerous waters of Lake Albert into Uganda in search of safety and respite from the violence.

Inter-communal fighting that erupted in northeastern Congo’s Ituri region in late 2017 has already forced almost 28,000 to escape across the lake. In total, about 44,000 Congolese have arrived in Uganda since the start of the year. 

Refugees say many civilians have been killed and hundreds of homes burned to the ground. Newly arrived families in Uganda report that many more people are gathering on the Congolese side of Lake Albert, waiting for their chance to cross. 

Intense fighting in multiple areas of DRC forced 1.7 million people from their homes in the past year alone – about 5,500 people per day. Today, the country is one of the worst conflict displacement affected countries in the world.

The tragedy of Uganda’s boat people
A group of men park a boat that has just arrived from Democratic Republic of Congo. [Ingebjorg Karstad/Norwegian Refugee Council]
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The tragedy of Uganda’s boat people
Congolese families line up to be registered for aid. Some 44,000 Congolese have arrived into Uganda since the start of the year. The majority fled by boat across Lake Albert from Ituri province, and some 16,000 arrived from another conflict hotspot in North Kivu province. [Ingebjorg Karstad/Norwegian Refugee Council]
The tragedy of Uganda’s boat people
Esake sits in a truck at the Sebagoro landing site on Lake Albert’s shoreline. She hasn’t eaten in 24 hours. Without food, she will soon be unable to provide breastmilk for her nine-month old daughter, Chance. Esake fled ethnic fighting in Ituri province after her husband was killed. [Ingebjorg Karstad/Norwegian Refugee Council]
The tragedy of Uganda’s boat people
The latest new arrivals reported that armed groups in Ituri province are preventing civilians from fleeing their villages and seeking safety elsewhere. [Ingebjorg Karstad/Norwegian Refugee Council]
The tragedy of Uganda’s boat people
Bura, 37, was separated from his wife and seven children when fighting broke out in his village. He heard they fled to Uganda and took a boat across Lake Albert to find them. "I do not know how they are surviving, what they are eating to stay alive," he said. He was using his phone to reach his family, but now lacked the money to recharge it. [Ingebjorg Karstad/Norwegian Refugee Council]
The tragedy of Uganda’s boat people
Bura was reunited with his son on arrival at Kagoma refugee reception centre. He was to meet the rest of his family in the camp later on. [Ingebjorg Karstad/Norwegian Refugee Council]
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The tragedy of Uganda’s boat people
Refugees arriving in Uganda are disinfected by health workers at a refugee reception centre in Kagoma. Cholera has already broken out in the area. [Ingebjorg Karstad/Norwegian Refugee Council]
The tragedy of Uganda’s boat people
Workers unload wooden poles that will be used to construct bath shelters for the refugees. This will help reduce the risk of water-borne disease such as cholera. [Ingebjorg Karstad/Norwegian Refugee Council]
The tragedy of Uganda’s boat people
Eight-year-old Mave is sheltering at the refugee reception centre in Kagoma with her parents and sister. Her father, Mandro, said his daughter is sick with meningitis and needs medical help. [Ingebjorg Karstad/Norwegian Refugee Council]
The tragedy of Uganda’s boat people
Baraka (pink shirt) fled his village in DRC's Ituri province after seeing men armed with machetes chasing villagers. He escaped with two of his sisters, carrying only the clothes he kept inside a small rucksack. Their aunt Francoice (centre) settled in Uganda a few years ago, and is providing them temporary housing before they move to the refugee site. [Ingebjorg Karstad/Norwegian Refugee Council]
The tragedy of Uganda’s boat people
Grass and shrubs are burned to prepare land for new refugee arrivals from DRC as other settlement areas have already filled up. [Ingebjorg Karstad/Norwegian Refugee Council]
The tragedy of Uganda’s boat people
Yebaze rests inside the small tent she shares with her cousin, Christine. [Ingebjorg Karstad/Norwegian Refugee Council]
The tragedy of Uganda’s boat people
Yebaze brought with her the most treasured family photos when she fled ethnic fighting in Ituri province. The pictures above show her grandchildren who are still in DRC. [Ingebjorg Karstad/Norwegian Refugee Council]
The tragedy of Uganda’s boat people
Christine prepares an evening meal of beans and corn on the cob in the Malembo refugee site. A solar lamp is her only light source. "I used to run a successful business in Congo. I had motorcycles on the road, earning me lots of money. I was trading in fish between my village in Ituri and Kisangani," she said. [Ingebjorg Karstad/Norwegian Refugee Council]
The tragedy of Uganda’s boat people
As night falls, singing is heard in the camp close to Yebaze's tent. A pastor preaches while his followers sing and recite the Bible. [Ingebjorg Karstad/Norwegian Refugee Council]