MONUSCO says M23 controls Goma; UN base shelters nearly 2,000 as thousands of bodies are recovered

Vivian Van Der Perre, the deputy special representative of the secretary-general for protection and operations and deputy head of the United Nations Organization Stabilization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUSCO), told the UN Correspondents Association that the March 23 Movement (M23) and other armed groups have consolidated control over Goma and much of North Kivu, leaving the city effectively under occupation.

“The situation is still highly volatile with a persistent risk of escalation,” Van Der Perre said, adding that “all exit routes from Goma are under their control and the airport also under M23 control is closed until further notice.”

The situation has produced a large humanitarian emergency, she said. MONUSCO is sheltering close to 2,000 people at its Goma base, which was not designed for long-term mass accommodation and is “full, full, full.” Van Der Perre warned sanitary conditions are dire and that the World Health Organization is concerned about the risk of epidemic outbreaks.

Van Der Perre said UN and government teams have recovered “so far 2,000 bodies ... from the Goma streets in recent days and 900 bodies remain in the morgues of the Goma hospitals,” and that the total is expected to rise. She said many…