When rebels attacked their village, siblings Imani, Anicet, Baraka and Kibonge―who is just four years old―were forced to flee into the surrounding forests.Their parents were out getting food.When their mother Josephine returned, the children were gone.She spoke with representatives of the aid agency Save the Children and describes her despair.I was scared that hunger and disease would strike them, she explains.Because they were alone and had nowhere to go, I was so worried that they could be affected by all the evil things around.The parents fled to a refugee camp and began the search for their children.With the help of Save the Children, they were found close to their village ―and the family was reunited.When I was separated from my mother, I felt so unwell―it was even difficult to eat, their 10-year-old son Anicet says, recounting the ordeal.Now that I am here with my parents, I feel so much better than before.Aid agencies estimate almost a million people have been displaced in the North Kivu region of DRC by the upsurge in violence between rebels known as the M23 and government forces.M23 is made up of former rebels who were integrated into the Congolese army but then deserted earlier this year, complaining of discrimination and poor treatment.In recent weeks, the rebels have made advances―even occupying the regional capital Goma in November before withdrawing almost two weeks later.Save the Children has identified 923 separated children in the worst hit areas, and there are probably thousands more in settlements across North Kivu, says spokesperson Katie Seaborne.
当叛军袭击了他们村庄的时候,四兄弟姐妹艾曼尼, 安妮特，巴拉卡和还只有四岁的凯邦奇被迫逃到周围的森林。他们的父母外出获取食物。当他们的母亲约瑟芬回来的时候,孩子们都不见了。她对援助机构拯救儿童的代表讲述了她的绝望。我很害怕,饥饿和疾病会打击他们,她解释道。因为他们非常孤独且无处可去,我非常担心他们可能会受到周围所有坏事的影响。父母逃到一处难民营,之后继续寻找他们的孩子。而借助拯救儿童组织的帮助,孩子们在离他们村庄很近的地方被发现―至此一家人重新团聚。当我和母亲分开的时候,我感到很不舒服,甚至吃东西都很困难,他们10岁的儿子安妮特述说着那段经历。现在,与父母在一起的我感觉比之前好多了。援助机构估计有近一百万人由于刚果民主共和国北部基伍省地区被称为M23的叛军和政府军激增的暴力行为而流离失所。M23是集结进入刚果军队而在今年早些时候因抱怨歧视和不平等待遇而被开除的前叛军所组成。而最近几周,叛军已经取得了进展―在11月之前几乎撤出两周后甚至占领地区首府戈马。拯救儿童组织已经在最严重的地区确认了被分开的923名儿童,而在北基伍省可能有上千人在定居点，发言人凯蒂・西伯恩说道。
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