00:01Victims of deadly fire and stampede at a school in Bukavu in the east of the Democratic Republic of Congo
00:06have been laid to rest.
00:08Relatives and members of the Rwanda-backed MP3 armed group gathered to also pay their tribute.
00:14The coffins were taken to resist a cemetery where mourners gathered for the burial ceremony.
00:19Red Cross workers also attended the burial.
00:21The South Kivu provincial government said in a press release that 19 girls and 7 boys were killed and that
00:28the death toll could also rise.
00:32We, the residents of Bukavu, are saddened.
00:35We are grieving and the difficulties are overwhelming us.
00:39We no longer know where to turn.
00:41We ask the authority to remember us, even if they are in Kinshasa or elsewhere.
00:46We are suffering greatly because of these fires.
00:49We would also like to remind you that the rains are on the way.
00:53Just as fire consumes homes, the rains will destroy them too.
01:00The cause of the fires is not known, but the neighborhood where the fire started is densely populated and most
01:06houses are made out of wood.
01:12We need to reflect on what our leaders told us today.
01:17Everyone should understand the need to build our city of Bukavu in a way that allows fire engines to reach
01:24burning homes and put out the fires.
01:32Presidents must also build responsibly and leave enough space for fire engines to get through.
01:39This will make the authorities' task easier.
01:45Congo's government struggles to exert control over the east of the country.
01:49M23 rebels backed by Rwanda to control of Bukavu in February 2025.
01:54More than 100 armed groups are vying for control of eastern Congo's trillion of dollars in mineral wealth that's critical
02:01for much of the worst technology.
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