Residents in the town of Rwampara in Ituri province, eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo, have set fire to an Ebola treatment facility after being prevented from taking the body of a local man, highlighting deep mistrust and anger over the response to the virus.
The attack took place on Thursday. Witnesses said a group of young men stormed the center after authorities refused to release the body of a friend believed to have died from Ebola. The group then set fire to parts of the facility.
“The police intervened to try to calm the situation, but unfortunately they were unsuccessful,” Alexis Burata, a local student, told the Associated Press. “The young people ended up setting fire to the center.”
An AP reporter on the ground saw people break into the building and torch items inside, as well as what appeared to be the body of at least one suspected Ebola victim being stored there. Aid workers were seen fleeing the center in vehicles.
Authorities say the episode reflects the difficult balance between public health measures and local customs, particularly around death and burial. Because Ebola victims' bodies remain highly infectious, burials must be conducted by specialized teams in protective gear. Traditional funeral practices involving washing and touching the body are considered high risk.
“His family, friends, and other young people wanted to take his body home for a funeral even though the instructions from the authorities during this Ebola virus outbreak are clear,” said Deputy Senior Commissioner Jean Claude Mukendi, head of public security in Ituri province. “All bodies must be buried according to the regulations.”
Hama Amadou, field coordinator for the humanitarian organization ALIMA, said calm was later restored and aid workers resumed operations.
The World Health Organization (WHO) has declared the outbreak a public health emergency of international concern, warning that violence, population displacement and community mistrust are hampering efforts to stop the spread of the disease.
Source: www.aljazeera.com