The most dangerous place in Africa for humanitarian work

Since violence escalated before and after the December 27 general elections in the Central African Republic (CAR) last year, brutal attacks by armed groups continue to drive hundreds of thousands of residents from their homes to other parts of the war ravaged country or across borders to neighbouring countries.

Most refugees are fleeing to the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), while others seek refuge in Cameroon and Chad, crossing rivers in canoes.

The UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) said it was working to relocate thousands of Central African refugees in remote border areas of the DRC to safer sites in the interior of the country.

During a press briefing at the Palace of Nations in Geneva last week, the agency said it had signed agreements with the DRC’s National Refugee Commission and started to develop a site for 10000 refugees in Modale village, near Yakoma in North Ubangi province. A second site was being considered near Ndu in Bas Uele province pending government approval. Work was continuing to identify two additional sites to which more refugees could be moved.

According to the UNHCR, these refugees arrive in remote areas with scarce resources, with many lacking even the basics to survive. Many also need psychosocial support to heal the trauma they have been through.

The UNHCR last month said Cameroon continued to receive people fleeing violence in war-torn CAR. It said some 3 184 people sought refuge in Cameroon’s eastern town of Garoua-Boulai at the border with the CAR. A total of 5655 people had crossed into Cameroon since midDecember as the CAR prepared to hold its general elections.

The borders between Cameroon and the CAR remained officially closed, but people fleeing insecurity retained access to asylum through unofficial entry points, according to the UNHCR.

The CAR “is now the most dangerous place for humanitarian work”, said Jean-Pierre Lacroix, undersecretary-general for peace operations, adding that in January it accounted for over 46% of worldwide incidents registered by international non-governmental organisations.

The UNHCR said recently displaced CAR refugees transferred to the Gado settlement in Cameroon received medical screening, including Covid-19 tests and nutritional evaluation. Some 131 children were vaccinated against measles, and 57 patients, including six with chronic illnesses, received medical attention, it added.

Global human rights organisation Amnesty International has called on authorities to protect civilians and launch independent judicial investigations into abuses and human rights violations by armed groups and security forces in the CAR. Many civilians were killed and others injured during the election period in the CAR, Amnesty International said.

According to the organisation, civilians and their access to humanitarian assistance must be protected during conflicts. All parties to the conflict, including central African forces, foreign forces and armed groups, must respect their international humanitarian law obligations. They must do their best to protect civilians during clashes and attacks.

“In a country where conflict has been raging for two decades, the authorities must now clearly prioritise the protection of human rights and the fight against impunity for those who violate them. An important first step is to open independent investigations into the violations and abuses documented,” said Abdoulaye Diarra, Amnesty’s Central Africa researcher.

According to the UNHCR, violence and insecurity surrounding the elections forced more than 60 000 people to flee to neighbouring countries. An additional 58000 people remain newly displaced in the CAR. Since 2013, armed conflict in the CAR has been fuelled by a coalition of mostly northern and predominantly Muslim rebels known as Seleka, who seized power in March 2013.

The Seleka offensive plunged the country into violence and instability when the group’s brutal rule gave rise to the opposing anti-Balaka Christian militias. These groups have targeted civilians, humanitarian workers and UN peacekeepers, committed sexual violence, recruited children and perpetrated attacks on camps for internally displaced people, schools, medical facilities and places of worship.

Tensions in the country rose ahead of the country’s general elections in December as a coalition of six armed groups, all of which are signatories to a peace agreement and some of which are allied with former president Francois Bozize, launched a series of attacks across the country, according to the Global Centre for the Responsibility to Protect.

The government and 14 armed groups signed the historic peace deal on February 6, 2019, under the auspices of the AU. However, some signatories have continued to violate the agreement and exploit the deal to consolidate their control over territory.

These attacks occurred weeks after the country’s constitutional court rejected Bozize’s candidacy, citing an international arrest warrant and UN sanctions against him for alleged crimes against humanity and incitement to commit genocide.

On election day, armed groups set voting material alight and threatened voters and officials. Later, armed groups captured the south-eastern town of Bangassou on January 3 and attacked the outskirts of Bangui on January 13, days after President Faustin-Archange Touadéra was re-elected for a second term.

songezo.ndlendle@africannewsagency.com

African News Agency/ANA