VIOLENCE IN CENTRAL AFRICAN REPUBLIC DISPLACES NEARLY 200,000 IN TWO MONTHS

Fri 29 January 2021:

Amid escalating violence that erupted in December 2020 ahead of the Central African Republic’s general elections, the UN Refugee Agency said the conflict has displaced over 200,000 people within the Central African Republic and in neighboring states in less than two months.

At a media briefing on Friday, UNHCR spokesman Boris Cheshirkov said 92,000 people have arrived in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), and 13,240 people have crossed into Cameroon, Chad, and the Republic of Congo, since violence erupted in December 2020.

“Some 100,000 people remain internally displaced inside CAR, according to figures compiled by the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA),” he added.

The spokesman said most of the refugees are living in dire conditions in remote, hard-to-reach areas and they urgently need food and shelter, drinking water, essential aid items, sanitation, and healthcare to prevent the spread of the coronavirus and other diseases.

“Unfortunately, the host communities in these remote areas have extremely limited resources,” he added.

Earlier this month the Refugee Agency said it was already seeking $151.5 million this year to respond to the situation in the CAR.

However, given the needs of those fleeing their homes, UNHCR expects it will soon face a substantial shortfall, and called on the international community to expand its support.

“UNHCR and its partners are scaling up assistance for the new arrivals, despite poor infrastructure hampering the humanitarian response,” said Cheshirkov.

Last week, the special representative of the UN secretary general in the CAR called for more peacekeepers and equipment amid escalating violence.

Most of attacks in CAR are blamed on the so-called Coalition of Patriots for Change (CPC) armed group, backed by former President Francois Bozize.

The situation has been tense in the landlocked Central African country after Bozize’s candidacy for the Dec. 27, 2020 elections was turned down.

The retired general seized power in a 2003 coup but was overthrown in a 2013 rebellion. Several militia groups, some close to Bozize, have since attacked civilians, armed forces, and UN peacekeeping forces.

Faustin-Archange Touadera, who won a second term as president in the last month’s polls, has reiterated his commitment to peace.

Photo: Women stand in line for food aid distribution delivered by humanitarian organisations and receive support from Red Cross volunteers in the village of Makunzi Wali, Central African Republic.

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