Central African Republic: First IDP camp opens as number of displaced grows

(New York/Bangui, 22 January 2008): A new wave of internal displacement in the Central African Republic's northern region has prompted the opening of the first camp for internally displaced people in the country. These recent population movements are a result of an increase in violence perpetrated by zaraguinas, or bandits.

"At a time when dialogue between all political parties is being prepared and tensions between militant groups and the government appear to have eased, it is deeply troubling that the people of the Central African Republic continue to flee their homes," said John Holmes, United Nations Under-Secretary- General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator. "I call on all parties to the conflict to cease immediately targeting civilian populations and their livelihoods," he added.

United Nations agencies are working in support of international non-governmental organizations and local government authorities to assist more than 900 people who have arrived in the city of Kabo from neighbouring rural areas since the beginning of January.

As Kabo's residents no longer have the means to host the displaced people, local authorities were obliged to assign a site for the new arrivals. The local authorities made a plot available for the campsite and are managing the camp together with the chiefs of the IDP community. At the same time, non-governmental organizations are providing medical care, access to water and basic sanitation. The World Food Programme (WFP) is supporting its humanitarian partners by providing food, while the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) and the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) are supplying aid organizations on the ground with blankets, mosquito nets, mats, jerry cans and soap. "Lives are being protected and aid is reaching the people who need it most, on time," said Toby Lanzer, the United Nations Humanitarian Coordinator in the Central African Republic.

This new wave of displacement adds to the 3,400 IDPs that were already registered in Kabo between October and November 2007, bringing the number of internally displaced seeking refuge in the city to some 4,300 individuals. With banditry levels in the region on the rise, more people have been seeking safety in town centres. More than a half of these IDPs have been displaced for the second time. First they fled their homes and villages and then they were chased out of their temporary camps in the bush.

There are already about 197,000 IDPs in the Central African Republic, or close to 5% of the total population. In fact, in the seven northern-most prefectures, the displaced account for almost 14% of the total population. Another 98,000 people have left the north of the country to seek refuge in neighbouring Chad and Cameroon.

This year, thirty two aid agencies have joined forces to help the internally displaced and other vulnerable people in the Central African Republic through some 75 assistance projects outlined in the Consolidated Appeal Process (CAP) for 2008 launched on 10 December 2007 by Mr. Holmes. The implementation of these projects will depend on the support of the international community for this $92.6 million action plan.

For further information, please call: Christina Bennett, OCHA-NY, +1 917 367 8059; Stephanie Bunker, OCHA-New York, +1 917 367 5126, mobile +1 917 892 1679; Elisabeth Byrs, OCHA-Geneva, +41 22 917 2653, mobile, +41 79 473 4570; Nancy Snauwaert, OCHA-CAR, +236 75 54 2278 or nancy.snauwaert@undp.org. OCHA press releases are available at http://ochaonline.un.org or www.reliefweb.int.