Senior Humanitarian Coordinator, Claire Bourgeois, calls for greater protection of displaced communities after visit to Batangafo [EN/FR]

(Bangui, 26 January 2015): The Senior Humanitarian Coordinator, Claire Bourgeois, visited Batangafo, in north Central African Republic on 23 January, to assess the increasing protection needs in the area caused by a continuous influx of newly displaced persons (IDP). There are now more than 30,000 IDPs in the main site of the city.

Mrs. Bourgeois was accompanied by representatives of the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs, UNICEF,
UNFPA, UNHCR, WHO and other humanitarian partners. The delegation met with the Committee of Wise Men, representatives of the Pheul community, non-governmental organisations and IDPs themselves in Batangafo, to discuss their basic needs and the challenges impeding their return to their places of origin. The most urgent needs identified are: improvement of the security and protection of civilians, and assistance to newly arrived displaced people.

After visiting the overcrowded displacement site in Batangafo, which daily receives hundreds of people driven from their homes by violence, Mrs. Bourgeois stressed the urgent need to restore State authority in the town.

“I am impressed by the way the humanitarian response is organised by the Danish Refugee Council and Médecins Sans Frontières Spain, and by the active role played by the Committee of Wise Men and the Transhumance Committee. However, immediate action is needed to ensure the safety and protection of civilians who are at severe risk of attacks in the region, especially in the western area. This will stop the daily influx of hundreds of displaced people arriving at the site searching for safety; it will facilitate the return to their places of origins; and, at the same time, will enable humanitarian actors to reach people in need in areas where activities are now interrupted due to safety concerns,” Mrs. Bourgeois said.

The mission participants called on all parties to the conflict to respect international humanitarian law and protect civilians and humanitarian workers in Central African Republic (CAR).

“The world needs to wake up to the enormity of the crisis in CAR. This is one of the most serious humanitarian emergencies in the world. We urgently need more action and more commitment. Action to protect civilians must be the top priority for all actors,” Mrs. Bourgeois added.

CAR faces a humanitarian crisis of major proportions. Nearly a million people have been displaced and 2.7 million people, over half of the population, are in dire need of immediate assistance.

For further information please contact:
OCHA CAR: Francois Goemans Head of Office +236 70738730, goemans@un.org;
Gemma Cortes, Head of Public Information Office, +236 70087565, cortesg@un.org
Laura Fultang, Public Information Officer, fultang@un.org
OCHA press releases are available at http://ochaonline.un.org or www.reliefweb.int.