MSF France suspends activities at Sicotra displaced site

MSF France has suspended its activities at Sicotra site after having been threatened by a group of soldiers. The incident happened on Saturday March 31, the very same day when the whole humanitarian community was mourning an HCR staff member assassinated on Tuesday in nearby Bas Congo. On that day, a group of soldiers came to Sicotra and asked the health team to treat one of them. The MSF team immediately diagnosed a terminal tuberculosis and advised them to transport the patient to the military hospital. The soldiers then summoned MSF personnel to take them along with the patient in their vehicles. MSF refused on grounds of their principles. Then the soldiers stated death threats to the whole staff. MSF has suspended its activities on the Sicotra site, that hosts around 10.000 displaced persons, and it will do so until it receives guarantees from authorities at highest level that their safety will be ensured in a sustainable way.