Hundreds of Muslims Are 'Trapped' in Central African Republic
BY MEGAN SPECIA
An ongoing conflict in the Central African Republic has left hundreds of Muslims displaced in enclaves, trapped in horrible conditions and unable to seek safety aboard.
The information comes form a Human Rights Watch (HRW) report released on Monday exploring the "deplorable conditions" faced by these internally displaced people.
The conflict in the Central African Republic began with a failed coup by mostly-Muslim Seleka militiants. The anti-Balaka responded with revenge attacks against the country's Muslim population.
Muslims in western parts of the country fled attacks in late 2013 and early 2014, with many seeking shelter in three enclaves where they live in "difficult conditions," according to the HRW. Evacuation to the neighboring countries of Cameroon and Chad were initially facilitated by the United Nations, the African Union's aid middion and French Sangaris peacekeepers.
But transitional authorities are now blocking the further movement of Muslims out of the country.
They will not give approval and opposed any further evacuations without their consent.
The harrowing firsthand accounts of the violence experiences by residents of the troubled nation are heartbreaking. Hundreds of Muslims displaced by the violence are being sheltered in three enclaves by international peacekeepers since 2013; hundreds of thousands of others have fled the nation altogether.
“Three children from our house have died and you can’t even start counting how many have died next door. For women and children, it's hard, but for babies who can’t get breast milk — they die For women and children, it's hard, but for babies who can’t get breast milk — they die," said Abuba Ouseeni, one of the women living in the Yaloké camp. "Sometimes we bury two corpses together."
Many of those stranded in the camp have risked their lives to flee to neighboring Cameroon on commercial convoy but have been forced back into the enclaves. The transitional government does not want Muslims to continue fleeing the country, and according to HRW, the UN peacekeeping force working in the country (MINUSCA) is not authorized to help those seeking safe passage out of the Central African Republic.
“Those trapped in some of the enclaves face a grim choice: leave and face possible attack from anti-balaka fighters, or stay and die from hunger and disease,” said Lewis Mudge, an Africa researcher at Human Rights Watch.
“While there are good reasons to ensure that the country’s Muslim population does not diminish further, under the current circumstances, the government’s policy of no evacuations is absolutely indefensible.”
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| Internally displaced persons camp in the Central African Republic. |
An ongoing conflict in the Central African Republic has left hundreds of Muslims displaced in enclaves, trapped in horrible conditions and unable to seek safety aboard.
The information comes form a Human Rights Watch (HRW) report released on Monday exploring the "deplorable conditions" faced by these internally displaced people.
The conflict in the Central African Republic began with a failed coup by mostly-Muslim Seleka militiants. The anti-Balaka responded with revenge attacks against the country's Muslim population.
Muslims in western parts of the country fled attacks in late 2013 and early 2014, with many seeking shelter in three enclaves where they live in "difficult conditions," according to the HRW. Evacuation to the neighboring countries of Cameroon and Chad were initially facilitated by the United Nations, the African Union's aid middion and French Sangaris peacekeepers.
But transitional authorities are now blocking the further movement of Muslims out of the country.
They will not give approval and opposed any further evacuations without their consent.
The harrowing firsthand accounts of the violence experiences by residents of the troubled nation are heartbreaking. Hundreds of Muslims displaced by the violence are being sheltered in three enclaves by international peacekeepers since 2013; hundreds of thousands of others have fled the nation altogether.
“Three children from our house have died and you can’t even start counting how many have died next door. For women and children, it's hard, but for babies who can’t get breast milk — they die For women and children, it's hard, but for babies who can’t get breast milk — they die," said Abuba Ouseeni, one of the women living in the Yaloké camp. "Sometimes we bury two corpses together."
Many of those stranded in the camp have risked their lives to flee to neighboring Cameroon on commercial convoy but have been forced back into the enclaves. The transitional government does not want Muslims to continue fleeing the country, and according to HRW, the UN peacekeeping force working in the country (MINUSCA) is not authorized to help those seeking safe passage out of the Central African Republic.
“Those trapped in some of the enclaves face a grim choice: leave and face possible attack from anti-balaka fighters, or stay and die from hunger and disease,” said Lewis Mudge, an Africa researcher at Human Rights Watch.
“While there are good reasons to ensure that the country’s Muslim population does not diminish further, under the current circumstances, the government’s policy of no evacuations is absolutely indefensible.”
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