Thousands flee clashes in northern Central African Republic, UN says

Despite hopes for peace following the successful elections in Central African Republic (CAR) last year, several thousand people have fled recent clashes between Government troops and local insurgents near the border with Chad, the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) said today.

Quoting local, reliable sources, OCHA said half of those who escaped from Bodjomo and neighbouring villages reportedly have sought refuge in Chad, which is already hosting some 45,000 CAR refugees, and the rest are internally displaced in the country’s northern forests.

The 15-member UN Security Council met to discuss the situation in Central African Republic in closed session at the UN Headquarters in New York.

Chad, which is hosting 200,000 refuges from Sudan’s Darfur region, experienced food shortages last year, OCHA said.

“The potential for a renewed humanitarian crisis exists. Priority needs for the displaced are for food, shelter, and medical assistance. However, northern Central African Republic remains off-limits to the United Nations staff. Some non-governmental organizations (NGOs) have pulled out of the area due to security concerns,” the Office said.

Other NGOs have offered to have offered to help the UN agencies to distribute assistance, but a lack of resources could hinder these plans since only $9.6 million was donated out of the $28 million requested last year.

OCHA added that after flooding devastated CAR’s capital, Bangui, last year, the humanitarian community has worked with the Government to establish a system for the distribution of safe drinking water and to enhance disease surveillance.