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Regional turmoil is fuelling Central African Republic's descent
ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED 18TH FEBRUARY, 2015
On 18th February 2015, I attended a talk led by Sarah Covington and Albert Caramés Boada to discuss the ongoing Central African Republic conflict and understanding the actors behind the violence in the regional crisis. Sarah Covington is the lead analyst on the Central African Republic for the Country Risk Team at HIS which is a specialist intelligence unit that forecasts political and violent risks worldwide. Albert Caramés Boada is an associate researcher at the Groupe de Recherche d’Information sur la Paix (GRIP), working closely with the International Catalan Institute for Peace.
In sum, the speakers argued that it would be an oversimplification in any conflict to assume that sectarian violence is the singular root cause of conflict.
Firstly, Ms Covington illustrated how there are regional factors which must not be overlooked. The geographical position and size of the Central African Republic emphasise this. It borders numerous unstable and conflict-affected countries including Chad, South Sudan, the Democratic Republic of Congo and also endures cross-border interference by Ugandan rebel groups seeking to recruit disenfranchised refugees. She argued that the sectarian violence between Christian and Muslim groups in the Central African Republic is therefore not just a domestic conflict, it is a regional problem that should be addressed within a regional context and regional framework.
Next, Mr Boada went on to highlight that while the focus of the conflict has been predominantly on the ethnic cleansing that took place in 2014, the crisis in CAR is rooted in deep-seated economic, social and political issues which remain unaddressed:
“Negligence of development, the population, the lack of democratic traditions (particularly in rural areas), corruption has exacerbated the lack of unity inside the country as early as 2011, if not before then. Necessities are lacking and addressing the roots of the conflict means tackling the chronic lack of development in the country as well as solving the current conflict. The lack of political will and intelligence on the ground within the international community and their reaction to the current humanitarian catastrophe have been slow. Whilst the French troops were part of the solution In intervening in December 2013, they are also part of the problem as former colonialists. Preventing all-out war did not solve the underlying issues plaguing the country.”
In these circumstances, the ability to build a civil administration will be undermined in the short-term and long-term. Ms Covington commented that it is difficult to build an administration if people aren’t being paid. The government’s limited geographical outreach (restricted to the capital Bangui) means that they are unable to restart the economy, especially if rebel groups are fighting each other over the economic resources. Even if a mandated constitution and foreign companies return to kick-start the economy after the elections, hundreds of thousands of Central Africans will still either be disenfranchised or displaced. Simply restarting the economy won’t solve the underlying issues.
At the same time, the U.N is struggling to provide funds to support their soldiers, let alone to restore order and instigate the development projects which have the potential to provide a sustainable solution to the issues tearing down the Central African Republic. The result is the sectarian violence that we have seen escalating in the past year, which may not be addressed by the international community. If that is the case, the root causes of discontent will not be directly addressed, and as such, the future of the Central African Republic may remain tenuously unstable.
Voices from the Central African Republic
THE CENTRAL AFRICAN REPUBLIC IS ONE OF AFRICA'S FORGOTTEN CONFLICTS. SINCE SERIOUS VIOLENCE AND FIGHTING BETWEEN MILITIAS, GOVERNMENT FORCES AND OTHER ARMED GROUPS SWEPT THE CAPITAL BANGUI IN 2013, CONFLICT HAS SPREAD ACROSS THE COUNTRY AND CONTINUED.
The consequences of violent conflict are deepening with each passing year. In 2017, half a million Central Africans were estimated to be refugees while the number of internally displaced persons rose by a staggering 50 per cent last year leaving one quarter of the entire population displaced. Two weeks ago, over 40 people were killed in an attack on a refugee base in Alindao alone.
This conflict has generated a silent crisis across the country which needs solving urgently: hunger and severe acute malnutrition. The Central African Republic's hunger crisis, caused by the brutal bush war, is not an anomaly. It is one country - like Yemen, Lake Chad, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Syria and Nigeria - where hunger and conflict walk hand-in-hand. Today, it is estimated that 60% of undernourished people around the world live in a war-zone as families face a daily struggle to survive due to deliberate acts of burning agricultural land, poisoning water wells, bombing food markets and destroying or confiscating harvests.
ERNESTINE AND PRISCILLA
"I came across little Priscilla five years ago." says Ernestine. At 57, Ernestine, who lives in a small village on the road to Bouali, takes care of Priscilla, 7, an orphan. "Her parents are dead, she has only me," continues Ernestine, who now acts as grandmother. The daily life of Ernestine, however, is not easy as her livelihood as a farmer has been hampered by armed conflict. A month ago, Priscilla started to cough. As her condition deteriorated, Ernestine took her to the Action Against Hunger paediatric centre in Bangui. On arrival, Priscilla weighed only twelve kilos. "She had no appetite, her stomach had swelled and I knew she needed treatment," said Ernestine. Diagnosed with malnutrition, Priscilla was taken care of and eventually she started regaining her appetite and also began gaining weight. After five days of treatment, she now weighs thirteen kilos.
JOSIANE AND FIRMINE
Josiane is 32 years old, and she has given birth to seven children. Sadly she lost one of them, who died of severe acute malnutrition a few years ago. Her last child, Firmine, is 2 years old. Firmine accompanies her in focus group sessions on breastfeeding and infant and young child feeding practices which have been implemented by Action Against Hunger in the Kokoro community since 2016. Prior to the 2013 conflict, Josiane was a street vendor of vegetables and her husband was in full-time employment. "In 2013, because of violence, my entire family was forced to flee to Mpoko camp to avoid looting, robbery and killings." Since her return to Kokoro in 2014, she and her husband have been unable to generate an income. They live with their parents and their children, and the lack of financial means impacts both the nutritional and psychological health of the whole family. "I am suffering from mental disorders today, and my children are short of food," says Josiane. At the Kokoro Community Centere, Josiane receives counselling and learns practices to take care of her children and herself through focus groups and games and relaxation sessions. "I am grateful to Action Against Hunger for the assistance offered several times a week in terms of psychological support and good breastfeeding and feeding practices," she says.
LEONIE AND BENADIA
Little Benadia is 9 months old, and he lost both his parents to violence. "The Seleka came, and they killed both parents," said Leonie, Benadia’s grandmother. From that moment, the little boy started to be sick: "He was not eating anymore, he was not playing anymore. I came to Action Against Hunger's facilities to find help," she said. Upon arrival, the boy received ready-to-use therapeutic food to treat his malnutrition, and received a hygiene kit containing a bucket, jerry cans, bleach, and soap. "Without Action Against Hunger, I do not know where my grandson would be today. He has already lost his parents, but now he is in good health."
MARIAM AND ADAMA
At four months, the little Adama weighs just three kilos. The grandmother of the child, Mariam, has been raising the girl since the death of her mother as a result of an illness. Mariam has already lost her husband, killed by rebels because he was a Muslim. Mariam, forced from her home, became a refugee and fled to Cameroon in 2013, where she stayed for four years. Since her return, Mariam has nothing: no job, no food, no husband and her granddaughter was suffering from severe diarrhoea and weight loss. She went to the Action Against Hunger health centre for treatment. Mariam is reassured to be there "At least we can treat her illness and feed her properly," she said.
Displacement and Hunger: An Unprecedented Crisis in Burkina Faso
Burkina Faso and the wider Sahel region in Africa is in the middle of a serious crisis. Access to jobs, education and health care, conflict and the effects of climate change are affecting millions of people. Burkina Faso has a growing population but the unequal distribution of wealth continues to put communities at risk of malnutrition. Undernutrition is widespread, with 8.6% of the population classed as acutely malnourished in 2017.
CONFLICT AND HUNGER
Earlier this month, 150,000 civilians fled their communities because of escalating violence in the country. The International Rescue Committee – currently leading a consortium of four charities (including Action Against Hunger) focused on improving access to nutrition and treatment – described the number of people displaced by conflict as 'unprecedented'. The violence is driven by community disputes and conflict over land, but it’s also linked to the growth of terrorist and insurgent groups in the region such as Boko Haram, Al-Qaeda and ISIS. The conflict in the north of the country has accelerated the crisis, creating the largest internal displacement in the country's recorded history.
Violence has prevented the delivery of humanitarian aid, which already had huge problems with accessibility. Poor and non-existent roads were already constant challenges and potholes can be so big that locals called them “elephant nests".
Over two and a half million people in Burkina Faso are now suffering from food insecurity due to food shortages and rising prices. The influx of refugees crossing the border into Burkina Faso from Mali and Niger – countries in the Sahel region suffering from similar challenges of conflict and hunger – is also placing a strain on the country's resources.
CLIMATE CHANGE
Along with conflict, climate change also threatens to undermine farmers’ livelihoods. Flash floods and drought have consistently destroyed crops, roads and houses leaving thousands in need and children suffering from severe acute malnutrition.
Climate change will create new challenges for vulnerable communities in Burkina Faso who are dependent on farming. So far, the biggest effects have been shorter, more violent spells of heavy, tropical rain. Too much or too little rain can have disastrous consequences, and climate change will bring even more uncertainty.
SOLUTIONS
Despite the many challenges, hope remains for communities in Burkina Faso. Thanks to our support, mothers receive packs of seeds, soil and tools as part of our gardening and resilience programmes. This allows them to grow the nutritious fruit and vegetables – reducing the threat of poor nutrition during pregnancy. Mothers are now also able to support their children and sell some of the extra produce at the market.
"All the women working in the garden get along very well." said Ouoaba, president of community garden initiative in the village of Birminga. "We have made new friends while working together here. The most important thing is that our children are much happier now. They are stronger, they smile more, they get over illnesses faster, and they grow faster."