Batouri, 29 November 2016 - "I still do not know why the war is going on in our country, the Central African Republic," says Haman, a refugee from CAR living in the Ketté area, Eastern Cameroon. Haman lives in the little town of Boubara with his wife and five sons.

Haman is originally from the area of Berberati, close to the border with Cameroon. He had a quiet life and worked as a diamond miner in Carnot. He also took care of cattle including cows, goats and sheep as most of his countrymen did.

One day in 2006, he lost everything when a group of bandits – connected with the rebellion which grew out of the military coup of 2003 - came to the mine where he was working. They killed several people and stole everything they could.

"These bandits are called zargina or road cutters (coupeurs des routes). They emanate hatred and mistrust because they are part of the community and if they know someone has access to money or other form of richness, they disguise themselves and follow that person." Haman fled with his family during the night and crossed the border to Cameroon. After some time, he wanted to go back to his country but war was ravaging CAR.

Today, Haman is happy about the welcome he and his family received from the host community in Cameroon. People live together in solidarity, without distinction of culture or religion. He works hard to create harmony in the community. Haman earns his living by selling wood, which he cuts in a neighbouring forest. He also farms corn, manioc and peanuts. Thanks to this, he can be financially independent.

Since he arrived in Eastern Cameroon, he has seen many of his fellow countrymen arrive from CAR, fleeing terrible violence. Haman tries to help them by giving advice and raising awareness on how to adapt to a new life in Cameroon. He tells them not to get involved in armed groups or coupeurs de routes, both recruiting young refugees from CAR.

When asked about his hopes and aspirations, Haman explains "I would like that all refugees and the host community where I live are united and live peacefully together." Although Haman cannot read and write, he understands the importance of education. That is why, in the community where he lives, he strives to inform children and their parents of the importance of attending school. He has joined efforts with JRS teams in increasing student attendance and he himself has registered in the adult literacy course.

When asked about his willingness to return to his country, Haman, a believer in Islam, says, "I will go back when God wants." He adds that the trauma he experienced was severe, so even if the situation gets better and he was able to return, the memories would be too strong.

Inside CAR, there are currently around 420,000 internally displaced persons. Since 2009 JRS has worked in the areas of education and social cohesion. Our education projects were forced to close after heavy fighting in the prefectures of Ouaka, Ouham and Haute Kotto but reopened in 2014. JRS education programmes for IDPs in Bangui focus on accompaniment of children in primary schools, adult literacy and peace education. In Bambari, JRS works on primary and secondary education. In collaboration with UNICEF and thanks to the presence of two Carmelite Vedruna sisters, JRS accompanies former child soldiers and offers vocational training opportunities. According to UNICEF, more than 6,000 children have been recruited and exploited during the civil war in CAR. At the time this article is being written, Bambari is witnessing heavy fighting.

Christelle started working for JRS in CAR three months ago. She monitors the education and vocational training projects in the Bangui area, especially adult literacy and sewing courses. As a CAR citizen, she explains: "What worries me is the continued restarting of the conflict. This is extremely tiring for the population. People want to live a simple life and be able to earn their bread. This violence is really hurting people. Everything stops when gunshots start, schools close their doors and everyone is paralyzed."

When asked about the role of religious leaders in peace building, Christelle says: "Religious leaders do their best. They bring people together and pray together for peace. This has to be understood by all peoples, since it is our history, our lives. Before we used to live together, there were differences but we could live peacefully. I myself belong to the Evangelical church. It is important we as Christians are united, also with the Muslims. We do not understand the reasons of this war, it is not religion, it is a war of vengeance."

Sister Lele is a Carmelite Vedruna religious sister from the Democratic Republic of Congo. She works with JRS in Bambari. She explains her perception of the conflict through the eyes of the young people she serves, all former child soldiers. "Young people here are very tired of this war. They want to lay down their arms but they need alternatives. They are eager to learn anything we can offer. We see this in our vocational training projects. We work with both girls and boys who have been engaged in fighting. They thirst for education and an alternative to arms."

Amaya Valcarcel, Advocacy Officer, JRS International Office

Moïse Hérvé Bial Bitoumbi, JRS Project Coordinator, Batouri, Eastern Cameroon