Central African Republic: The Humanitarian Coordinator calls for free and unhindered humanitarian access
Central African Republic: The Humanitarian Coordinator calls for free and unhindered humanitarian access
UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (UNOCHA), 22 Feb 2017
URL: http://reliefweb.int/sites/reliefweb.int/files/resources/RCA_OCHA_220217_Appel_au_respect_DIH_ENG.pdf
Bangui, 22 February 2017 - The Acting Humanitarian Coordinator in the Central African
Republic, Aboubacry Tall, calls on parties to the conflict in the Ouaka and Haute Kotto provinces
to respect and uphold International Humanitarian Law (IHL). He also urges them to honor their
commitment to protect civilians and to fulfill their human rights obligations.
Since the beginning of 2017, there have been deadly clashes between rival armed groups in the
Haute Kotto and Ouaka provinces to the detriment of civilians who are forcibly displaced. The
town of Bambari, the capital of Ouaka province, currently has 45,000 displaced persons out of a
population of 160,000. Since the end of November 2016, about 20,000 new IDPs have been
registered. The town of Maloum (63km north of Bambari), recently received an estimated 4,000
newly displaced persons due to clashes between armed groups in the Haute Kotto and Basse
Kotto provinces as well as in the Ouaka province (Ndjoubissi, Ndassima, Ippy , Belengo,
Mbroutchou and Atongo-Bakari).
This renewed violence has led to successive gross violations of IHL and breaches to the
protection of civilians and for human rights. The affiliation of armed elements to some
communities, have caused stigmatization, impacting negatively on their freedom of movement.
“It is unacceptable for civilians to pay the price for rivalries between armed groups because of
their religious believes or political affiliation,” said the Acting Humanitarian Coordinator. In order
to ensure the provision of assistance in compliance with the humanitarian principles of neutrality
and impartiality, Aboubacry Tall recalled parties to the conflict of their obligation to “ensure
unimpeded humanitarian access with no conditions”. “I strongly urge armed groups not to
obstruct the free movement of civilians or humanitarian actors that humanitarian assistance can
be deliver to the people in need” he added.
The Acting Humanitarian Coordinator recalls and reiterates the terms of his statement dated 25
January 2017 in relation to tension between rival armed groups in the Ouaka province and its
impact on the protection of civilians.
For more information, please contact OCHA CAR
Joseph Inganji, Head of Office, +236 70738730, inganji@un.org
Yaye Nabo Séne, Chief, Public Information + 236 70 08 75 65, seney@un.org
Press releases are available on www.unocha.org or www.reliefweb.int
Republic, Aboubacry Tall, calls on parties to the conflict in the Ouaka and Haute Kotto provinces
to respect and uphold International Humanitarian Law (IHL). He also urges them to honor their
commitment to protect civilians and to fulfill their human rights obligations.
Since the beginning of 2017, there have been deadly clashes between rival armed groups in the
Haute Kotto and Ouaka provinces to the detriment of civilians who are forcibly displaced. The
town of Bambari, the capital of Ouaka province, currently has 45,000 displaced persons out of a
population of 160,000. Since the end of November 2016, about 20,000 new IDPs have been
registered. The town of Maloum (63km north of Bambari), recently received an estimated 4,000
newly displaced persons due to clashes between armed groups in the Haute Kotto and Basse
Kotto provinces as well as in the Ouaka province (Ndjoubissi, Ndassima, Ippy , Belengo,
Mbroutchou and Atongo-Bakari).
This renewed violence has led to successive gross violations of IHL and breaches to the
protection of civilians and for human rights. The affiliation of armed elements to some
communities, have caused stigmatization, impacting negatively on their freedom of movement.
“It is unacceptable for civilians to pay the price for rivalries between armed groups because of
their religious believes or political affiliation,” said the Acting Humanitarian Coordinator. In order
to ensure the provision of assistance in compliance with the humanitarian principles of neutrality
and impartiality, Aboubacry Tall recalled parties to the conflict of their obligation to “ensure
unimpeded humanitarian access with no conditions”. “I strongly urge armed groups not to
obstruct the free movement of civilians or humanitarian actors that humanitarian assistance can
be deliver to the people in need” he added.
The Acting Humanitarian Coordinator recalls and reiterates the terms of his statement dated 25
January 2017 in relation to tension between rival armed groups in the Ouaka province and its
impact on the protection of civilians.
For more information, please contact OCHA CAR
Joseph Inganji, Head of Office, +236 70738730, inganji@un.org
Yaye Nabo Séne, Chief, Public Information + 236 70 08 75 65, seney@un.org
Press releases are available on www.unocha.org or www.reliefweb.int