UNHCR concludes a verification exercise for the refugees fleeing the LRA at Zemio
UNHCR concludes a verification exercise for the refugees fleeing the LRA at Zemio
UNHCR, 05 Sep 2014
URL: http://www.unhcr.org
BANGUI, 5 September 2014 – The Zemio refugee camp at the prefecture of Haut Mbomou hosts 3,388 refugees belonging to 1,314 households, as it was attested by a verification exercise that UNHCR organized at the end of August. The refugees originate mainly from the area of Ango in the Democratic Republic of Congo. They started fleeing to the CAR in 2009, so as to escape violence caused by the Ugandan militia group Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA).
More than 98% of the refugees belong to the Zande ethnic group; the rest are Gbandi and Yakoma. They speak Zande and Lingala. The majority of the refugees work as farmers, but some of them also engage in fishing or hunting activities. They embrace Christianity, Islam, as well as animistic beliefs.
In 2009, when the refugees started fleeing to the CAR from the Democratic Republic of Congo, they settled at three camps in the cities of Obo, Mboki and Zemio. However, for protection and logistics reasons, UNHCR implemented a camp consolidation project in December 2012. Thus, the majority of the refugees relocated to the Zemio camp.
Nevertheless, during the CAR’s inter-communal conflict, the database on these refugees was lost. The recent verification exercise, that took place on 14-22 August 2014, aimed at updating the information on this population and at distributing additional identification documents to the refugees.
At Zemio, UNHCR provides multisectorial assistance to the people staying at the camp, covering their needs as regards protection, health, shelter, food, water, education etc. UNHCR is also organizing protection monitoring visits for the refugees that are still residing at Mboki and Obo, while it is working towards the implementation of social and community support projects.
Apart from the refugees, all people living near the river Mbomou are exposed to the threat of the LRA. In south-eastern CAR, the presence and the attacks of the militia group have created a displacement wave of the local population from the villages to the cities.
Indicatively, in the beginning of August, the LRA kidnapped 11 people at the village of Kamanda and three people near the city of Obo. Such incidents inhibit humanitarian access. They endanger the movements of the area’s residents, obstructing their agricultural activities. Some internally displaced persons (IDPs) are obliged to return to their village of origin for survival reasons; this increases the insecurity in which they are living.As of 21 August, there were 3,855 IDPS staying at four displacement sites in the city of Zemio due to the fear of the LRA. An additional 5,692 people moved back and forth between Zemio’s IDP sites and their village of origin. UNHCR works towards distributing construction materials and other non-food items to the displaced with special needs.
In total, it is estimated that there are 20,383 IDPs at the prefecture of Haut Mbomou.
UNHCR aims to proceed at their profiling, in order to update their numbers and document the problems that they face.
More than 98% of the refugees belong to the Zande ethnic group; the rest are Gbandi and Yakoma. They speak Zande and Lingala. The majority of the refugees work as farmers, but some of them also engage in fishing or hunting activities. They embrace Christianity, Islam, as well as animistic beliefs.
In 2009, when the refugees started fleeing to the CAR from the Democratic Republic of Congo, they settled at three camps in the cities of Obo, Mboki and Zemio. However, for protection and logistics reasons, UNHCR implemented a camp consolidation project in December 2012. Thus, the majority of the refugees relocated to the Zemio camp.
Nevertheless, during the CAR’s inter-communal conflict, the database on these refugees was lost. The recent verification exercise, that took place on 14-22 August 2014, aimed at updating the information on this population and at distributing additional identification documents to the refugees.
At Zemio, UNHCR provides multisectorial assistance to the people staying at the camp, covering their needs as regards protection, health, shelter, food, water, education etc. UNHCR is also organizing protection monitoring visits for the refugees that are still residing at Mboki and Obo, while it is working towards the implementation of social and community support projects.
Apart from the refugees, all people living near the river Mbomou are exposed to the threat of the LRA. In south-eastern CAR, the presence and the attacks of the militia group have created a displacement wave of the local population from the villages to the cities.
Indicatively, in the beginning of August, the LRA kidnapped 11 people at the village of Kamanda and three people near the city of Obo. Such incidents inhibit humanitarian access. They endanger the movements of the area’s residents, obstructing their agricultural activities. Some internally displaced persons (IDPs) are obliged to return to their village of origin for survival reasons; this increases the insecurity in which they are living.As of 21 August, there were 3,855 IDPS staying at four displacement sites in the city of Zemio due to the fear of the LRA. An additional 5,692 people moved back and forth between Zemio’s IDP sites and their village of origin. UNHCR works towards distributing construction materials and other non-food items to the displaced with special needs.
In total, it is estimated that there are 20,383 IDPs at the prefecture of Haut Mbomou.
UNHCR aims to proceed at their profiling, in order to update their numbers and document the problems that they face.