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Centrafrique: Batangafo, stuck in an endless crisis
Joseph Decalo
(LNC) — Over the last year an half, the city of Batangafo - located at around 400 km North of Bangui - is plunging into an irrevocable cycle of violence between various armed militiamen roaming around, or trapped in fighting between militias and Minusca forces backed by French troops of Sangaris.
A city quite emptied of its inhabitants, entailing the eruption of an improvised internal camp, filled with more than 30,000 people near the hospital.
Again last Tuesday, heavy fighting erupted between armed men of Seleka and Anti-Balaka, near a roadblock of Minusca.
One Congolese soldier from Minusca was killed.
UN, using its media power made a big echo about, but forgot to quote the other caused damage: deaths, wounded persons, houses burned etc....
Stefan Dujarric had committed a communiqué, followed by another of the GS of UN, Ban Ki Moon, but nothing on the other deaths, doubtless less prestigious.
Anyway, according to Nuria Gonzales, the head of the MSF mission in Batangafo, at least 5 civilians have been killed, with a dozen injured.
However, according to local witnesses, this death toll could likely double, the number of dead or injured among the population has yet to be established by Médecins Sans Frontières.
Violences had started after two militiamen of Seleka were killed on the edge of the internally displaced persons camp.
Entailing action of revenge on the camp, where hundreds of shelters were burned.
The hospital of Batangafo, the only local medical, and managed by MSF is in danger, with such new influx of refugees.
“We hope that these displaced people are going to respect this hospital within to work at best, the teams need peace and space. Respect for the physical and psychological integrity of our patients and for our workers is essential", said Nuria Gonzalez.
"We are restructuring the situation and to group the refugees in the same place", says the MSF Medical Team Leader in CAR, Pitchou Kasongo.
Lire en Français : http://wp.me/p39iaI-nR
© November 2015 LNC - LA NOUVELLE CENTRAFRIQUE
(LNC) — Over the last year an half, the city of Batangafo - located at around 400 km North of Bangui - is plunging into an irrevocable cycle of violence between various armed militiamen roaming around, or trapped in fighting between militias and Minusca forces backed by French troops of Sangaris.
A city quite emptied of its inhabitants, entailing the eruption of an improvised internal camp, filled with more than 30,000 people near the hospital.
Again last Tuesday, heavy fighting erupted between armed men of Seleka and Anti-Balaka, near a roadblock of Minusca.
One Congolese soldier from Minusca was killed.
UN, using its media power made a big echo about, but forgot to quote the other caused damage: deaths, wounded persons, houses burned etc....
Stefan Dujarric had committed a communiqué, followed by another of the GS of UN, Ban Ki Moon, but nothing on the other deaths, doubtless less prestigious.
Anyway, according to Nuria Gonzales, the head of the MSF mission in Batangafo, at least 5 civilians have been killed, with a dozen injured.
However, according to local witnesses, this death toll could likely double, the number of dead or injured among the population has yet to be established by Médecins Sans Frontières.
Violences had started after two militiamen of Seleka were killed on the edge of the internally displaced persons camp.
Entailing action of revenge on the camp, where hundreds of shelters were burned.
The hospital of Batangafo, the only local medical, and managed by MSF is in danger, with such new influx of refugees.
“We hope that these displaced people are going to respect this hospital within to work at best, the teams need peace and space. Respect for the physical and psychological integrity of our patients and for our workers is essential", said Nuria Gonzalez.
"We are restructuring the situation and to group the refugees in the same place", says the MSF Medical Team Leader in CAR, Pitchou Kasongo.
Lire en Français : http://wp.me/p39iaI-nR
© November 2015 LNC - LA NOUVELLE CENTRAFRIQUE
