Civilians in the Central African Republic are at the centre of a “humanitarian catastrophe spiralling out of control,” according to the humanitarian group Médecins Sans Frontières/Doctors Without Borders. It warns the international community must intervene to stop the violence and increase aid.
“It’s really a very alarming situation,” says Stephen Cornish, head of MSF Canada. “Although the international community is scaling up (help), we’re not scaling up fast enough and we’re not taking bold enough action to help prevent this crisis from getting even worse.”
One million have fled
Since a coup last March, almost one million people have evacuated their homes and have been subjected to violence between rival militias. There is increasing tension along religious lines and evidence people within communities are turning against each other.
“The wound profile in our hospitals has changed from being solely bullet wounds and mortar wounds—things that you would associate with conflict—to wounds inflicted by knives and machetes, and many civilians are now taking matters into their own hands, looking for revenge,” says Cornish.
“What we see also is the minority Muslim population now coming under increasing threat. We’re seeing them evacuate to neighbouring countries, being forced really to flee. This is a very worrying situation, one the international community has to take responsibility for,” says Cornish.
Part of CAR could be “emptied of Muslims”
“The minority population’s no longer feeling secure enough even to stay in camps that are protected by peacekeepers,” he adds, noting families are selling off their goods and leaving the country and it’s not clear whether they ever intend to return.
“If something doesn’t happen it wouldn’t be difficult to imagine that from Bangui and all of the northwest of the country that it would be completely emptied of this Muslim population and that would be an absolute unprecedented disaster.”
Malaria and malnutrition are appearing in some of the 11 surgeries run by MSF. Cornish notes MSF is a humanitarian organization which can do nothing to assure civilian security and he is calling on the international community to intervene.
“It makes a mockery of aid if once we’re done stitching people up they are then going to be finished off by revenge violence.”
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