Central African Republic

Emergency support to the populations victim of violence in North-Eastern CAR

The capture of Birao and later of Ouanda Djallé by the Union of Democratic Forces for Unity in October 2006 has raised a major phase of insecurity in the Vakaga, which resulted in a new wave of violence still active today.

The support of the French army to the Central African Armed Forces (FACA), in order to take back Birao and Ouanda Djallé and to repel the second attack on Birao in March 2007, led to the signing of a peace agreement between the Central African State and the staff of the UFDR, immediately denounced by the political bureau of the latter. These first separatist signs led to the creation of new and multiple rebel movements, again splitting the main ethnic groups in the Vakaga.

In September 2007 the Security Council of the United Nations adopted the principle of an international force in Chad and CAR, and mandated the European Union for its creation (creation of EUFOR): nearly 300 men were deployed in Birao between January and March 2008. At the end of 2008, ethnic tensions remained high in the Vakaga, and people were already moving, marking again the territories of each main ethnic group, still very clearly delimited in the 90's.

In May 2009, a first carjacking marks the beginning of a series of incidents targeting humanitarian organizations. Their number and intensity will continue to increase until the November 2009 kidnapping of two expatriate staff of Triangle G H in Birao, and the ransacking of the offices of several NGOs by around fifteen armed men from Sudan.

Mid-December 2009, Ouanda Djalle and Sam Ouandja are attacked by armed elements of Sudanese origin, who had been seen in previous days in Birao. In March 2010, a vehicle of the MINURCAT is attacked near the airport of Birao.
The mandate of the MINURCAT is extended until November 2010, which will not prevent the attack of Birao by various small Central African rebel groups in July 2010.

The new presence of members of the LRA (Lord Resistance Army) in the North-East is sadly confirmed in August and September 2010 by attacks on Ouanda Djallé (near Sam Ouandja), Tiringoulou and Birao, causing a new situation of panic and temporary movements of population in the bush.

Finally, on November 24, 2010, the attack of Birao by the CPJP, a rebel group predominantly rounga and based until then in Sikikédé and in the neighboring prefecture of Bamingui-Bangoran, drives the entire population of the city to run away in the bush for more than 10 days. The recapture of the city and its control by the Chadian army allow the gradual return of populations and seems to ensure, since then, some stability in the city and on the Northern axis of the Vakaga (Am Dafok and Boromata).

This program is designed to allow the populations victim of acts of violence in North-Eastern CAR to have access to safe drinking water, and ensure a quick response to cover the basic needs of displaced populations.

Improving the access to safe drinking water in targeted villages:

• Launching of the purchase procedures for the construction of wells and the pre-positioning of the equipment;
• Community mobilization and creation of the water point management committee;
• Monitoring of the use of the well and of the water quality.

Assessment and capacity to respond rapidly to the basic needs of displaced populations:

• Pre-positioning of emergency response equipment;
• Set-up of the system including monitoring, coordination in the capital, drafting assessment and early intervention reports.