“World leaders must enable UN peacekeepers in the Central African Republic to protect innocent civilians against a surge in barbaric attacks, rape and torture,” said Eric Batonon, the country director for the Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC). “Each day attacks are allowed to continue, more people get their future crushed and the trust among communities is diminishing.”
As the UN Security Council meets for consultations on the UN peacekeeping mission in the Central African Republic on Monday 06 November, 28 organisations call for a stronger effort to protect the country’s civilians, in a letter to members of the Security Council.
The mission’s mandate ends 15 November 2017, but the UN Secretary-General has recommended a continuation of the mandate and an increase in the troop ceiling by an additional 900 military personnel.
“Current levels of insecurity exceed those of 2014 when the mission was established, as does the severity of the humanitarian crisis now gripping the country,” stresses the letter to the Security Council members. The scale of violence in the country has increased dramatically over the last six months and the number of displaced people has reached 1.1 million, the highest level ever recorded.
“Lack of security and arbitrary attacks against civilians and humanitarian workers means that many people in need are cut off from humanitarian assistance,” Batonon added. “This has deadly consequences. Parents are unable to find sufficient food to their already malnourished children and basic health services are unavailable in many areas.”
There is also a dramatic lack of funding for humanitarian assistance. Donors have provided just one third of the money needed to meet the most urgent humanitarian needs this year.
