MAURITANIA / MALI REFUGEES

At Mauritania's border with Mali, a convoy of vehicles sets off with more than 1,500 Malian refugees to Mbera a camp established 50 kilometres away. The government estimates there are now over 31,000 Malian refugees in country who have fled the fighting between Tuareg rebels and the Malian army which began in mid-January. UNHCR

• Categories: News & Features / News Stories / Unifeed
• Video Length: 00:02:44
• Production Date: 15 March 2012
• Asset Language: Original
• Corporate Name: UNITED NATIONS HIGH COMMISSIONER FOR REFUGEES - UNHCR
• Subject Topical: REFUGEES; DISPLACED PERSONS; HUMANITARIAN ASSISTANCE
• Geographic Subject: MALI; MAURITANIA
• MAMS Id: U120315e

Description

STORY: MAURITANIA / MALI REFUGEES
TRT: 2.44
SOURCE: UNHCR
RESTRICTIONS: NONE
LANGUAGE: FRENCH / TAMASHEQ / NATS

DATELINE: 3-5 MARCH, 2012, MAURITANIA

Shotlist

1. Wide shot, refugee camp
2. Wide shot, refugees on donkeys arriving in camp
3. Close up, children on donkey
4. Med shot, Mohamed Al Mouhamad Aly under his tent gathering with his family
5. Close up, Mohamed Al Mouhamad Aly's baby
6. Med shot, second children of Mohamed Al Mouhamad Aly
7. SOUNDBITE (French) Mohamed Al Mouhamad Aly, Malian Refugee:
“We fled Mali because of an incident that happened in Kati. When we heard about this all the families, we felt warned so immediately we packed our bags and came to the closest country Mauritania.”
8. Med shot, Mohamed Al Mouhamad Aly and his baby
9. Med shot, Mohamed Al Mouhamad Aly stepping in to pick-up truck
10. Wide shot, convoy before leaving
11. Wide shot, convoy on the move
12. Med shot, refugees stepping out of pick-up truck once arrived at destination
13. Wide shot, refugees going through registration process
14. SOUNDBITE (French) François Diatta, UNHCR Mauritania :
“We chose the people who need to be in shade, like older people and pregnant women and breastfeeding mothers. We protect these people with the tents we have and the others wait here to get their coupon. It is one coupon per family which is
like a ration card.”
15. Wide shot, entrance of the camp
16. Wide shot, refugees gathering under tent waiting to be register
17. Wide shot, group of men setting up a tent
18. Med shot, UNHCR staff interacting with Hamidou Guousman
19. Wide shot, Hamidou Guousman and his family walking towards his tent
20. SOUNDBITE (Tamasheq) Hamidou Guousman, Malian refugee:
“I am thankful for the welcome I have received from UNHCR and the Mauritanian authorities. The installation of this camp at Mbera, the vehicles that transported our vulnerable people, the tents in which we staying are light airy and answer to our needs.”
21. Wide shot, camp
22. Med shot, children and pan to registration center
23. Med shot, group of refugees under registration tent
24. Close up, young refugees eating
25. Wide shot, water point

Storyline

This is the first stop for these Malian refugees arriving in Mauritania at

Fassala, a makeshift camp three kilometres from Mali’s border.

They are fleeing from the fighting between Tuareg rebels and the Malian army which began in mid-January.

Mohamed Al Mouhamad Aly is a recent arrival. He and his family have been living in this tent for a month, waiting to be moved inland. According to UNHCR, the refugee’s main fear is of being caught up in the fighting. They are also concerned about bandits, who are taking advantage of the prevailing instability to loot homes and property.

SOUNDBITE (French) Mohamed Al Mouhamad Aly, Malian Refugee:
“We fled Mali because of an incident that happened in Kati. When we heard about this all the families, we felt warned so immediately we packed our bags and came to the closest country Mauritania.”

Mohamed’s and his family are finally are able to leave Fassala for the next camp.

The convoy is long, it will move over 1,500 refugees, 385 families to Mbera, set up 50 kilometers away.

Arriving refugees are registered and those who need special care are identified.

SOUNDBITE (French) François Diatta, UNHCR Mauritania :
“We chose the people who need to be in shade, like older people and pregnant women and breastfeeding mothers. We protect these people with the tents we have and the others wait here to get their coupon. It is one coupon per family which is
like a ration card.”

According to Mauritanian government estimates, there are now over 31,000 Malian refugees in Mauritania.

This camp is divided into sections that carry the name of the villages the refugee’s left behind. The Niafunke and Léré villages.

SOUNDBITE (Tamasheq) Hamidou Guousman, Malian refugee:
“I am thankful for the welcome I have received from UNHCR and the Mauritanian authorities. The installation of this camp at Mbera, the vehicles that transported our vulnerable people, the tents in which we staying are light airy and answer to our needs.”

Being further from the border offers these refugees greater safety. But the distance is a challenge for the humanitarian organizations trying to deliver aid.

Supplies flown into the capital of Mauritania have to be trucked into this area, a trip that takes over two days through the desert.

Mbera camp now hosts over six thousands refugees with more arriving daily.

The overall number of people who have crossed from Mali into neighboring countries now stands at close to 80,000, according to government tallies. In addition, the number of internally displaced people within Mali has been revised upward to roughly the same amount, some 81,000, according to government officials and humanitarian organizations operating in northern Mali.