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GENEVA / CENTRAL AFRICAN REPUBLIC
STORY: GENEVA / CENTRAL AFRICAN REPUBLIC
TRT: 2.56
SOURCE: CH UNTV
RESTRICTIONS: NONE
LANGUAGE: ENGLISH/ NATS
DATELINE: 07 FEBRUARY 2014, GENEVA, SWITZERLAND / FILE
FILE – RECENT, GENEVA, SWITZERLAND
1. Wide shot, aerial view of the Palais des Nations
07 FEBRUARY 2014, GENEVA, SWITZERLAND
2. Wide shot, journalists in press briefing room
3. SOUNDBITE (English) Fatoumata Lejeune Kaba, Spokesperson, UNHCR:
“Just in the past 10 days, 8,762 people of various nationalities crossed into the town of Kentzou in eastern Cameroon, including mostly Central Africans but also foreign nationals from Chad, Cameroon, Nigeria and Mali. This brings the number of CAR refugees in Cameroon to more than 20,000 since fighting started and I’m not counting the 20,000 of other nationals who are not refugees.”
4. Wide shot, press briefing room
5. SOUNDBITE (English) Fatoumata Lejeune Kaba, Spokesperson, UNHCR:
“The new arrivals told UNHCR staff they fled because of confrontations between the former Seleka and anti-Balaka militiamen in the capital, Bangui, and other towns in the north-west of the country such as Bour, Baboua and Beloko. Some also fled from intense fighting in the areas of
Berberati, Carnot, Baoro and Gambala. Others fled because of fear that the anti-Balaka militiamen were advancing towards their areas.”
6. Med shot, journalists
7. SOUNDBITE (English) Fatoumata Lejeune Kaba, Spokesperson, UNHCR:
“The Central Africans we have registered as refugees are mainly women and children and the group includes 43 pregnant women, 50 lactating mothers and 89 handicapped people in need of special attention. The majority of them are Muslims who say they feared for their safety because of their perceived sympathy for the largely Muslim Seleka group. Living conditions are precarious for the new arrivals who are
either hosted by impoverished local families, or living in mosques, a stadium or even on the streets. UNHCR is working on converting a nearby campsite designated by authorities and plans to transfer refugees there by the end of next week.”
8. Med shot, Journalist typing
9. SOUNDBITE (English) Fatoumata Lejeune Kaba, Spokesperson, UNHCR:
“On Tuesday we began distributing basic relief supplies to an estimated
10,000 people displaced by the recent conflict in and around Malakal, the capital of South Sudan’s Upper Nile State. This is the first aid to reach the displaced people outside of the UN base in Malakal. The city was the scene of some of the fiercest fighting last month. Insecurity,
as well as wide-spread looting of humanitarian assets, meant that UNHCR and other agencies were unable to deliver aid to those displaced outside of the UN base.”
10. Close up, journalist’s face
11. SOUNDBITE (English) Fatoumata Lejeune Kaba, Spokesperson, UNHCR:
“We’re taking advantage of the relative calm following the signing of
the ceasefire of hostilities agreement between the warring forces on
23rd January to deliver aid to the most vulnerable. Since Tuesday, we
have given aid to more than 3,000 displaced and hope to reach the rest
of the target group, meaning the 10,000 we’re targeting now, by the end
of next week.”
12. Wide shot journalists
The UN Refugee Agency, UNHCR, said today (7 Feb) that thousands of people are fleeing to Cameroon from the Central African Republic to escape violence.
Fatoumata Lejeune Kaba, Spokesperson for UNHCR, says “Just in the past
10 days, 8,762 people of various nationalities crossed into the town of
Kentzou in eastern Cameroon, including mostly Central Africans but also
foreign nationals from Chad, Cameroon, Nigeria and Mali. This brings
the number of CAR refugees in Cameroon to more than 20,000 since
fighting started and I’m not counting the 20,000 of other nationals who
are not refugees.”
Lejeune Kaba says that women and children make up a significant
number of those who have fled CAR for Cameroon: “The Central Africans
we have registered as refugees are mainly women and children and the
group includes 43 pregnant women, 50 lactating mothers and 89
handicapped people in need of special attention. The majority of them
are Muslims who say they feared for their safety because of their
perceived sympathy for the largely Muslim Seleka group.”
“The new arrivals told UNHCR staff they fled because of confrontations
between the former Seleka and anti-Balaka militiamen in the capital,
Bangui, and other towns in the north-west of the country such as Bour,
Baboua and Beloko. Some also fled from intense fighting in the areas of
Berberati, Carnot, Baoro and Gambala. Others fled because of fear that
the anti-Balaka militiamen were advancing towards their areas.”
People are also fleeing CAR to head to the Democratic Republic of the
Congo. Since Saturday, DRC has received more than 1,500 refugees and
more are arriving every day. Since the beginning of the conflict in
December 2013, nearly 246,000 CAR civilians have become refugees across
the region.
More than 838,000 people also remain displaced inside CAR.
Also, humanitarian supplies, including plastic sheeting, jerry cans, buckets,
mosquito nets, sleeping mats and blankets, are being distributed to
thousands of people displaced by conflict in Malakal, the capital of
South Sudan’s Upper Nile State.
Lejeune Kaba, says that distribution of aid began earlier this week: “On Tuesday we began distributing basic relief supplies to an estimated 10,000 people
displaced by the recent conflict in and around Malakal, the capital of
South Sudan’s Upper Nile State. This is the first aid to reach the
displaced people outside of the UN base in Malakal. The city was the
scene of some of the fiercest fighting last month. Insecurity, as well
as wide-spread looting of humanitarian assets, meant that UNHCR and
other agencies were unable to deliver aid to those displaced outside of
the UN base.”
The UN estimates that there are around 38,000 displaced people in
Malakal, including some 28,000 who are sheltered in a UN base. There
are many women, children and elderly people among the displaced.
Lejeune Kaba says that UNHCR and other humanitarian agencies are
trying to get aid to those most in need: “We’re taking advantage of the
relative calm following the signing of the ceasefire of hostilities
agreement between the warring forces on 23rd January to deliver aid to
the most vulnerable. Since Tuesday, we have given aid to more than
3,000 displaced and hope to reach the rest of the target group, meaning
the 10,000 we’re targeting now, by the end of next week.”
With more than 153,000 displaced people, Upper Nile has the second
largest concentration of displaced people in South Sudan, after Unity
State where more than 188,000 people have been forced to leave their
homes since fighting broke out in mid-December.
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