During his mission to Central African Republic on the 11 and 12 of February, the High Commissioner decried "indiscriminate killings and massacres," and “massive ethno-religious cleansing.” Amnesty International also voiced its concern with the release of their latest report stressing that “cleansing of Muslim communities is part of a larger tragedy unfolding in the Central African Republic”.

Recently, UNHCR learned of a massacre along the route between Bangui and Sibut. The survivors, all women and children, are being sheltered by a chief of a local village. This incident alongside the enclaves of people at imminent risk is one more window into the volatility and fluidity of this crisis. Responding requires agility. UNHCR along with other humanitarian agencies are doing their utmost to respond in a timely manner by expanding our presence. We call this “Protection by Presence” which enables humanitarians to keep abreast of human rights violations and risks as well as intervene. Our responses range from supporting local mediating efforts, advocating for deployment of peacekeepers, to providing assistance and even evacuating as a measure of last resort.

To have this agility, UNHCR is extending its presence in CAR in two different ways. First, we establish UNHCR Offices: in CAR, as four of UNHCR’s Offices were looted in March 2013, this has entailed re-opening Offices in Bangui, Kaga-Bandoro and Bambari. We managed to remain operational in Paoua and Zémio. With the massive displacement in the northwest we opened a new office in Bossangoa. Through consistent presence UNHCR teams can remain in contact with the displaced. For example in Bossangoa, UNHCR regularly visits the School Liberté where 225 Muslim families are trapped with nowhere to go and the local church, where 15,400 non-Muslims have sought shelter. With time the communities began to trust UNHCR and both communities sought UNHCR’s support to hold joint workshops on co-existence. Alongside such efforts in the town of Bossangoa the office also visits other IDP sites as well as displaced communities living in the bush around Bossangoa, namely within Ouham, the second most badly affected province in
CAR with an estimated 181,000 IDPs.

To complement this type of presence, UNHCR is developing mobile teams, which can go on short or medium term missions as needed. These mobile teams enable UNHCR to have greater outreach to populations in urgent need. In Bozoum UNHCR deployed a team on 14 January initially for a two day mission that lasted for three weeks. The focus was on a group of some two thousand Muslims, predominately Peuhls who were at imminent risk and protected by MISCA. The UNHCR team supported other humanitarian partners such as OCHA and the Bozoum Catholic Mission. UNHCR’s presence as a neutral party and through efforts at mediation reduced tensions and prevented an escalation into violence; on the 5 January this group was evacuated by the Chadian military. In Bossambélé, UNHCR assisted in the evacuation of 58 individuals that were at imminent risk as measure of last resort on 22 January.

UNHCR and DRC also travelled M'Baiki to support a local mediation meeting involving local authorities, the commander of the Mbaïki gendarmerie and police, religious leaders, Anti-Balaka, and representatives of youth and women’s groups. The meeting concluded with a Protocol of Understanding. Caritas and Sangaris were also present. UNHCR and DRC also supported a similar local meditation effort in Boda. UNHCR has equally joined other inter-agency missions travelling to locations such as Bozoum and Bouar. Today, missions have been deployed towards Sibut to learn more about the massacre and the conditions of those who survived and to Bambari, where reports tell of an upcoming convoy being organized by the Chadian military.

By Hugo Reichenberger, Reporting Officer