When the armed rebels and militias of Congo, Chad or Sudan, go through villages , what they leave behind them are deaths, sorrows, uncertain future and those lucky enough to survive are left in a traumatic quagmire. They live in constant fear knowing that soldiers could come after them, kill them, steal their belongings and destroy the homes.
The people of the Central African republic would run into the bushes, mostly bare footed and with few clothing, to save their lives.
Elderly people who could not run into the bushes were killed and several pregnant women miscarried or lost their babies soon after giving birth. Many do not survive the ordeals in the bushes to see their homes again. Some of the people who returned to their homes found nothing left.
Mothers have had to bury their whole familes for lack of food and water and in some cases also cater for their raped daughters.
A survivor was quoted as saying, ‘If there was another country nearby, or there was clearly somewhere much safer then maybe we would go, but there are no safe havens for us to reach, we only have the bush to escape to. But this is our village, it is where we were born and grew up, it is where our fields are, it is our home so whatever happens we will always come back.’
Triangle of Death
The Central African Republic is not at war but its people are victims of war crimes and the scourges of war. They are trapped in the centre of what has been dubbed by some as the Triangle of Death: Sudan, DR Congo and Chad.
The people of the Central African republic who live in the northern part of the country are exposed to the militias, rebel armies and bandits who burn and loot, kill and kidnap.
No war no help
Official reports indicate that about 200,000 people have had to run for their lives and now live in the bushes. They to struggle to find food, rebuild their houses, and educate their children. The insecurity and instability brought upon their communities by the soldiers and fighters of the other countries at war has caused schools and hospitals across the north to close.
The affected people of the central African republic suffer from the scourges of war that plagues their neighboring countries but get no aid and help from the international community since they are not at war and are not in known dire situation.
