Photo GalleryKabo, Central African Republic:
Central African Republic / 30.10.08
While at national level attempts are being made to negotiate a peace agreement between rebel groups and government, the rebel Army for the Restoration of the Republic and Democracy (APRD) and the Central African Armed Forces (FACA ) agreed on a ceasefire in January 2008 for the northwest Kabo region. This has allowed thousands of families to return to their homes. However, despite this cease fire, violence persists. The continual presence of weapons makes the relationship between the various communities increasingly violent. © Marina Espriu / MSF
Various nomadic tribes traditionally arrive in northern CAR while in search of pasture. The relationship with the local population is based on the commercial exchange of food but tensions sometimes erupt because of the passage of animals on cultivated areas. © Marina Espriu / MSF
Gradually some members of these tribes have become "highway" (sometimes known as "zaranguinas") who are taking advantage of the absence of authority in the area and vulnerability of people to plunder villages and attack vehicles on the roads. During recent years, "zaraguinas" have increased their deadly actions and frequency of their attacks against the population.© Marina Espriu / MSF
Violence has changed its form-civil conflict to a more wild banditry, but it continues to affect the same population with the same consequences: the displacement of the population on a continual basis.© Marina Espriu / MSF
The violence affects entire families. Pauline and her husband Nestor have seven children. They fled their villages following the attack of "zaraguinas" and spent three days in the woods without food or water before arriving at Kabo. His daughter Alphonsine (center) was wounded in the leg while trying to escape. The "zaraguinas" have burnt homes, raped women and shot the men.© Marina Espriu / MSF
Innocent is 5 years old, he has had to flee with his family three times since he was born. Usually, they take refuge in the forest or in villages near their hamlet, Balteze. This is the first time they have gone to Kabo without being accused of supporting the rebels. © Marina Espriu / MSF
Kabo, a village of 10,000 in the north of the Central African Republic (CAR) and 60 km from the border with Chad, is an urban center that takes advantage of the truce between rebels and FACA without suffering from attacks by the zaraguinas. It has turned into an essential "home", a temporary refuge for thousands of people from surrounding areas. © Marina Espriu / MSF
Local authorities have provided space in the center of Kabo where they have accommodated the displaced. In this "site", families are safe and enjoy the humanitarian assistance provided by MSF and other NGOs. This parcel has been assigned to Inés Yaya; she built a cabin which will house his four children.© Marina Espriu / MSF
The site welcomes all those arriving. Gradually, families are divided by neighborhood, reproducing the structure and lifestyle of their original villages.© Marina Espriu / MSF
Effective management of the camp, however, has been lacking. MSF and a few other NGOs had to provide food rations, drinking water, materials to build shelters, hygiene products and provide medical care. This is to avoid an increase in the rate of malnutrition and prevent any disease outbreak.© Marina Espriu / MSF
However, living conditions are not optimal and require more effort on the part of the different parties to accommodate all those arriving. It is not only the internally displaced but also the Central Africans returning refugees who had taken refuge in Chad and decided to return to their homes due to lack of assistance in the neighboring country. As a result, Kabo saw its population double in a few months, reaching almost 20,000 people. © Marina Espriu / MSF
The rainy season is worsening living conditions and increases the risk of epidemics such as cholera.© Marina Espriu / MSF
Women adapt to the resources available in order to care for the health of their families. Often, they have the burden of the household, caring for children as well as cultivating the fields to feed the family.© Marina Espriu / MSF
Since early 2008, MSF has lobbied nationally and internationally so that more humanitarian aid reaches the displaced population in Kabo. Despite this, effective management of the camp and a census of the displaced population is still needed. In addition, population movement and returns are not sufficiently monitored, which would help in identifying the appropriate humanitarian assistance. © Marina Espriu / MSF
In Kabo, as in any territory bordering southern Sahel, different cultures and religions coexist in a fragile harmony.© Marina Espriu / MSF
Suleiman, president of the farmers in Kabo (wearing white) is a reference to his community and intervenes in conflicts between this community and the farmers. © Marina Espriu / MSF
Dala Aberca, leader of Mbororo pastoralists, plans to settle permanently in Kabo because of security conditions and access to health and education. The reality of Kabo is changing: while for the displaced the site takes on a sense of temporary shelter and they dream of returning to their true home, other traditionally nomadic people are also deciding to settle in the village. All of them are now trying to live together.© Marina Espriu / MSF
Temporary shelter for victims of violence and displacement.
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