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Refugees fleeing CAR violence struggle in Cameroon

Hundreds of thousands of people have found safe haven in Cameroon but have limited access to food, water and healthcare.

A woman with her child a day after fleeing to Bombe Bakari, Cameroon, following the takeover of their village, Issi, by the Siriri armed group. They hid in the forest for the night and walked to the border. The newly arrived refugees reported receiving threats and cases of people tied to trees, robbed of their money and belongings. [Adrienne Surprenant/Al Jazeera]
A woman with her child a day after fleeing to Bombe Bakari, Cameroon, following the takeover of their village, Issi, by the Siriri armed group. They hid in the forest for the night and walked to the border. The newly arrived refugees reported receiving threats and cases of people tied to trees, robbed of their money and belongings. [Adrienne Surprenant/Al Jazeera]
By 
Adrienne Surprenant
17 Jul 2018
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In April, the quietness of the Mambere-Kadei prefecture in the southwest of the Central African Republic (CAR) was disrupted when fighting erupted between the United Nations peacekeeping mission, known as MINUSCA, and members of the Siriri armed group.

A Tanzanian peacekeeper was killed. Villages were also attacked by the “Siriri” group, whose name means “peace” in Sango. 

According to Gabriel Gaba, who fled to neighbouring Cameroon in search of safety, like many others, the group’s fighters “take things, attack and hit people, and threaten to kill.”

An approximately 250,000 Central Africans refugees have sought shelter in the neighbouring country in recent years, living in villages or in camps, the UN’s refugee agency (UNHCR) says.

The first ones left to escape recurrent attacks and kidnappings by bandits who also stole their cattle and money. Then, from 2013 to 2015, more fled the sectarian violence that erupted after the ousting of President Francois Bozize from the rebel coalition Selaka.

Amid an increase in violence since 2016, and with 80 percent of the CAR’s territory held by armed groups fighting for the land and resources, the return of more than 568,000 refugees from countries such as Cameroon, the Democratic Republic of Congo and Chad is unlikely.

At the same time, donors are gradually withdrawing their support for the CAR refugees in Cameroon, with UNHCR having received only about 20 percent from the required funding.

While Cameroon remains a safe haven for CAR refugees, it faces two security crises itself – Boko Haram in the Far North and the unrest in parts of the English-speaking South West and North West regions.

Last year, the Norwegian Refugee Council said the conflict in CAR is the world’s most neglected displacement crisis.

Bombe river marks the frontier between the CAR and Cameroon. All along the 900km-long border between the two countries, nearly 250,000 Central Africans have taken refuge in Cameroon since the Seleka ousted Bozize from power. [Adrienne Surprenant/Al Jazeera]
Bombe river marks the frontier between the CAR and Cameroon. All along the 900km-long border between the two countries, nearly 250,000 Central Africans have taken refuge in Cameroon since the Seleka ousted Bozize from power. [Adrienne Surprenant/Al Jazeera]
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A UNHCR employee collects information from recently arrived families, ahead of biometric registration. In March 2018, the UN's refugee agency registered 1,634 new arrivals. [Adrienne Surprenant/Al Jazeera]
A UNHCR employee collects information from recently arrived families, ahead of biometric registration. In March 2018, the UN's refugee agency registered 1,634 new arrivals. [Adrienne Surprenant/Al Jazeera]
A Cameroonian soldier shows a picture he took on his phone. In the morning of June 13, 90 CAR refugees crossed the Bombe river to reach Cameroon. Some refugees reported being asked for cash "formalities" by the Cameroonian forces keeping the checkpoints on the road to the various sites and villages where they sleep. As they are in exile and empty-handed, those bribes are one of their main problems, they said. [Adrienne Surprenant/Al Jazeera]
A Cameroonian soldier shows a picture he took on his phone. In the morning of June 13, 90 CAR refugees crossed the Bombe river to reach Cameroon. Some refugees reported being asked for cash "formalities" by the Cameroonian forces keeping the checkpoints on the road to the various sites and villages where they sleep. As they are in exile and empty-handed, those bribes are one of their main problems, they said. [Adrienne Surprenant/Al Jazeera]
'The noise of those rebels made us flee,' said Roger Mbambo. With his two wives and 12 kids, they arrived in Wissambo in May 2018. Fourty-four members of his family have crossed the border like him since the beginning of the year. They do not go back, even as the harvest is ready in their fields, says Roger, as 'it is better to keep our body safe, and not to walk into trouble'. But their main issue since arriving in Cameroon is the lack of food. [Adrienne Surprenant/Al Jazeera]
'The noise of those rebels made us flee,' said Roger Mbambo. With his two wives and 12 kids, they arrived in Wissambo in May 2018. Fourty-four members of his family have crossed the border like him since the beginning of the year. They do not go back, even as the harvest is ready in their fields, says Roger, as 'it is better to keep our body safe, and not to walk into trouble'. But their main issue since arriving in Cameroon is the lack of food. [Adrienne Surprenant/Al Jazeera]
The Bombe Chateau village's only well, built by an NGO, broke down so people have to wait for hours in line at this source to collect from the thin flow of clear water what they need to cook and clean. The village’s population almost doubled with the arrival of refugees in the past years. Located seven kilometres away from the frontier with CAR, it is one of the main entry points into Cameroon. Before the crisis, people would cross the border once or twice a week and visit the market. [Adrienne Surprenant/Al Jazeera]
The Bombe Chateau village's only well, built by an NGO, broke down so people have to wait for hours in line at this source to collect from the thin flow of clear water what they need to cook and clean. The village’s population almost doubled with the arrival of refugees in the past years. Located seven kilometres away from the frontier with CAR, it is one of the main entry points into Cameroon. Before the crisis, people would cross the border once or twice a week and visit the market. [Adrienne Surprenant/Al Jazeera]
Andre Yelle, 28, fled to Cameroon with his wife and child. For eight months, members of the Siriri group had been living in his village without incident, but one day they began to 'mistreat people', Andre recalled. 'They fought with MINUSCA, they were shooting outside everywhere. We slept in the grass with the whole village for maybe a month.' In the Cameroonian village of Wissambo where he found refuge, this former farmer built a house out of bamboo and raffia leaves. With the arrival of Central African refugees since May 2018, the population of this small village has increased from 70 inhabitants to 377. This village has only one source of water, no electricity, no health clinic and no school. [Adrienne Surprenant/Al Jazeera]
Andre Yelle, 28, fled to Cameroon with his wife and child. For eight months, members of the Siriri group had been living in his village without incident, but one day they began to 'mistreat people', Andre recalled. 'They fought with MINUSCA, they were shooting outside everywhere. We slept in the grass with the whole village for maybe a month.' In the Cameroonian village of Wissambo where he found refuge, this former farmer built a house out of bamboo and raffia leaves. With the arrival of Central African refugees since May 2018, the population of this small village has increased from 70 inhabitants to 377. This village has only one source of water, no electricity, no health clinic and no school. [Adrienne Surprenant/Al Jazeera]
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Pauline Patou with her nine-month-old child, Marlin Nganke, who suffers from diarrhoea ever since the two days they spent hiding in the forest after the Siriri attacked their village. Now that they've taken refuge in Wissambo, they are far away from treatment and Marlin is malnourished. [Adrienne Surprenant/Al Jazeera]
Pauline Patou with her nine-month-old child, Marlin Nganke, who suffers from diarrhoea ever since the two days they spent hiding in the forest after the Siriri attacked their village. Now that they've taken refuge in Wissambo, they are far away from treatment and Marlin is malnourished. [Adrienne Surprenant/Al Jazeera]
On June 13, Delphine Manawili is texting in her house in Bombe Chateau, Cameroon. Eight-months-pregnant, she left her village of Boubita a month ago, when the Siriri group attacked her and her family and threatened to kill them if they did not give their belongings and money. With her husband and four kids, she hid for four hours in the woods, under the rain, then walked for three hours to Cameroon. In the CAR, her husband used to work in the diamond and gold business. The Siriri stole $5,376 from him, but they managed to keep some of their kitchen utensils and a bit of gold that allowed them to build a bamboo and raffia leaves house in Bombe Chateau. 'To live here is not our wish, it is the trouble that forced us to leave,' says her husband. [Adrienne Surprenant/Al Jazeera]
On June 13, Delphine Manawili is texting in her house in Bombe Chateau, Cameroon. Eight-months-pregnant, she left her village of Boubita a month ago, when the Siriri group attacked her and her family and threatened to kill them if they did not give their belongings and money. With her husband and four kids, she hid for four hours in the woods, under the rain, then walked for three hours to Cameroon. In the CAR, her husband used to work in the diamond and gold business. The Siriri stole $5,376 from him, but they managed to keep some of their kitchen utensils and a bit of gold that allowed them to build a bamboo and raffia leaves house in Bombe Chateau. 'To live here is not our wish, it is the trouble that forced us to leave,' says her husband. [Adrienne Surprenant/Al Jazeera]
A girl walks in Gerwane's gold mine, near the Kambele 2 village, Cameroon. The whole Kadey prefecture, known for its gold and wood resources, is home to refugees from the CAR. [Adrienne Surprenant/Al Jazeera]
A girl walks in Gerwane's gold mine, near the Kambele 2 village, Cameroon. The whole Kadey prefecture, known for its gold and wood resources, is home to refugees from the CAR. [Adrienne Surprenant/Al Jazeera]
Pierre Nguenefio, left, has seen four of his sons and his younger brother tied up by members of the Siriri group, on May 2. He escaped and walked up to the village of Bombe-Chateau in Cameroon. 'Siriri in Sango means peace. But we are not at peace. All the villages have been abandoned, nobody lives there anymore,' he says. [Adrienne Surprenant/Al Jazeera]
Pierre Nguenefio, left, has seen four of his sons and his younger brother tied up by members of the Siriri group, on May 2. He escaped and walked up to the village of Bombe-Chateau in Cameroon. 'Siriri in Sango means peace. But we are not at peace. All the villages have been abandoned, nobody lives there anymore,' he says. [Adrienne Surprenant/Al Jazeera]
A family sits and eat in the shadow of Emmanuel Bale Nguia's house, in Bombe Chateau. Bale Nguia fled his village the CAR in 2013. The rest of his family of 40 joined him in Cameroon on May 17, running away as they heard approaching gunshots. One of his brothers-in-law died as he stayed behind to try and pack a few belongings. Emmanuel offered them a house to stay in and helps the widow with a bit of food, but his meagre salary is insufficient to feed the whole group of recently arrived refugees. [Adrienne Surprenant/Al Jazeera]
A family sits and eat in the shadow of Emmanuel Bale Nguia's house, in Bombe Chateau. Bale Nguia fled his village the CAR in 2013. The rest of his family of 40 joined him in Cameroon on May 17, running away as they heard approaching gunshots. One of his brothers-in-law died as he stayed behind to try and pack a few belongings. Emmanuel offered them a house to stay in and helps the widow with a bit of food, but his meagre salary is insufficient to feed the whole group of recently arrived refugees. [Adrienne Surprenant/Al Jazeera]
Two co-wives cook in their Raffia house built the previous night. They arrived in Cameroon four days earlier. 'We cannot sleep in the Central African Republic. We spend nights in the forest, we are threatened too much and the children run away. The Siriri take things, attack and hit people, and threaten to kill,' their husband, Gabriel, said. [Adrienne Surprenant/Al Jazeera]
Two co-wives cook in their Raffia house built the previous night. They arrived in Cameroon four days earlier. 'We cannot sleep in the Central African Republic. We spend nights in the forest, we are threatened too much and the children run away. The Siriri take things, attack and hit people, and threaten to kill,' their husband, Gabriel, said. [Adrienne Surprenant/Al Jazeera]
Central African refugees wait in line to receive their ration from a food distribution, in the Mbile site. 13,000 refugees live here, for the most part since 2014. One of them, Saidou Adjya, 47 years old, complains: 'Since the beginning of the year, we have food problems. They explained to us why, but things do not change. Every day people arrive in the country. What we receive is not sufficient.' [Adrienne Surprenant/Al Jazeera]
Central African refugees wait in line to receive their ration from a food distribution, in the Mbile site. 13,000 refugees live here, for the most part since 2014. One of them, Saidou Adjya, 47 years old, complains: 'Since the beginning of the year, we have food problems. They explained to us why, but things do not change. Every day people arrive in the country. What we receive is not sufficient.' [Adrienne Surprenant/Al Jazeera]

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