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ACT Alert14/2008 - CameroonChadian refugees flee to CameroonGeneva,
8 February 2008
On
February 2, 2008, rebels entered Chad’s capital city, N’Djamena, with
the objective to topple the government. Fierce fighting erupted when
government forces fought back. >On
February 5, the government claimed to have gained control of the situation,
but the threat from the estimated 3,000 rebels who had launched the
assault, is not believed over yet. Due
to the fighting, thousands of Chadians have fled N'Djamena. According
to the UN’s refugee agency, UNHCR, about 30,000 people fled the conflict
and found refuge in the Kousseri area in Cameroon across from the
Chari River. Although home is just a short walk away across an iron
bridge spanning the river to Chad, the refugees are not venturing
home yet. Churches,
houses and hospitals in Kousseri are crammed beyond capacity. L’Eglise
Fraternelle Lutherienne du Cameroun (EFLC), the Action by Churches Together (ACT) International member
in Cameroon, reports that more than 6,000 persons are presently looking
for shelter in the parishes of Kousseri, Maltam, Madagascar, Pont
Ngeli, Kawadji (three parishes), Blangwa and Lakka. About 1,500 are
in the parish of Kousseri, while a total of 5,000 are in need of shelter
in the other parishes. The
president of the church, Rev. Robert Goyek, says that the situation
is desperate and that “people have been sleeping under trees the past
days.” He also reports that EFLC is responding to the situation with
their limited resources, but urgently requires external support. L’Eglise
Fraternelle Lutherienne du Cameroun, with the support of the Lutheran
World Federation/World Service program in Chad, are currently assessing
the situation and
preparing a request of support from the ACT International alliance.
ACT member ICCO/Kerkinactie and the Danish Sudan Mission have
pledged financial support. So far, the most urgent needs identified
are: food, medicine, water and sanitation, and shelter (tents). Any
funding indication or pledge should be communicated to Jessie Kgoroeadira,
ACT Finance Officer (jkg@act-intl.org). |
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