Central African Republic: Several thousand uprooted by rebel insurgence

Since early December 2012, several thousand people were forced to flee armed violence in the north, centre, and east of Central African Republic (CAR). Reports indicate many of the newly displaced are hiding in the bush, without adequate shelter or access to drinking water, exposing them to a high risk of diseases such as malaria and diarrhoea. The crisis began when a newly created coalition of rebel factions took control over wide parts of CAR and marched on the capital. The newly displaced joined over 52,000 people in the country previously internally displaced by ethnic tensions, by activities of criminal groups, by the presence of the Lord's Resistance Army (LRA) in the south, and by an internal armed conflict that ended in 2008. Recent fighting left many of these vulnerable people beyond the reach of humanitarian aid. After a month of hostilities, the government and the rebel coalition ‘'Séléka'' signed a peace agreement on 11 January in Libreville, Gabon. The peace agreement provides that President François Bozizé will remain in power, but a national unity government with a Prime Minister chosen by the opposition will be put in place. The peace process brings new hope for an end to the recent conflict and for the provision of humanitarian assistance, but also for a long-term political settlement and durable solutions for IDPs.