U
n
icef
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When lifebecomes ahorrormovie
Y
oung people in theBoy
Rabe refugee camp
gather aroundmy
colleague Jean. Closed
fists arebumped firmly
into eachother in a friendly greeting
followedby cheerful laughter. He asks
how they are. Eagerly, they all answer
at once. It’s a hot afternoon inBangui,
the capital of theCentral African
Republic (CAR). A treeprovides uswith
much-welcome shade.
Suddenly the soundof gunfire
makes everybody stop. It’s almost like
someone hit thepausebuttonon a
remote. Ears perk up.Was it gunshot?
New rounds of shooting confirmour
fear, as do themany people fleeing
with anxiety in their eyes. Someof
them are looking over their shoulders
as they run, others gaze straight ahead.
Within a fewminutes the calm evening
has turned into a nightmare.
This is the insecurity thepeople in
CAR faceevery day. Theonly thing they
know for sure is therewill bemore
violence. But they don’t knowwhere and
when, orwhowill be thenext victim.
Thecountryhasbeen ravagedby
conflict for several yearsbut during the
last 12months the situationhas gone
frombad toworse. Thousandshavebeen
killed,more injured. Thebrutalityof the
violencehas increasedand theconflict
hasmoved further alongethnicand
religious lines.Muslims attackChristians,
andChristians attackMuslims.
Duringmy visit, Imet aMuslimwoman
atBangui paediatrichospital,whereall
theotherpatientswereChristian. The
woman’sone-year-olddaughter suffered
from severeacutemalnourishment and
was indireneedof life-savingmedical
care, but themother feared shewould
bekilled if she stayed. Though shewas
probably safeat thehospital, I can
understandwhy shewas afraid. Both
Christians andMuslimshave seen their
lovedonesbeingmaimedandkilled in
themost horrificway. This fuelshateand
youdon’twant towait around tobenext.
Thebestial violencemakes
headlines, theconsequences less so.
Ahumanitariancrisis is unfolding in
CAR. InFebruary I saw abig increase in
malnutrition and the school systemhas
collapsed–nopublic schools areopen
inBangui. Thehealth systemhas fallen
apart andnoonecan feel safe.
In this situation, UNICEF is the
differencebetween lifeanddeath for
thousandsof peoplewhohavefled
theirhomes.We feed themalnourished
children,we vaccinate, organisemobile
healthclinics, provide safewater for the
refugees, help traumatisedchildrencope
andconstruct temporary schools for
children tocontinuebuilding their future
througheducation. Thiswouldnot have
beenpossible if itwasn’t for you.
Still wehave to try todomore. The
main reasonwhyUNICEF andother
organisations can’t scaleup their efforts
is lackof funding. I’mdoingmy best to
change that and I hope youwill join in.
UNICEFhasworked inCAR since 1968.
Wewere therewhen the conflict started
andwe are still there, helping its people.
Wewill be there for themany years to
come tobuild a future for children.
Todonate visit thewebsites
unicef.no,
unicef.org
BerntGApeland
, executivedirectorofUNICEFNorway,
experiences theconflict in theCentralAfricanRepublic
NorwegianandUNICEFhavebeenworking together for children since2007. As a
SignaturePartner toUNICEF,Norwegian supports theorganisation’sworkgiving
children thebest possible start in life, anda safeandhappychildhood.
PHOTOS: HELENE SANDBU RYENG
UNICEFNorway’sBerntGApeland
(
left
) andJeanLokenga, headof child
protection inUNICEFCAR, at the
BoyRabe refugeecamp, Bangui
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