VZCZCXRO2497
PP RUEHBZ RUEHGI RUEHTRO
DE RUEHGI #0050/01 0561904
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P R 251904Z FEB 09
FM AMEMBASSY BANGUI
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 0845
INFO RHMFISS/AFRICOM
RUEHBZ/AMEMBASSY BRAZZAVILLE 0128
RUEHKM/AMEMBASSY KAMPALA 0105
RUEHKH/AMEMBASSY KHARTOUM 0231
RUEHKI/AMEMBASSY KINSHASA 0240
RUEHLC/AMEMBASSY LIBREVILLE 0141
RUEHLO/AMEMBASSY LONDON 0095
RUEHNR/AMEMBASSY NAIROBI 0126
RUEHNJ/AMEMBASSY NDJAMENA 0415
RUEHFR/AMEMBASSY PARIS 0402
RUEHTRO/AMEMBASSY TRIPOLI 0023
RUEHC/USAID WASHDC
RUEHYD/AMEMBASSY YAOUNDE 0392
RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK 0117
RUEHGI/AMEMBASSY BANGUI 1060

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 BANGUI 000050 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPT FOR AF/C SSARDAR, MASHRAF, SLOPEZ, KWYCOFF 
PARIS FOR RKANEDA 
LONDON FOR PLORD 
AFRICOM FOR KOCH 
USAID FOR MSHIRLEY, TMCRAE, TDAULTON 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: CT ECON PGOV PHUM PINR PREL
SUBJECT: DISASTER DECLARATION: CAR DISPLACED PERSONS 
 
1.(SBU) SUMMARY AND ACTION REQUESTED:  Recent military action by 
the CAR military (FACA) in the Bamingui-Bangoran region of the 
Central African Republic (CAR) has displaced at least 8,800 
people.  AmEmbassy Bangui assessment visit has determined that 
food and livelihood security for the entire population has been 
severely affected and humanitarian indicators are in decline. 
The Ambassador believes an emergency exists and that a 
humanitarian response is beyond the capacity of the CAR 
government.  U.S. Embassy requests USAID/OFDA assistance. END 
SUMMARY 
 
----------- 
BACKGROUND 
----------- 
 
2.(SBU) AmEmbassy Bangui team, led by the Ambassador traveled to 
Bamingui-Bangoran from February 12 to 15 to assess humanitarian 
conditions.  Information was gathered from host government, the 
local military, the UN, and NGO representatives in the field. 
On February 3, the FACA commenced operations in response to the 
rebel occupation of villages north of Ndele through to Ngarba on 
the border with Chad.  The FACA proceeded north and killed an 
estimated 23 people in Sokoumba and burned the center of 
Akoursoubak.  All the villages 20km north of Ndele have been 
abandoned with their inhabitants hiding in camps in the bush, on 
their way to Chad, or already there. UNHCR in Chad confirmed to 
Ambassador that they had registered over 6,000 refugees, mostly 
women and children, and that refugees continued to arrive at a 
rate of approximately 150-230 per day.  AmEmbassy Bangui 
believes that as many as another 5,000 may still be hiding in 
the surrounding country.  If they are unable to obtain relief in 
place, they will continue to make their way to Chad, adding to 
the humanitarian relief demand in that country. 
 
------------------ 
CURRENT SITUATION 
------------------ 
 
3.(SBU) The primary conflict zone encompasses a 120 km corridor 
from Ndele to Ngarba and 17 out the 20 villages in corridor are 
empty.  The fighting has caused a large scale dislodgment of 
inhabitants into the bush and across the border into Chad. 
Shelter, nutrition and sanitation conditions are critical and 
multiple cases of malaria, gunshots, chicken pox, dehydration, 
meningitis and yellow fever have been reported.  Persons hiding 
in the bush have no access to clean water.  At the same time, 
the displacement of the subsistence farmers has reduced the flow 
of food into Ndele, causing prices to rise sharply. 
 
4.(SBU) Of an estimated 20,000 people in the area, 2,800 are 
already confirmed in bush IDP camps overseen by the 
International Medical Corps (IMC), the only NGO currently still 
in operation on the ground.  This reality, in addition to the 
6,000 people currently in Chad, points to an impending disaster. 
 The IMC has documented 12 orphans and 108 unaccompanied or 
abandoned children.  Importantly, the IDPs and refugees 
identified thus far are almost exclusively women and child, thus 
the true number of displaced people may be even larger. 
 
5.(SBU) The United Nations has not sent a team to the area, 
citing security concerns and AmEmbassy Bangui has no information 
on when they may go.  Waiting for their assessment should not be 
considered an option.  The CARG Ministry of Health workers have 
fled and its five health centers in the area are closed.  The 
IMC response is unfortunately limited to measles immunization, 
health education, hygiene promotion, and water purification. 
 
---------------- 
REGIONAL IMPACT 
---------------- 
 
6.(SBU) The displacement of people into Chad will strain greatly 
 
BANGUI 00000050  002 OF 002 
 
 
the already stressed UNHCR program. Their resources are limited 
and need augmentation if they are to handle the influx of 
refugees. Therefore, keeping people in the CAR is a priority, 
especially if this crisis turns into a longer term displacement. 
 
--------------------- 
DISASTER DECLARATION 
--------------------- 
 
7.(SBU) ACTION REQUEST:  The Ambassador declares that a disaster 
exists, it is beyond the capacity of the CARG and NGOs to 
respond, and that it is in the interest of the USG to provide 
assistance to displaced populations.  Post requests the release 
of USD 500,000 under the Ambassador's Authority to purchase 
relief supplies to meet immediate shelter, health and sanitation 
needs. AmEmbassy Bangui along with USAID/Nairobi, USAID/OFDA and 
humanitarian partners will continue to closely monitor the 
situation and conduct assessments to determine any additional 
humanitarian needs. 
COOK