21 Fulani herders sequestered

by armed groups were freed

near Yaloke

FLASH INFO
20 April 2015

The UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR), the UN Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization

Mission in the Central African Republic (MINUSCA) and Yalokes local authorities
succeeded in extracting 21 displaced Fulani herders from the hands of armed groups in
villages surrounding Yaloke. These Fulani herders have suffered all forms of abuse and
exploitation for months; some were reportedly tortured to death. Those who survived
carry the burden of the atrocities they witnessed during their captivity.

Yalokes Local Protection Committee alerted the

humanitarian community about the presence of tens of
Fulani held hostage and exploited by armed elements
in several villages around Yaloke. A joint protection
mission comprising of UNHCR, MINUSCA and local
authorities has therefore been to four villages, some 50
km from Yaloke. These are extremely remote and
isolated areas and very difficult to access. A total of 21
people (2 men, 6 women, 13 children) were effectively
released.
Serious violations of human rights
Very serious human rights violations were reported by
the Fulani survivors who are in a state of shock. They
told us about torture, gang rape and forced labor. They
also talked about other people who have died under
torture or of illness. They were escorted to the enclave
of Yaloke where they are now receiving medical care
and psychosocial support through our locally based
partners, including Mercy Corps and World Vision.

Collaboration with local authorities

MINUSCA and the local authorities, including the subPrefect and the Mayor of Yaloke, have conducted
mediation and negotiation efforts with the Commander
of the armed groups in the area and they succeeded in
engaging the Commander who agreed to work for the
release of these Fulani herders. A hundred other
people were reported to be in the same situation of
exploitation and abuse in other villages around Yaloke.
A joint UNHCR and MINUSCA mission is expected this
week.
The importance of local protection committees
This terrible situation reflects the complexity of the
current Central African crisis. It is not visible, its
symptoms are barely detectable. There is a need to
move away from urban centers, atrocities and most
serious human rights violations take place in
inaccessible areas in rural areas and the bush

Humanitarian actors face major obstacles to access CARs immense territory because of, inter alia, insecurity and
poor road infrastructures. This challenge explains furthermore the importance of Local Protection Committees
that help us detect violations in order to conduct advocacy and respond in a timely manner. Since March 2014,
UNHCR has worked with several protection monitoring partners including Mercy Corps, DRC, COOPI and
INTERSOS. Together with local communities, these actors have put in place about a hundred Local Protection
Committees. These partners conduct protection monitoring in several hot spots in the prefectures of Ouham,
Ouham Pende, Nana Gribizi, Nana Mambere, Mambere Kadei, Ombella Mpoko and Kemo.

Fulani herders were

held hostage in remote
areas that are very hard
to access by car. 21 of
them were effectively
released
and
accompanied to the
enclave
of
Yaloke
where they are now
receiving medical care
and
psychosocial
support.

Safia1 survived gang rape

by armed elements in a
village near Yaloke. Today
she is pregnant and carries
the weight and the trauma
of an act that has marked
her forever. Pointing to her
stomach Safia told us:
"What I have here is not
mine."

Name changed for protection reasons.