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Ivory Coast: New Camp to Shelter Thousands of Displaced

   Joe DeCapua  February 15, 2011

   In western Ivory Coast, ground clearing is underway for a new camp for
   thousands  of people displaced by the countryâs political violence and
   turmoil.

   The  U.N.  refugee agency (UNHCR), says humanitarian conditions in the
   region have deteriorated due to a shortage of shelter.

   Spokesperson  Helene  Caux, whoâs in Ivory Coast, says, âRight now, we
   are  clearing  a  site  to  be able to relieve the Catholic mission in
   Duekoue,  which  is  an  area where most of the displaced people are.Â
   You have about 23,000 displaced people in this area.  And in total in
   the  west  of  Cote  dâIvoire, you have almost 39,000 people, who have
   been  displaced  since  the  end  of November, actually, following the
   elections, the presidential elections.â

   Once  built,  the  new  camp  is expected to provide shelter for about
   6,000 people.

   Caux says the âmost vulnerable peopleâ will be brought there first.

   Host families

   âWe  are  also  looking for other sites to be able to accommodate more
   people,â  she  says,  adding,  âOf  course, you donât only have people
   staying  in  religious  institutions.   But  a lot of people are also
   staying  (with) host families.  And itâs also putting a lot of burden
   on  these  families,  who  are  usually  paying  for  the  food, their
   condition, the clothes,â she says.

   Most of the IDPs (internally displaced persons) in western Ivory Coast
   are staying with host families who are relatives.

   âSome  families  are  hosting  up to 25 people in their homes, so itâs
   quite  a  burden.  And at the same time, of course, the solidarity is
   quite  important  for all these people and host families donât want to
   kick them out of their homes,â says Caux.

   Abuse 

   The  UNHCR  reports  âsome IDPs in the west have reported physical and
   sexual violence, as well as arbitrary detention by armed groups acting
   with  impunity.   Fear  of  retaliation  combined with the absence of
   paralysis  of the judicial institutions has prevented many people from
   reporting such abuses.â

   âSo,â  Caux  says,  âthe  victims are left very much by themselves and
   they do not report their abuses.â

   Crossing the border

   Many Ivoirians have crossed the border into neighboring Liberia.

   âIn  Liberia, the UNHCR is also about to open a camp.  You have about
   36,000 people, who have crossed over from Cote dâIvoire.  Itâs a huge
   number,â she says.

   If  the  political  situation fails to improve, the UNHCR expects more
   Ivoirians to cross into Liberia.  Currently, many displaced Ivoirians
   have  settled  very  near  the  border,  ready  to cross at a momentâs
   notice.

   The  UNHCR  says âcivilians remain traumatized by the recent troubles,
   which many see as reminiscent of the civil conflict of 2002.â

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