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UN: Escalating Violence in Burkina Faso Displaces 500,000

Lisa Schlein

   GENEVA - United Nations aid agencies warn the unfolding humanitarian
   crisis in Burkina Faso is devastating the country's agriculture and
   economy, destabilizing communities, and putting the lives of severely
   malnourished children at risk.

   The findings are a result of an assessment mission by 11 U.N. aid
   agencies and NGOs to the country.

   Of the 486,000 people displaced since Jan. 1, more than half have been
   forced to flee their homes in the last three months. As armed violence
   continues to escalate, the U.N. refugee agency's principle emergency
   coordinator, Andrew Mbogori, tells VOA he fears worse is yet to come.

   "This situation in Burkina Faso is evolving to be a very serious one
   and actually '¦ we expect this number to double in the next four months
   and we should be hitting the number of a million maybe displaced in a
   couple of months to come," Mbogori said. "So, the situation is really
   very dire."

   Armed conflict in the Sahel is causing an unprecedented humanitarian
   emergency in the region. The violence, which has been raging in Mali
   and Niger for years, finally spilled over into Burkina Faso this
   year.Mbogori said this is having a devastating impact on the
   population.

   "Thousands of people are on the move, exhausted and trying to find
   safety among host families and other transit sites," Mbogori said.
   "Many have been repeatedly displaced. The prospect of their immediate
   return is not there. As a result, their needs and those of host
   families, already vulnerable by food and nutrition in the region, are
   growing."

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