Nearly 12,000 peacekeepers are needed, and welcomed in Bangui
- 10 years ago
They live in fear of walking more than 100 meters from their neighborhood.
...Living in close proximity to a stronghold of Christian anti-balaka militia.
The decision to send a 12,000-strong U.N. peacekeeping force to Central African Republic is very much welcomed.
(SOUNDBITE)(French) PALM OIL VENDOR AND CHRISTIAN BANGUI RESIDENT, FREDITH AYA, SAYING:
"I need blue helmets (United Nations peacekeepers) here in Bangui, because right now we have suffered a lot, there has been a lot of deaths. In the neighborhood, everywhere, you have dead people. So the blue helmets need to come quickly."
Violence has exploded in the capital of Bangui, after mainly Muslim Seleka rebels seized power a year ago and abused the majority Christian population. Revenge attacks were launched against Muslims.
Thousands have died in the conflict, and hundreds of thousands of civilians have been displaced.
An increased U.N. presence cannot come soon enough:
(SOUNDBITE)
...Living in close proximity to a stronghold of Christian anti-balaka militia.
The decision to send a 12,000-strong U.N. peacekeeping force to Central African Republic is very much welcomed.
(SOUNDBITE)(French) PALM OIL VENDOR AND CHRISTIAN BANGUI RESIDENT, FREDITH AYA, SAYING:
"I need blue helmets (United Nations peacekeepers) here in Bangui, because right now we have suffered a lot, there has been a lot of deaths. In the neighborhood, everywhere, you have dead people. So the blue helmets need to come quickly."
Violence has exploded in the capital of Bangui, after mainly Muslim Seleka rebels seized power a year ago and abused the majority Christian population. Revenge attacks were launched against Muslims.
Thousands have died in the conflict, and hundreds of thousands of civilians have been displaced.
An increased U.N. presence cannot come soon enough:
(SOUNDBITE)