DOHA: Qatar Red Crescent (QRC) has launched a charity campaign to support victims of the ongoing civil war in Central Africa.
The ‘Save Your Brothers in Central Africa’ aims to provide humanitarian support to 6,000 families (30,000 people) displaced inside Central African Republic or forced to move to neighbouring countries, such as Cameroon, Democratic Republic of Congo and Chad.
The civil war erupted last December between the Seleka and anti-Balaka groups has so far resulted in more than 2,000 deaths and 625,000 refugees.
Through its Disaster Response Fund, QRC has already allocated QR2,920,000 as initial support to families by meeting their basic needs as specified by international humanitarian organisations.
Planned to last six months, the new phase will provide healthcare, food and non-food items, sheltering, water and sanitation.
Saleh bin Ali Al Mohannadi, Secretary-General, QRC, called on philanthropists in Qatar to support the campaign.
“I urge all institutions and kindhearted individuals to lend a helping hand and donate as much as they can to mitigate the suffering of innocent civilians, children, women, and elderly in Central Africa and save them from homelessness and life-threatening conditions,” he told a press conference yesterday.
He said QRC is working in coordination with international partners in Central African Republic, such as Central African Red Cross, International Committee of the Red Cross, International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent, Unicef, and other national and international organisations.
The Office of the United Nations High Commissioner of Refugees classified the crisis as a humanitarian disaster, estimating that 1.3m people need urgent food aid.
With more and more Muslims displaced, Human Rights Watch warned the situation may end up with all Muslims leaving the country to escape violence, which is the case with whole districts in capital Bangui.
Check Hamodi, Head of the Central African Diplomatic Mission in Qatar, and Dr Haqqar Mohamed Ahmed, Chairman of the Islamic Daawa and Relief Organization in Chad were also present at the conference.
The Peninsula
