ICRC alarmed over humanitarian crisis caused by Boko Haram fighting
(Nigeria) President of the International Committee of the Red Cross, ICRC,
Mr Peter Maurer has called on the international community and other
humanitarian organisations to do more to address the devastating consequences
of the humanitarian crisis in the Lake Chad region caused by the activities of
Islamist Boko Haram group.
Visiting the north-eastern city of Maiduguri, Borno State at
the epicentre of fighting between Boko Haram and the Nigerian army, the ICRC
president, expressed alarm at the scale of the humanitarian needs and the horrific
mental and physical scars the violence is leaving on the population.
“Whole communities have fled their villages and endured
unimaginable suffering. Traumatized people, without homes, belongings, income
and education for their children – what does the future hold for them? They
need support far beyond what the ICRC can provide, yet in many hard-hit places
we find ourselves alone. This is a big problem that is not going anywhere, and
it demands serious attention,” said Mr Maurer.
The conflict has spread beyond Nigeria’s borders into
neighbouring Chad, Cameroon and Niger. An estimated 1.5 million people have
been displaced, mostly within Nigeria itself.
Mr Maurer warned that were no quick fixes. “Even if the
fighting stops tomorrow, it will take years of investment and painstaking work
to rebuild livelihoods and services, overcome the trauma and find some sense of
normality.”
In Abuja, the ICRC president met senior officials to discuss
the conflict. “With a new government incoming, Nigeria has a real opportunity
to address the root causes of the violence. It will need to show stubborn
commitment to that task to be successful, and will need support from regional
States and the wider international community. For our part, we are committed to
stepping up our help to victims of violence,” added Mr Maurer.
The ICRC is appealing to donors for an additional 60 million
Swiss francs (65 million USD) to more than double its humanitarian response
across the four affected countries. Working closely with dedicated staff and
volunteers from the Nigerian Red Cross, the ICRC will use the funds to deliver
food to over half a million people, improve access to drinking water for the
most needy and provide healthcare including specialist war surgery.
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