Despite the arrest of Laurent Gbagbo on 11 April, and the gradual return of calm in the country, the situation does not improve in western Côte d'Ivoire. Refugees continue to flow into the three sub-prefectures of the region, and the camp of Duekoue now offers more than 27 000 people. Since the crisis began, the region was the scene of violent clashes.
A Duekoue, the Red Cross has raised "at least 800 dead" for a single day on March 29. The NGO has denounced the "sectarian violence" between indigenous Guéré and Ivorians from the north. And several organizations are concerned that the national political crisis has escalated into ethnic conflict locally.
On 3 April, Prime Minister Guillaume Soro has pledged to open investigations into the massacres reported in the west. For humanitarian organizations in place, the situation is still "very worrying". All condemn the violence that continues in the most remote areas of the territory. Each day, new casualties arriving on foot from their villages in the bush, denouncing "attacks with machetes, stabbed to death, rape and fights between communities," said Solange Koné, head of the Association of Support self-promotion and urban health (Asapsu) Ivory Coast, which is involved in the camp of Duekoue.
In refugee camps, hygiene conditions are found deplorable lack of space. A Duekoue, "the ability of the camp is largely outdated," complains Issouffou Salha, head of mission of Medecins Sans Frontieres (MSF) in the region. "For now, we have already discussed, besides the wounded, several cases of measles and meningitis in the camp alone Duekoue.
We fear the scenario of the epidemic would spread like wildfire in the camps ". Last February, measles was diagnosed in several children but the vaccination campaign planned by health authorities had been canceled because of violence. Access to water and food is also very difficult to manage for NGOs.
The food distribution programs are multiplying because "more and more children are in a dramatic situation of malnutrition," said Lucile Grosjean, a spokesman for Action against Hunger (ACF) in Côte d'Ivoire. "Many patients suffer from severe anemia, which feared the worst for their health," confirms members of MSF.
To improve reception conditions for refugees, the association Asapsu has established a helpline to gather evidence of newcomers. "Those who are not reached are physically and psychologically. Everyone is traumatized and requests for support are very high. These people just need to empty their bags because their fear is not starting," said Solange Koné.
In the camps, insecurity remains in effect "very strong". "Those who manage to reach the camp has spent days to flee the violence in their village, describes the responsibility for action against hunger in this region. Many areas are still impassable for aid workers and atrocities continue.
" Before considering the return of people in their village, responsible for the analysis Asapsu, "the challenge is to restore cohesion between communities. If we do not work on the conflict between ethnic groups, the violence is far from completed. There is much more aggressive, the climate of revenge has not dissipated.
" Charlotte Chabas 
A Duekoue, the Red Cross has raised "at least 800 dead" for a single day on March 29. The NGO has denounced the "sectarian violence" between indigenous Guéré and Ivorians from the north. And several organizations are concerned that the national political crisis has escalated into ethnic conflict locally.
On 3 April, Prime Minister Guillaume Soro has pledged to open investigations into the massacres reported in the west. For humanitarian organizations in place, the situation is still "very worrying". All condemn the violence that continues in the most remote areas of the territory. Each day, new casualties arriving on foot from their villages in the bush, denouncing "attacks with machetes, stabbed to death, rape and fights between communities," said Solange Koné, head of the Association of Support self-promotion and urban health (Asapsu) Ivory Coast, which is involved in the camp of Duekoue.
In refugee camps, hygiene conditions are found deplorable lack of space. A Duekoue, "the ability of the camp is largely outdated," complains Issouffou Salha, head of mission of Medecins Sans Frontieres (MSF) in the region. "For now, we have already discussed, besides the wounded, several cases of measles and meningitis in the camp alone Duekoue.
We fear the scenario of the epidemic would spread like wildfire in the camps ". Last February, measles was diagnosed in several children but the vaccination campaign planned by health authorities had been canceled because of violence. Access to water and food is also very difficult to manage for NGOs.
The food distribution programs are multiplying because "more and more children are in a dramatic situation of malnutrition," said Lucile Grosjean, a spokesman for Action against Hunger (ACF) in Côte d'Ivoire. "Many patients suffer from severe anemia, which feared the worst for their health," confirms members of MSF.
To improve reception conditions for refugees, the association Asapsu has established a helpline to gather evidence of newcomers. "Those who are not reached are physically and psychologically. Everyone is traumatized and requests for support are very high. These people just need to empty their bags because their fear is not starting," said Solange Koné.
In the camps, insecurity remains in effect "very strong". "Those who manage to reach the camp has spent days to flee the violence in their village, describes the responsibility for action against hunger in this region. Many areas are still impassable for aid workers and atrocities continue.
" Before considering the return of people in their village, responsible for the analysis Asapsu, "the challenge is to restore cohesion between communities. If we do not work on the conflict between ethnic groups, the violence is far from completed. There is much more aggressive, the climate of revenge has not dissipated.
" Charlotte Chabas
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