afrol News, 8 October - Aid agencies have temporarily suspended work in eastern Chad because of rising banditry, reports said yesterday.

UN's office for coordination of humanitarian affairs (OCHA) said several of aid agencies have become victims of banditry lately, with more than 120 separate incidents reported against such organisations since start of year.

An estimated 37,000 displaced persons living in Chad's Dogdore and Ade could be without health care, food assistance, water and sanitation services unless the security situation improves, according to UN agency, which further said due to recent heavy rainfall in eastern Chad, access to people in need had also been limited because of damaged roads, a situation that would further exacerbate the effect of the worsening insecurity.

UN humanitarian agencies are already involved in flood relief efforts in southern Chad, where at least 40,000 people - particularly in and around the town of Sarh - have been in need of outside assistance since a month of torrential rains lashed starting in late July.

OCHA is expected to send a mission next week to southern Chad to study possible ways to set up an early warning system for natural disasters such as floods.

Meanwhile, Chad’s first lady Hinda Deby Itno is reported to have taken part in Monday’s opening in capital, N’Djamena, of a three-day UN workshop on gender-based violence faced by internally displaced persons and refugees in eastern Chad.

The workshop, organised by UN Mission in Central African Republic and Chad (known by its French acronym, MINURCAT), was attended by senior government officials, foreign diplomats, representatives of international organisations and members of civil society.

MINURCAT has been tasked by Security Council with protecting refugees and IDPs across eastern Chad and north-eastern CAR, which have both been beset by widespread violence and civilian displacement in recent years.

By staff writer

© afrol News

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