Central African Republic: War against children in the wild north

Index Number: AFR 19/006/2007
Date Published: 21 November 2007
Categories: Africa, Central African Republic

Children live in peril in the northern Central African Republic (CAR). In the ongoing armed conflict there, children have been abducted by armed bandits locally known as Zaraguinas. Most of the abducted children are from the Mbororo (Peulh) ethnic group, a nomadic cattle-rearing people. Many Mbororo refugees from the CAR are currently living in camps run by UNHCR, the UN refugee agency, in southern Chad. Most fled their home country because of the conflict ravaging the northern CAR and the pervasive practice of child abduction for ransom.