NGO: World ignores plight of Africans fleeing conflict

The world is turning a blind eye to millions of Africans who have fled their homes due to conflict, a Norwegian charity group said Thursday, warning the victims are increasingly vulnerable to crisis.

The strife-torn Central African Republic (CAR) topped the Norwegian Refugee Council's 2016 list released Thursday of the 10 most neglected countries suffering displacement crises, followed by the Democratic Republic of Congo, Sudan, South Sudan and Nigeria. 

More than 12 million people have been forced from their homes in these countries combined, according to NRC figures. Each year, the council presents a list of the most ignored crises.

"The fact that most of these people do not turn up at our doorsteps, gives us no right to close our eyes to their suffering and does not remove our responsibility to assist," the council's Secretary General Jan Egeland said in a statement. 

"Many of the displaced people have fled their homes multiple times, and each time they get increasingly vulnerable," he added. 

Although one in five Central Africans are displaced from their homes due to violence between the pro-Muslim Seleka and the pro-Christian anti-Balaka groups, only 38 percent of a UN appeal for humanitarian assistance to the country was covered last year, the NGO said. 

The African countries haven't received enough economic help to meet basic needs, "limited media attention", and that there's a "lack of political will to solve the crises", it added. 

"Economic support to alleviate humanitarian crises must be given based on needs, and not be subject to geopolitical interests," Egeland said. 

"In addition, we need to work for long-term political solutions, which can lift countries out of a negative spiral of violence, war and poverty," he added.   

Other countries on the NRC list are Yemen, Palestine, Ukraine, Burma and Somalia. 

Source: AFP