By RFPosted on 23-11-2019Modified on 23-11-2019 at 19:03

Humanitarians are concerned about the worsening situation of some 500,000 displaced people in the north and east of the country. Due to insecurity, aid workers can no longer help people fleeing violence.

The Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) said Friday it faces " serious difficulties of access " to displaced people and refugees in Burkina Faso, due to " growing insecurity " in the country. Burkina Faso, a poor country in West Africa, has been caught in a spiral of violence for four and a half years, attributed to jihadist armed groups, some affiliated with al-Qaeda and others affiliated with the Islamic State group.

Risk of epidemic and conflict

For Moussa Bougma, communication officer of the Office of the High Commissioner for Refugees in Burkina, if humanitarian workers can no longer access the displaced, this can lead to an accumulation of problems between conflicts and diseases:

" Access has become difficult and risky, which leads us to fear a deterioration of the humanitarian situation, which is already critical. For us, this situation is very serious and increases the risk of conflict between the displaced and other communities. And it also increases the risk of an epidemic. Because where these people are installed, they are exposed to bad weather, wind, dust. And there is also a lack of hygiene in the places where they are installed. "

►Also read: In Burkina Faso, governors and prefects demand more security and power

It is even possible, according to him, that this feeling of abandonment could encourage young people to join armed groups: " The fact that we can not bring this help can increase the risks for young people to be enlisted as combatants by armed groups. So we call on all actors to work so that access for humanitarian workers is facilitated. So that help can be provided to these populations who are in need. "

There are families who welcomed them at the start. And now, they can not do it anymore. They are tired because it is difficult to welcome everyone, especially when help can not come as it should ...

Local people can no longer help displaced people in Burkina Faso, according to Moussa Bougma (UNHCR).

23-11-2019 - By Bineta Diagne

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