Gbiti

Gbiti is a border town in the East Province in Cameroon.

Border post

On 16 November 2013, "unidentified gunmen from the Central African Republic (CAR)" attacked the Cameroonian border post at Gbiti. "Seven people died in the attack."[1]

In 2013, the Kimberly Process’ Permanent Secretariat conducted an awareness campaign in the town about the importance of stopping the trade in blood diamonds, which could be used to finance Cameroonian gangs or political violence in the Central African Republic.

Refugee transit center

The town has been impacted by the refugees escaping the Central African Republic. [2][3][4][5][6]

As of May 26, 2014, 21,451 refugees from have crossed into Cameroon, and been received at the Gbiti transit center.[7]

Refugees assemble at the Gbiti transit center, and are transported to other locations, such as the refugee camp at Mbilé, located "four hours away by bus."[8]

A YouTube video shot on a mobile phone by a relief worker in April 2014 documents a group of exhausted, malnourished people slowly crossing the river to enter Gbiti.[9] Many refugees have suffered severe injuries in attacks by CAR Anti-balaka rebels.[10] One seven-year-old boy arriving with severe machete injuries was saved by treatment at the nearest hospital, located in Bertoua, three hours' drive away.[11]

Town life

Fuller video coverage of town life is available in a 33-minute French language video by Alexandre Vigot.[12]

References
  1. Ewi, Martin (2013-12-17). "Terrorism and the threat radical Islam poses to Cameroon". ISS Africa. Retrieved 2014-06-12.
  2. "New mother and baby battle for survival in Cameroon refugee camp". Plan International. 2014. Retrieved 2014-06-11.
  3. "Crusade against Central African diamonds in cross-border areas of East Cameroon". Business in Cameroon. 2014-01-24. Retrieved 2014-06-11.
  4. "Insécurité transfrontalière: Comprendre l'attaque de Gbiti à l'Est-Cameroun". CamNews24. 2013-11-21. Retrieved 2014-06-11.
  5. Schmitt, Celine (2014-05-23). "Growing numbers of young CAR refugees arrive in Cameroon with malnutrition". The Cameroon Daily Journal. Archived from the original on 2014-06-10. Retrieved 2014-06-10.
  6. "CAMEROON / CAR MALNOURISHED CHILDREN". UNifeed. 2014-05-12. Retrieved 2014-06-11.
  7. Cameroon: Refugee sites and entry points for new refugees from the Central African Republic, May 28, 2014
  8. "Brothers reunite with mother after ordeal in Central African Republic". UNHCR. 2014-05-27. Retrieved 2014-06-12.
  9. Australia for UNHCR. "CAR: Cameroon River crossing from Central African Republic". YouTube. Retrieved 2014-06-12.
  10. "GBITI-CAMEROON: CAR anti-balaka rebels leave women and children badly hurt". Voxafrica - Video. 2014-06-03. Archived from the original on 2014-09-16. Retrieved 2014-06-12.
  11. Schmitt, Celine (2014-06-06). "Central African Republic: Rapid Treatment Saves Seven-Year-Old CAR Refugee Chopped and Left for Dead (Page 1 of 2)". allAfrica.com. Retrieved 2014-06-10.
  12. Vigot, Alexandre. Gbiti. YouTube (in French). Retrieved 2014-06-11.


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