UN report notes continued suffering of civilians

The UN has noted the "immense impact" of renewed military activities on a population that was just starting to recover from the effect of a devastating civil war in 1997. A UN Consolidated Inter-Agency Appeal (CAP) said the outbreak of hostilities at the end of last year again reflected the pattern of violence and social polarisation that has persisted since the early days of independence. "Insecurity still reigns in the countryside where government forces are encountering a guerrilla activity of uncontrollable, ethnically-drawn militia," the report said. A Common Humanitarian Action Plan has therefore been formulated aimed at tackling the issues of displacement and demilitarisation. The report noted that the relatively small size of the population, richly available natural resources, high level of urbanisation and positive ratio of industrial over agricultural production make the ROC a potentially prosperous country. Sustained political stability and timely humanitarian assistance, followed by structural aid, could mean that urgent humanitarian needs would not persist nor become chronic.