Brussels, 11/09/2013 (Agence Europe) - Two humanitarian aid workers employed by Acted - a French NGO which is a partner of ECHO - were killed during the resurgence of violence in the Central African Republic (CAR) last weekend and on Monday. On Tuesday 10 September, European Commissioner for International Cooperation, Humanitarian Aid and Crisis Response Kristalina Georgieva described this act as unacceptable.
“I strongly condemn the killing of two aid workers in the Central African Republic (CAR). It is beyond words and absolutely unacceptable to target people who are working to save the lives of others”, Georgieva stated, offering her condolences to the families, friends and colleagues of the victims. She added: “Acted is a humanitarian partner organisation of the European Union and receives humanitarian funding from us for its aid activities in CAR. The humanitarian situation is dramatic in the country and everything must be done to protect the citizens of CAR and aid workers and to respect humanitarian principles”.
Recalling that security has become a major problem in CAR, limiting the ability of aid workers to move around and help people in need, Georgieva is alarmed at the plight of the whole population, who suffer executions, torture, sexual violence, extortion of funds, pillaging and the destruction of houses and fields, and the rapid deterioration of the humanitarian situation in north-west CAR. (AN/transl.fl)