iom #car bangui dtm report (november 2014)

Central African Republic

THE IDP SITUATION IN BANGUI Displacement Tracking Matrix (DTM) Report

November 2014

International Organization for Migration

DISPLACEMENT TRACKING MATRIX IN BANGUI November 2014

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EEXECUTIVE SUMMARY

Internal Displacement in Bangui from December 2013 to November 2014

Main Displacement Trends

According to data published by the Commission for the Movement of Population (CMP) 661,244 internally displaced persons were found at IDP sites in Bangui and Bimbo by 18 November 2014;;

Some IDP sites continue to report rounded estimates with more detailed counting pending (i.e. Grand séminaire de St. Marc de Bimbo, Mission Carmel and Eglise des Frères Castors);

The overall downward trend of internal displacement continues, with the number of displaced at IDP sites in Bangui decreased by approximately 80% since December 2013;

However, the upsurge in violence registered between 8 and 15 October led to a slower reduction in the overall downward trend than should have been expected otherwise;

The districts with the ggreatest concentration of IDP sites and IDPs in Bangui including Bimbo continue to be Mpoko Airport, the 3rd and 2nd Arrondissements in Bangui and the commune of Bimbo.

Summary Migration Intentions of IDPs

82% of the total 309 IDPs interviewed for this survey envision to leave their displacement site within the next 4 weeks, compared to 91% reported in the previous survey (September 2014);

Of these, 63% intend to return to their original homes while 19% prefer relocating elsewhere; 70% of the surveyed IDPs are house owners while 26% currently rent their homes, compared to 58%

and 33%, respectively, in September.

050000

100000150000200000250000300000350000

20495 17569

6503 5500 4884 2025 1145 695 487 318 49 11

0

5000

10000

15000

20000

25000

MpokoAirport

Bimbo 1 Bangui3rd

Bimbo 4 Bimbo 2 Bangui2nd

Bangui6th

Bangui5th

Bangui8th

Bangui4th

Bangui7th

Bangui1st

CENTRAL AFRICAN REPUBLIC

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SSummary Priority Needs of IDPs

The main challenges cited by IDPs on the sites continue to be overall living conditions, food insecurity, limited access to work and overall economic vulnerability;

Besides high levels of insecurity the main reasons for remaining displaced continue to be a lack of financial means (66%) and belongings having been stolen (64%);

As main factors enabling return or relocation IDPs continue to quote the return of the rule of law (77%), regular patrols by security forces (70%) and access to acceptable housing (55%);

The single most important precondition for return is overall security in the neighborhood and the disarmament of both Seleka and Anti-Balaka, as well as the presence of security forces.

Code Collective IDP Sites # of IDPs BGI-S001 Bangui International Airport Mpoko 20,495 BGI_S020 Grand séminaire St Marc de Bimbo 8,000 BGI_S029 Mission Carmel 6,700 BGI_S041 Saint Joseph Mukassa 5,000 BGI_S009 Don Bosco / Damala 3,845 BGI_S011 Eglise des Frères Castors 3,400 BGI_S080 Pere Combonien 1,752 BGI_S002 Apôtres de Jesus Crucifié / Centre de Sante Padre Pio 1,563 BGI_S067 Saint Sauveur 1,275 BGI_S015 Eglise Notre Dame de Fatima 1,088 BGI_S030 Mission St Charles Luanga 1,039 BGI_S059 Mosquee Centrale 918 BGI_S044 Saint Jacques de Kpetene 850 BGI_S098 Capucin 650 BGI_S104 Sanctuaire de Ben-Zvi 529 BGI_S110 Djongo 500 BGI_S111 Saint Paul de Chartres 415 BGI_S068 Centre Jean 23 400 BGI_S017 Faculte de Theologie (FATEB) 350 BGI_S039 Saint Jean de Gabaladja 350 BGI_S038 Saint Antoine de Padoue 349 BGI_S102 Complexe Scolaire Adventiste 349 BGI_S053 Quartier Votongbo2 318 BGI_S114 Eglise apostolique Kpetene 295 BGI_S113 Federation des deplaces 172 BGI_S034 Paroisse Sainte Trinité des Castors 150 BGI_S079 Maison Micheline 118 BGI_S081 Eglise evangélique luthérienne 117 BGI_S045 St Michel de Bazanga 93 BGI_S103 Complexe Pédagogique Bethanie 70 BGI_S003 Archevêché - St Paul - Paroisse 42 BGI_S086 ASECNA -Article 10 20 BGI_S006 Communaute Petites Soeurs Coeur de Jesus 11 BGI_S062 Grande Ecole islamique franco arabe Nasradine 11 BGI_S058 Père Lazariste 7 BGI_S069 Eglise evangelique Foursquare 3

TOTAL 61,244


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11. INTRODUCTION

This Displacement Tracking Matrix (DTM) report provides information on the profile of displaced populations, their conditions and needs at the displacement sites, as well as return or relocation intentions. This document encompasses both the information collected through the return intention surveys and that collected through the DTM questionnaires on the sites.

This initiative aims at improving the quality and relevance of the information upon which humanitarian actors make decisions to provide assistance to Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs).

Following the violence that erupted in the Central African Republic (CAR) in December 2013 between ‘Seleka’ and ‘Anti-Balaka’, the Capital of the country, Bangui became the theater of mass displacement. Since the beginning of the crisis, through a team of site facilitators, the International Organization for Migration (IOM) has been monitoring displaced populations and displacement sites.

The site facilitators, who have all been trained in Camp Coordination & Camp Management (CCCM) principles, visit selected sites in Bangui on a weekly basis to assess and report on numbers, needs per sector, population profile and migration intentions, and the presence of services and humanitarian actors on the respective sites.

Through the Displacement Tracking Matrix (DTM) – a tracking and monitoring tool developed by IOM to account for the situation and needs of displaced populations in many countries across the world – site facilitators collect information in a consistent, regular and methodic way that allows capturing important trends and analyzing information over time. In CAR, this is currently being done on a bi-monthly basis.

The information is then shared regularly with the Government and the humanitarian community through various information products such as the weekly reports on the needs referred to the Clusters and the return intention surveys.

DISPLACEMENT TRACKING MATRIX (DTM)


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22. METHODOLOGY

As part of the DTM methodology, IOM profiles on a bi-monthly basis the population displaced across sites in Bangui, gathering not only demographic information, but also information on the living conditions during displacement and the return or relocation intentions.

During November 2014, IOM conducted household interviews among 3309 IDP households at 29 out of 37 IDP sites in Bangui. The sample has been calculated based on the overall population residing on collective IDP sites with a margin of error of 5.5% and a level of confidence of 95%.

The table below shows the number of interviews conducted per site and by location.

SSID Name of site Interviews conducted

BGI_S001 Bangui International Airport M’Poko 12 BGI_S002 Communaute des Apôtres de Jesus Crucifié/Centre de Sante Padre Pio 12 BGI_S009 Don Bosco / Damala 12 BGI_S011 Eglise des Frères Castors 12 BGI_S015 Eglise Notre de Dame de Fatima 13 BGI_S017 Faculte de Theologie (FATEB) 12 BGI_S020 Grand séminaire St Marc de Bimbo 12 BGI_S029 Mission Carmel 12 BGI_S030 Paroisse St Charles Luanga 12 BGI_S034 Paroisse St Trinité des Castors 12 BGI_S038 St Antoine de Padoue 6 BGI_S039 St Jean de Galabadja 12 BGI_S041 St Joseph Mukassa 8 BGI_S044 St Jacques de Kpetene 11 BGI_S045 St Michel de Bazanga 12 BGI_S059 Mosquée Centrale 12 BGI_S067 St Sauveur 12 BGI_S068 Centre Jean 23 5 BGI_S079 Maison Micheline 12 BGI_S080 Pere Combonien / St Joseph de Bimbo 12 BGI_S083 Eglise Evangelique Lutherienne 12 BGI_S098 Capucin 12 BGI_S102 Complexe Scolaire Adentiste 12 BGI_S103 Complexe Pédagogique Bethanie 12 BGI_S044 Saint Jacques de Kpetene 12 BGI_S104 Sanctuaire de Ben-Zvi 12 BGI_S111 Saint Paul de Chartres 12 Total 309


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33. POPULATION PROFILE

The population sample that was interviewed has been for the most part (80%) living in a condition of displacement for 10 months or more, while living conditions on the sites continue to be a major source of concern. While 82% of IDPs envision leaving their site of displacement in the next months (with a 63% preference for return to the place of origin versus 19% preference for relocation), the primary obstacles preventing people from returning to their homes of origin remain security concerns and looting of their personal belongings and property. Primary needs to facilitate return are financial means (particularly for renters) and home repairs (particularly for home owners), while the overall conditions to allow return are security, shelter and the availability of services and assistance in the neighborhood.

While perceptions about the availability of services in the neighborhoods are slightly improving, displacement is perceived as a major factor impacting families’ livelihoods and their future capacity to provide for themselves by resuming economic activities. Most of the respondents’ former livelihoods were focused on the retail and agricultural sectors, while during displacement coping mechanisms continue to focus on household food security.

The most affected neighborhoods remain the 3rd, the 5th and the 6th districts in Bangui, as well as Bimbo ‘2’ and ‘4’. These are also the preferred areas of return and relocation.

3A. DEMOGRAPHIC DATA

To collect information on the profiles of IDPs, 3309 household interviews were conducted, each representing a household for a total of 22,177 people (average family size being 7). As shown in Chart 1, 71% of the surveyed participants were women and 29% were men. This is in line with the trend observed in the past few months by site facilitators of men leaving the sites during the day to return to their neighborhood and house or pursue a livelihood activity while the women and children mostly stay on the site. Respondents were aged as follows: 18-25 years old (12%), 26-40 years old (38%), 41-60 years old (43%) and 61-80 years old (7%), while 90% reported being the head of household.

3B. CONDITIONS OF DISPLACEMENT

This section looks at the profile and the survival mechanisms of the displaced populations. According to the surveys conducted across 29 sites, 80% of the IDP population has been living for 10 months or more on the sites.

Men 29%

Women

71%

1. Participants by gender

18-25 years old 12%

26-40 years old 38%

41-60 years old 43%

61-80 years old 7%

2. Participants by age

Head of Househ

old 90%

Others 10%

3. Head of household or other family member


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As shown in Chart 4, among those interviewed, the majority of IDPs (72%) left their place of origin in December 2013 followed by 6% in January 2014, 3% in February and between 1% and 3% for the months of March through September. Another wave of displacement was observed in October 2014 as a result of a sudden upsurge in violence, as reflected by 5% of the interviewed.

83% of the IDPs interviewed said they come from Bangui, followed by 8% from Begoua, 4% from Bimbo and 3% from other areas.

While IDPs tend to move in and out of their displacement sites during day time to visit their neighborhoods or to go to work, movements between displacement sites are not as common. According to the survey, 84% of the population is stationary at the first place of displacement and 16% responded that they have been at other sites before, which represents an increase of 6 percentage points compared to September. The reasons for this trend include IDP relocations undertaken in support of the reopening of schools for the new school year as well as new displacements in October as a result of renewed violence in parts of Bangui.

2%

72%

6% 3% 3% 3% 2% 1% 1% 1% 1% 5% 0%

10%20%30%40%50%60%70%80%

4. Month of displacement

84%

8%

5%

1%

1%

2%

0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90%

Bangui

Bimbo 2

Bimbo

Boali

Bossangoa

Others

Bang

uiO

mbe

llaM

poko

Om

bella

Mpo

koO

mbe

llaM

poko

Ouh

amO

ther

s

5. Place of origin of IDPs


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The three primary reasons for displacement are all linked to security: 95% reporting insecurity in the place of origin, 85% violent attacks in the neighborhood or village, and 78% reporting lootings of personal and household belongings. Physical threat was one of the main factors for 62% of respondents and damage to houses for 49%. Inter-communal conflict and disruption of community networks were also cited reasons leading to displacement for 39% to 43% of the respondents, respectively.

As in previous surveys, the general living conditions at IDP sites are the main problem confronted by IDPs (85%). This is followed by access to food (66%), economic vulnerability (46%), lack of work (42%) and insecurity (32%). The rainy season is a concern for 27% of the surveyed population whose conditions are worsened by leaking shelters and muddy grounds. Access to education has become a concern for a higher number of people (41% against 22% in the previous survey) than in the past months. Respondents gave an average of 5 different factors each.

84%

16%

6. Movements across displacement sites

Yes, this is my first place of displacement

No, I was been to another site before

90%

78%

72% 51%

48%

45%

43%

31%

3%

2%

1.0%

7. Reason/s for displacement - % of respondents (multiple answers)

Insecurity at the place of origin

Looting

Attacks on neignbors

House burnt/damaged

Physiccal threat

Intercommunal conflict

Departures by neighbours

Departures by family members

Forced to leave

Economic Reasons

Other reasons


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3C. RETURN OR RELOCATION INTENTIONS

This section explores the intentions of the displaced populations to return or relocate away from displacement sites. The percentage of IDPs surveyed planning to leave the site of displacement in the next month is 82% (against 91% in the previous survey), while 18% envision staying on (only 7% in the previous survey).

Home owners account for 70% of the population interviewed, while renters represent 26%. In the previous survey in September 2014, house owners represented 58% of the surveyed population. For home owners the re-establishment of security in their neighborhood and rehabilitation of their property would represent concrete steps towards relocation. For renters, access to sufficient financial means would allow them to secure a rental solution, putting an end to their displacement.

0% 3%

4% 4% 5%

6% 9%

11% 14%

25% 27%

37% 41%

42% 46%

66% 85%

Access to water

Interruption of humanitary aid

Shelters

Site closure

Hostility from the host community

Violence

Identity document theft

Hygien sanitation problem

Theft

Family bound broken

Rain

Insecurity

Access to education

Lack of work

Economic vulnerability

Access to food

Living conditions

8. Problems encountered at the displacement site - % of respondents (muliple answers)

18%

63%

19%

9. Do you intend to leave the site in the next 4 weeks?

I want to stay on site

I want to go back to my place of origin

I want to move to a new region

Security 52%

Bad memory of the area of

origin 33%

Lost family ties 8%

No economic

means 6% Services

1%

10. Why leaving the site for a new area?


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The following chart shows the prefecture of origin and the prefecture of intended return or relocation of the population interviewed. The majority of respondents (84%) come originally from Bangui, but a lesser percentage (77%) wishes to return there, indicating that at least 7% of those from Bangui wish to relocate to alternative areas. In turn, Ombella M`Poko was indicated as place of origin by 14% of the respondents, yet indicated as preferred place of return or relocation by 16%. Other locations attract 2% more of the people that are not originally from that area.

Provided that the majority of the IDPs interviewed favor return to the place of origin over relocation, it is interesting to take a more granular look at where people come from within Bangui and Bimbo to see if this preference is true also at district level. The following graph illustrates the main areas of origin and return or relocation by district. The answers provided show that the areas that were most affected by displacement are the 3rd, the 5th and the 6th district, along with Bimbo ‘2’ and ‘4’, and these are also, to a lesser extent, the areas of preferred return or relocation.

33D. OBSTACLES TO RETURN OR RELOCATION

With 82% of the IDP population intending to leave their displacement sites within a month, site facilitators enquired about the main obstacles preventing such movements at the time of the interview. For 66% of the people surveyed the main issue is the lack of financial means and having lost their belongings (64%). Lack of

26% 3% 70%

11. Status of housing or land tenure prior to displacement

Renting Host families Owner

84%

14% 1% 1%

77%

16% 1% 3%

Bangui Ombella Mpoko Ouham Others

12. Prefecture of origin vs prefecture of return

Prefecture of origin Prefecture of return

0% 0%

59%

1%

17%

7% 0% 1% 0%

8% 1% 3% 1%

5%

45%

1%

12% 10% 1% 4% 1%

7% 1%

5%

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Bimbo Bimbo 2 Bimbo 3 Bimbo 4

Arrondissements of Bangui and Bimbo

13. District of origin vs district of return

District of origin District of return


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presence of state authorities and rule of law as well as general insecurity in the neighborhood remain obstacles for 53% and 48% of respondents, respectively. The destruction of their home represents an obstacle for 41% of the surveyed population (55% in the previous survey). Having lost the security of the savings was reported by 39% of IDPs as a factor preventing an end to their displacement. Expectations of support by international organizations are reported by 19% (26% in the previous survey) of the interviewed.

The two main conditions that would allow return or relocation are the provision of financial assistance to the IDPs (51%) and the provision of housing support (27%). Improvements in security conditions at the place of return would be the main need to facilitate the return of 15% of the surveyed IDPs.

All IDPs interviewed were asked by site facilitators about the general conditions in their neighborhood. 84% of the population reported damages to houses versus 13% who reported that houses were in good conditions. 40% of the IDPs surveyed indicated that markets have reopened in their neighborhoods, while 58% say that they had not. The perception over health centers is slightly more positive, with 53% of respondents indicating that health centers are open versus 46% indicating that they were not operational. The perception about the presence of civil servants has actually worsened, with 44% indicating that they are back on duty compared to 54% in the previous survey.

205 198

163 148

126 121

58

3 3 0

50

100

150

200

250 14. Reasons for not returning to home community - (multiple answers)

50.97%

26.62%

14.61%

3.25% 2.27% 1.95% 0.00%

10.00%

20.00%

30.00%

40.00%

50.00%

60.00%

Financial means Adequate Shelter Security Non-food items Psychosocialsupport

Income source

15. Primary needs to facilitate return or relocation


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As in previous periods, return and relocation are tightly linked to security-related conditions. In particular, 77% would potentially leave the displacement sites upon return of rule of law in the neighborhood of return. Similarly, 70% will wait for the return of patrols by security forces in their streets. Following security conditions, people interviewed identify house repair (46%), and access to basic services (31%) as enabling conditions to return. Another interesting point from this survey is the fact that the holding of presidential and parliamentary elections planned for 2015 appear to have become a condition of return for 46% of the IDPs surveyed.

As security remains a major concern for the population, respondents were asked what they would consider as a sign of ‘effective re-establishment of security’. The majority named the disarmament of the Ex-Seleka (88%) and the Anti-Balaka (86%), which shows that there is a shared belief that having armed groups in town, whatever their ideals are, is a threat to general security. The presence of national police forces is quoted as sign of stability by 79%. A visible return of the Central African Armed Forces (Forces Armées Centrafricaines / FACA) would give confidence to an equal 79% of the people interviewed.

133

225

54

136 161

122

255

132

39

245

140 141

178

39 36 23 7

30 3 5 10

0

50

100

150

200

250

300

350

Nationalsecurity forces

patroling

Internationalsecurity forces

patroling

Schools areopen

Civil servantsare back on

duty

Health centersare open

Markets areopen

Houses arerepaired

16. Services that need to be in place

Don't know

No

Yes

239 216

171 141 133

106 96

10 0

50

100

150

200

250

300

Return of lawand order in myneighbourhood

Security forcesare patrolling

regularly

My house is orwill be repaired

Presidentialelection is

taken place

Gunshots arenot longer

heard at night

Firstaid/support is

available in myneighborhood

Access to basicservices isensured

Otherconditions

17. Conditions to be in place enabling return


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A substantial return of people from the neighborhood and ‘not hearing gunshots at night’ are significant indicators for 79% and 76% of the respondents, respectively. Only 2% believe that security will never be re-established.

33E. LIVELIHOOD AND COPING MECHANISMS

Displacement is not only an emergency condition, but it is also a development obstacle as it influences the long term stability of individuals or families through chronic lack of security, economic vulnerability and by impacting the capacity of IDPs to provide for themselves and their dependents. In particular, the large majority (94%) of the surveyed IDPs affirmed that displacement impacted their economic activities.

As shown in graph 20, most of the respondents’ livelihoods were generated before the crisis by trading food and non-food items, working in the agricultural sector or as daily workers. It is to be noted that the majority of people provided multiple answers to this question (457 answers for 309 individuals interviewed), highlighting that even before the crisis diversification of economic activity was common practice.

273 265

245 245 245

235 216 215

193 162

139 128

121 71

32 25 8 5

0 50 100 150 200 250 300

Seleka is disarmedAnti-Balaka is disarmed

FACA is presentMassive return of poeple in my neighborhood

Police is presentI don't hear shooting in my neighborhood

I am free to move aroundMINUSCA is patroling

Sangaris is patrolingCessation of hostilities

End of impunityRetablishment of justice

The state is reinforcedChristians are back in the neighbourhood

The organization of electionMuslims are back in the neighbourhood

International military forces have leftSecurity will never be re-established

18. Signs that security has been re-established

Yes 94%

No 6%

19. Impact of displacement on economic activities


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When asked about confidence in their ability to restore economic activities, respondents were almost equally divided between those optimistic and those who didn`t see this possible. In percentages, men are slightly more optimistic that women about the recovery of economic activities (see chart 21).

IDPs were then asked about the main obstacles for resuming economic activity and the main issues reported are the loss of means and tools to undertake their professional activity (37%) followed by the inability to replenish stocks (35%). Business closure, risk of being looted, physical disability, and unemployment are a concern for between 6 and 10% of the people interviewed.

65%

24% 22% 14% 10% 6% 4% 4% 1%

Retail of foodproducts

Retail of Non-food products

Agricultureactivities

Dailyworker Service Aritisanalactivities

Civil servant Professionalactivities

Mining

20. Professional or livelihood activities before the crisis - % of respondents (multiple answers)

56%

47%

44%

53%

Women

Men

21. Do you think that you can go back to the livelihood you had before the crisis?

No Yes

114

107

32

27

20

18

1

0

194

202

276

281

288

290

307

308

0 50 100 150 200 250 300 350

Loss of means/tools for eonomic activity

Inability to replenish stocks

Business closure

Risk of looting/theft

Physical disability due to the conflict

General lack of employment

Non-payment of salaries

Absence of legal certainty

Yes No

22. Obstacles to resuming economic activities post-return


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The tendency that has been observed since June of tapping into food security as a survival mechanism has been confirmed also in the September survey. Priority is given to the reduction of food consumption over the selling of belongings, the ability to purchase on credit and family separation.

The majority of IDPs interviewed reported reducing the number of meals per day (98% compared to 94% in the previous survey), reducing the family food consumption (96%) and reducing the adults’ food consumption to feed children (93%). Another common practice is that of spending an entire day without eating (80%). Surviving on food donations and selling of belongings to purchase food are identified as coping mechanisms by 51% (67% in the previous survey) and 65% of the population, respectively.

44. CONCLUSIONS & OUTLOOK One year following some of the worst violence that the people of the Central African Republic ever had to experience is it possible to give a cautiously optimistic outlook. However, as the months of August and October have proven, the balance may tip fast and without advance warning towards a return to hostilities.

As this survey shows, some of the factors determining IDP return continue to improve and underline the overall declining trend in internal displacement. However, the Transitional Government and the International Community will continue to face serious challenges in ensuring that the needs of the remaining IDPs are adequately addressed, while pressures for hasty solutions to specific problems require mitigation and the constructive discussion of realistic solutions for the short- to medium-term.

In 2015, DTM reports will expand their scope towards assessing the situation and needs in host communities in greater detail, in order to provide a more adequate picture of assistance requirements that will impact on their absorptive capacities to support continued returns.

94% 94% 94% 85%

67% 66%

39% 33%

29% 21%

0%10%20%30%40%50%60%70%80%90%

100%

23. Suvival mechanisms - % of rrespondents (multiple answers)

%


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CONTACTS

International Organization for Migration (IOM):

Maeve O’Donnell, Protection Officer

[email protected]

Torsten Haschenz, Chief of Mission

[email protected]

CCCM Cluster

Sahdia Khan, Interim CCCM Coordinator

[email protected]

Commission on Population Movement (CMP)

Jean Laurent Martin, Information Manager

[email protected],

For consulting previous IOM information management products: www.carresponse.iom.int


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The Displacement Tracking Matrix activities are funded by:

iom #car bangui dtm report (november 2014)

Documents

main displacement trends

frres castors x

x code collective idp

economic vulnerability

relocation idps

surveyed idps

overall security

idp situation