Caritas condemns Ivory Coast massacre

Catholic aid agency Caritas has condemned a reported massacre in the town of Duekoue, in western Ivory Coast.

Its workers visited the town last week as part of an inter-agency assessment team.

The agency says the massacre took place in the Carrefour quarter of the town, which is controlled by forces loyal to the Ivory Coast's internationally recognised president, Alassane Ouattara.

Caritas said it did not know who was responsible for the attacks but claled for an investigation "to establish the truth".

The agency condemned all attacks on civilians and warned that the humanitarian situation in the country was "rapidly deteriorating".

The Ivory Coast has spiralled into civil war following last year's presidential election. Although the election was won by Ouattara, incumbent president Laurent Gbagbo has refused to hand over power.

Oxfam has warned that the "clock is ticking" to bring aid to "neglected" refugees fleeing the Ivory Coast.

It said more than 100,000 people had already crossed the border into Liberia and are living in "dire" conditions in border villages.

The aid agency fears that the approaching rainy season will cut the refugees off from safe and serviced areas further inland.

“People have fled violence and are now living with families in Liberia in remote jungle areas along the border,” said Oxfam spokesperson Caroline Gluck in Liberia.

“When the rains come, we will not be able to reach them with aid because the whole area will become inaccessible. The clock is ticking to get people to safe and reachable areas.”

Oxfam fears that the stream of refugees into Liberia will lead to a worsening humanitarian situation.

It is distributing clean water and food to the refugees as well as families hosting them but says that the rainy season, which is starting now, will make roads to remote villages along the border impassable.

“People are walking four or five days before crossing a river to reach safety,” said Gluck. “Fathers are carrying their young children on their backs through deep forest and surviving on raw vegetables.

“Some are sleeping 35 people to a room, forced to spend nights sitting up when it rains. There is a severe lack of food, shelter and medical care.

“Most people have fled their homes after armed men stormed their village. Communities in Liberia are generously supporting thousands of people but they don’t have the supplies to provide help any longer.

"Much more needs to be done to help people who have fled violence and are now stranded with very little.”