Coalition Decries Neglect Of IDPs In Taraba

Warns Of Likely Breach Of Peace
A COALITION of civil society groups under the aegis of Protection Sector Working Group (PSWG) has decried the neglect of Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) in Taraba State, warning that the situation may lead to likely breakdown of order.

The coalition, which made the observations yesterday, shortly after its monthly meeting, regretted that the IDPsí welfare has been pushed to the background.

Expressing fears that the situation may compel the inmates to take the law into their hands, PSWG urged the relevant authorities to urgently make succor in the form of food items, shelter and other relief materials available to them.

The Guardian gathered that members of the coalition were drawn from various NGOs and Civil Society Organizations (CSOs), including the Red Cross Society, Child Protection Network (CPN), Society for Future Health, WOTCLEF, CAN, FOMWAN and UNICEF among others.

The group rued the alleged failure of the state government to provide free education for the children of victims of insurgency presently taking refuge in the state, lamenting that the situation has made it impossible for such children to access the four walls of the classroom.

The present health condition of most of the IDPs,î the coalition noted, ìis also giving us serious concern because sicknesses such as cancer, malaria and other ailments are presently staring the IDPs on their faces|.

The coalition expressed the fear that the situation might as well lead to an epidemic, as in the case of HIV/AIDS, which they said state governmentís lukewarm attitude led to the present 10.5 percent prevalent rate of the disease in the state.

It stated that remedial measures, such as provision of relief materials, including foods items, beddings, drugs and personal hygiene products, should be made available to the IDPs, adding that such provision would go a long way to halt the IDPs from throwing caution to wind.

As at the time of filing this report, words making the rounds in the state is that well-to-do persons indulge in purchasing children from the IDPs, even as it was gathered that children that no longer know the whereabouts of their parents, are the ones mostly sold out.

Moreover, some are being loaned out for domestic jobs, such as house girls, labourers and messengers among others.
It would be recalled that during the recent visit of the National Human Right Commission (NHRC) led by the National Executive Secretary, Professor Ben Angwe, to the IDPs in the state, the commission decried the ìdeplorable conditionî of the IDPs.