HDPT Central African Republic

In the fifth part of our interview series, Dr Ione recalls the turmoils faced by the population of Ngaoundaye, surrounded by belligerent parties. She explains how people were trapped between the rebels and the government forces, how the attacks have changed the life in the villages and how precarious the situation remains. During her recent conversations with young rebels, she encouraged them to open negotiations with the government and to put down their weapons. According to Dr Ione, the government’s initiative to have an inclusive political dialogue in the coming months might bring results in a near future but the failure of similar attempts in the past and the remaining presence of numerous weapons in the country serve to temper expectations.

In the previous episodes, Dr Ione described her engagement in CAR and her life though rebellions and mutinies. In the region of Ngaounday at the border with Chad and Cameroon, she shared the hope of the population and assisted their initiatives to improve their living conditions. She witnessed the quick and promising establishment of community social services and the destruction of twenty five years of hard work by the successive rebellions. She recalled the attacks on Ngoundaye, and how she shared the fears of the inhabitants and had to hide with them in the bush in order to protect he life and her hospital.

Dr Ione is now working for ASSOMESCA (association des oeuvres médicales pour la santé en Centrafrique), driven by the same enthusiasm that brought her to CAR 34 years ago.

Living convictions: Dr Ione describes her incredible experiences in the Central African Republic. A thrilling eye-witness account of the country’s history.