Turkish Red Crescent cannot remain unresponsive to a humanitarian crisis, which left half of 4.6 million people vulnerable in the Central African Republic (CAR), director general of the organization told Anadolu Agency.
Mehmet Gulluoglu said the tragedy is escalating in the region where it is difficult to deliver humanitarian aid due to geographical conditions and logistics. He said Turkish Red Crescent has initiated its efforts to deliver aid.
"We do not want CAR to turn into Rwanda," said Director General Gulluoglu, reminding that around 800,000 people were killed in Rwanda during its civil war in 1994 when the international community was late to intervene.
Between April and July 1994, Rwanda's Hutu extremists conducted an organized campaign aimed at wiping out the Tutsi minority.
Gulluoglu also asked international organizations such as the UN and EU not to remain unresponsive to the violence acts in conflict-torn CAR, urging them to provide assistance in delivering aid.
Turkish Red Crescent also carries out humanitarian efforts for those who sought shelter in neighboring Chad, Cameroon, Congo and Sudan as refugees, he added.
Turkey's Disaster and Emergency Management Presidency (AFAD), Turkey's Humanitarian Relief Agency (IHH) and some other non-governmental organizations are working under the umbrella of "Humanitarian Relief Platform" to deliver aid to the people in the country.
Since last December, thousands, mostly Muslims, have been killed in sectarian clashes throughout the country.
The landlocked, mineral-rich country descended into anarchy one year ago when Seleka rebels – said to be mostly Muslim – ousted Christian president Francois Bozize, who had come to power in a 2003 coup.
The rebels later installed Michel Djotodia, a Muslim, as interim president.
Anti-Muslim violence has escalated since January, when Catherine Samba-Panza, a Christian, was elected interim president.
According to the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR), more than 173,000 people have been internally displaced by the violence, while another 37,000 have fled the county.
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