Central African Conflict Continues; MudLove, Grace Raising Funds
July 28, 2016 at 4:25 p.m.
By Jordan Fouts-
Jim Hocking, CEO of Integrated Community Development International, had planned to fly to the central African nation this month to assess the situation after rebels took over the capital and established a new government.
During the takeover, ICDI offices in the capital, Bengui, and in other cities were looted and money and material worth about $300,000 were stolen. ICDI works with villages in the Central African Republic to lessen the effects of poverty through projects such as water well drilling.
Hocking had expressed hope that ICDI could establish communication with the new Seleka government and secure the return of missing vehicles, computers and other items, but “the situation over there is not calming down,” his son and ICDI Director of Communications Jay Hocking said by email Wednesday.
“Over the weekend, Seleka troops claimed they were ‘disarming citizens’ and were searching houses in Bangui. Citizens claimed they were looting, and Seleka ended up killing 12 people on Sunday who were trying to stop them,” Jay Hocking said. “Then yesterday, seven Seleka troops were killed by armed citizens, so the situation is pretty awful.”
The United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, Navi Pillay, on Tuesday expressed concern over “a wide range of alleged grave violations” against the rebels, including rape, torture, kidnappings and targeted killings, according to the Associated Press. Pillay said at least 119 people have been killed since President Francois Bozize was ousted from power March 24.
“The most difficult thing is that there’s no one to stop it. Since half the violence is by the so-called new government, the people have no one to turn to,” Jay Hocking said. “We’re holding off until we think we'll have freedom to move around and begin rebuilding our programs.”
Grace College and MudLOVE ceramics are holding events to raise money for ICDI, which is also seeking to recoup stolen funds through a jumpstart campaign.
Grace will hold a game of Knockout Friday at 6 p.m. at the Orthopaedic Capital Center, Winona Lake. The admission for the Guinness record attempt for longest Knockout game is at least $1, which will go to ICDI and MudLOVE.
MudLOVE, which normally donates 20 percent of all sales to providing clean drinking water in Africa, is selling special merchandise to raise awareness of the Central African Republic conflict.
Half of the proceeds from “peace” and “water” wristbands, as well as limited edition “Pump Water Not Bullets” T-shirts and stickers, will go directly to help ICDI recover.
The merchandise is available in their Warsaw and Winona Lake stores and online at www.mudlove.com
ICDI provides water to more than 500,000 people in Africa and over the years MudLOVE has donated more than $100,000 toward those efforts, according to information from MudLOVE.
ICDI’s refunding campaign, online at www.icdi.org/jump has raised more than $53,000 as of this week.[[In-content Ad]]
Latest News
E-Editions
Jim Hocking, CEO of Integrated Community Development International, had planned to fly to the central African nation this month to assess the situation after rebels took over the capital and established a new government.
During the takeover, ICDI offices in the capital, Bengui, and in other cities were looted and money and material worth about $300,000 were stolen. ICDI works with villages in the Central African Republic to lessen the effects of poverty through projects such as water well drilling.
Hocking had expressed hope that ICDI could establish communication with the new Seleka government and secure the return of missing vehicles, computers and other items, but “the situation over there is not calming down,” his son and ICDI Director of Communications Jay Hocking said by email Wednesday.
“Over the weekend, Seleka troops claimed they were ‘disarming citizens’ and were searching houses in Bangui. Citizens claimed they were looting, and Seleka ended up killing 12 people on Sunday who were trying to stop them,” Jay Hocking said. “Then yesterday, seven Seleka troops were killed by armed citizens, so the situation is pretty awful.”
The United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, Navi Pillay, on Tuesday expressed concern over “a wide range of alleged grave violations” against the rebels, including rape, torture, kidnappings and targeted killings, according to the Associated Press. Pillay said at least 119 people have been killed since President Francois Bozize was ousted from power March 24.
“The most difficult thing is that there’s no one to stop it. Since half the violence is by the so-called new government, the people have no one to turn to,” Jay Hocking said. “We’re holding off until we think we'll have freedom to move around and begin rebuilding our programs.”
Grace College and MudLOVE ceramics are holding events to raise money for ICDI, which is also seeking to recoup stolen funds through a jumpstart campaign.
Grace will hold a game of Knockout Friday at 6 p.m. at the Orthopaedic Capital Center, Winona Lake. The admission for the Guinness record attempt for longest Knockout game is at least $1, which will go to ICDI and MudLOVE.
MudLOVE, which normally donates 20 percent of all sales to providing clean drinking water in Africa, is selling special merchandise to raise awareness of the Central African Republic conflict.
Half of the proceeds from “peace” and “water” wristbands, as well as limited edition “Pump Water Not Bullets” T-shirts and stickers, will go directly to help ICDI recover.
The merchandise is available in their Warsaw and Winona Lake stores and online at www.mudlove.com
ICDI provides water to more than 500,000 people in Africa and over the years MudLOVE has donated more than $100,000 toward those efforts, according to information from MudLOVE.
ICDI’s refunding campaign, online at www.icdi.org/jump has raised more than $53,000 as of this week.[[In-content Ad]]
Have a news tip? Email [email protected] or Call/Text 360-922-3092