Life for the Baka Pygmies of Central African Republic | Global development | The Guardian
▻http://www.theguardian.com/global-development/2016/may/04/life-for-the-baka-pygmies-of-central-african-republic?CMP=twt_gu
Guns and poaching are greatly accelerating the depletion of the forest. Everyone recognises these poachers as having been part of the (largely Christian) anti-balaka militia. Local NGOs have been unable to protect the forest from poaching.
‘If things continue as they are now,’ says Sarno, ‘Baka won’t be going into the forest. They will become like serfs to the Bilo again. They will lose their humanity.’
Poaching is not the Baka’s only problem.
Central African Republic (CAR) ranks 187 out of 188 in the 2015 human development index. The average life expectancy is 49 years of age. Unicef says that CAR has the eighth highest under-five mortality in the world. Figures are even worse among the Baka.
Tuberculosis is approaching crisis level; hepatitis B and malaria are endemic. Almost all of the children test positive for malaria.
Sarno estimates that half of Baka children don’t make it to the age of five. It doesn’t help that there is no doctor at the local health clinic.
#peuples_autochtones #pygmées #forêt #braconnage #santé #esclavage