Ziguinchor — Heavy gunfire in renewed violence has dispersed many villagers in southern Senegal's Casamance region, the site of a 28-year separatist rebellion.

In mid-March the military launched a campaign in Ziguinchor, regional capital of Casamance, to root rebels out of their suspected bases.

An as yet unknown number of displaced people found themselves in the line of fire, including Jean Maxime Sagna, who fled his village, Kenya Manjacque, 3km from Ziguinchor.

"When the clashes began, I took my family to come and take refuge here [Ziguinchor]. We have been here for almost ten days without anything to eat. When we left, it was a stampede, so we brought nothing - we do not even have clothes to wear.

"All the people who fled from surrounding villages to take refuge here are in the same situation. When we arrived, the owner of the house lent us a mat and we spent the night on the veranda outside; to eat, we wait for someone willing to offer us food.

"In general, we are given food for lunch but not dinner. It is very difficult for us, who are used to eating all day in the village - my children suffer greatly from this situation.

"It was only yesterday [22 March] that a local resident lent me a room that I am cleaning out, so I can stay there to wait this out. But even with this room our lives may still be very difficult, because I made the tour of Ziguinchor to find work to feed my family, without success.

"Even here we feel unsafe, because the military fires rockets over the neighbourhood, and sometimes bullets coming from the bush strike the marketplace. If the fighting continues, many residents of this district will go.

"No humanitarian organization has come to see us since we arrived here. The authorities also did not come; we are getting by alone."

[ This report does not necessarily reflect the views of the United Nations ]