children as young as three are being lashed at a muslim refugee camp in chad for not reciting the koran loud enough a teenager with a leather whip teaches the holy text to around 30 boys and girls who fled sectarian violence from neighbouring central african republic the cruel tutor whips the children for not being enthusiastic enough, losing attention for just a moment or even making a small mistake on wednesday, a small boy too young to speak was struck in the eye by a strike meant for another girl the class continued to sing as his anguished cries echoed through the room   inspiring a moment of tenderness from the oppressive teacher who tended to the youngster's injury punished: a three year old boy cries uncontrollably after his religious teacher in a chadian refugee camp accidentally struck him in the eye   but many of his classmates have been punished intentionally for not reciting the koran loud enough  cruelty: the teenage teacher walks among his frightened pupils with a leather whip   punishing the smallest mistake or lack of enthusiasm with brutal lashes  oppression: around 30 young girls and boys at this makeshift madrassa   or islamic school   are fleeing sectarian violence in their native central african republic  exodus: these young children are among 5,000 chadian refugees occupying zafaye refugee camp after fleeing their war torn home country  whipped: children like this girl risk a brutal lashing for not paying attention, not reciting the koran loud enough and even making a small mistake  it has been more than a year since these refugees fled their home country when christian extremists began killing members of a muslim militia group that overthrew the government in 2013 their devout parents are aware of the corporal punishment their kids suffer at the madrassa   or islamic school   but send them there anyway the unofficial establishment offers the children some relief from the blistering sun overhead, as others learn more traditionally at the formal school elsewhere in the camp officials from unicef who maintain a presence in the camp near chad's capital n'djamena say they were not aware the school existed chad has also become home to thousands of nigerians who fled attacks by boko haram   another extremist islamic group which has recently pledged allegiance to isis more than 5,000 muslims of chadian descent live in the camp built on the site of an unfinished resort complex near 10 miles from its capital impoverished: 4 year old mariam, who was recently injured by a pot of boiling water, sits outside her tent which is just 10 miles from chad's capital zafaye  cared for: at least one month old hambra jibril has his mother to hold him before he is bathed, unlike many of the children whose parents still live in car  safe for now: two three years olds are making the best of their time in the zafaye refugee camp which is at least free of brutal sectarian violence, unlike their native car  hard times: but one place the children are not safe is the unofficial madrassa   or islamic school   in the camp where a teenager takes lessons and doles out oppressive punishment  many of them came via a route established between car's capital bangui and n'djamena and some of their trucks came under attack along the way 40 year old amin idris said: 'i am a marketing director of an import export business in bangui we have been here for over a year now i cannot go back until the situation in bangui is safe' but it may be a while before it is safe to return, with many muslims trapped in isolated communities across the impoverished country and threatened by the violence of christian fighters car comprises around 46 million citizens and was plunged into sectarian conflict amid the violent rule of a muslim rebel coalition that was forced from power by the christian anti balaka fighters both sides have committed human rights abuses and severe instability threatens democratic elections due to take place this year, after they were organised by a transitional government threatened: back in car, these children made up were among 46 million of their countrymen before it was plunged into sectarian conflictbetween a muslim rebel coalition and christian anti balaka fighters  ignorant: officials from unicef who maintain presence in the camp where these children play said they were not aware the madrassa in which children are beaten existed  many of the chadian refugees in the camp came via a route between car's capital bangui and n'djamena   and some of their trucks came under attack along the way
islamic zafaye chadian central african republic
children at the islamic school near the chadian capital of n'djamena fleeing violence from central african republic  their teenage teacher punishes the kids as young as three for not paying attention and not singing loudly enough  their parents back in the war torn home country know they are suffering tough corporal punishment at the school  more than 5,000 chadian refugees escaping violence have been living in the zafaye refugee camp for over a year 