AFRICA/CENTRAL AFRICA - Precarious security increases while the population demands a round table

Friday, 11 November 2016 massacres   un   civil society  

Bangui (Agenzia Fides) - "The security situation is serious outside the capital, as demonstrated by the attack on the camp of displaced people in Kaga Bandoro on 12 October", say Church sources to Agenzia Fides from Bangui, capital of the Central African Republic. "In the assault on the camp of displaced people that was in the area of the Cathedral, officially 37 people have died, but the deputies in that area claim that the dead are more than 200" say our sources who have asked anonymity for safety reasons.
Seleka rebels are responsible for the massacre, they "attacked some of the town areas and then concentrated their attack on the refugee camp that was set on fire. Some people were burned alive both in the refugee camp and in homes. Some people were executed massacred with machetes or gun, after being forced to kneel down. One child was killed and his body thrown into a pit. Among the victims there are some teachers and the director of the regional educational center".
"The incredible thing is that the massacre was committed a few steps away from a military post of MINUSCA (UN Mission in the Central African Republic) and these did nothing to defend the civilians", say our sources. "Some witnesses say that the Pakistani Blue Helmets would have given ammunition to the rebels when they had finished their supplies, however, there is no investigation so one does not know whether this is true or not".
After the attack in Kaga Bandoro, others followed, on a smaller scale in other areas of the Country. "Insecurity is widespread. Since September, civil society has been calling for the convening of a round table with the government and MINUSCA to address the issue. The UN and authorities in Bangui in fact continue to blame each other with regards to the responsibility for the situation, while the President, government, parliament and MINUSCA remain silent. At this point civil society organizations have started collecting signatures for a petition demanding an end to the embargo of the selling of arms to legitimate the Central African security forces and the withdrawal of MINUSCA. 2000 signatures were collected on the first day, followed by many others. On October 24, a day of protest of the "dead city" was declared, to manifest the intolerance of the population for this violence which MINUSCA is unable to deal with. People responded en masse to the call and Bangui was completely blocked. The demonstrations were peaceful but the UN troops killed at least six people".
Authorities arrested the two leaders who convened the protest, Gervais Lakosso, coordinator of the Groupe de Travail de la Société Civile and Marcel Mokwapi, President of Consommateurs Centrafricains, accusing them of attempting a coup. "A false thing" according to our sources.
Meanwhile in the territories under the control of Seleka the flag of the new Republic of Logone appeared. "One wonders if there are plans to divide the Country. The displacement of the Muslim populations from Bangui to the north, and now, after the massacre of 12 October, of Christians from Kaga Bandoro to Bangui, appears to be the aim. We wonder what the role of the French and UN troops is", conclude our sources. (L.M.) (Agenzia Fides 11/11/2016)


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