The Central African Republic (CAR) has been ravaged by conflict and violence for more than a decade now. CAR has been grappling with conflict since 2012, as fighting between the mostly Christian anti-Balaka militia and the mainly Muslim Séléka rebel coalition killed thousands and left two out of three civilians dependent on humanitarian aid. Violence erupted in the Central African Republic back when the Seleka, a coalition of rebel groups, accused the government of failing to abide by peace agreements. Many of the 4.9 million Central Africans have been traumatized by displacement, many multiple times. Despite the ongoing crisis, humanitarian and development actors are working hand in hand with the government to enable internally displaced persons (IDP) and refugees in CAR to resume normal lives, when circumstances permit.
African Union (AU) and French forces pushed the Seleka rebels out of Bangui in early 2014 and a United Nations Peacekeeping mission, known by its French acronym, MINUSCA, took over from the AU mission in September 2014. Violence and attacks against civilians have continued as the Seleka broke into factions that still control large swathes of the country. According to many reports, targeted attacks against humanitarian workers and certain ethnic groups, including the Fulani and the Gbaya, have also been reported. While CAR had been registering positive steps towards restoring peace and stability, following the adoption of its Joint Road Map for Peace in October 2021, many reports that progress is now languishing.
However, the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights (the Commission) released a statement on 21st April 2013 that strongly condemned the military takeover of 24 March 2013 which led to the loss of lives and the widespread looting of public and private property. The Commission thereafter called for a return to constitutional order. In this regard, the Commission further called on the international community to take the necessary measures toward restoring constitutional order under conditions that are conducive to the peace and security of the population. Despite several press statements by the Commission and calls from the international community, the situation still remains precarious, and human rights abuses persist incessantly.
Despite a February 2019 peace agreement signed between the Government and 14 armed groups, the security situation in the country remains precarious. In the run-up to and after the general elections of December 2020, armed conflict between Government forces and a coalition of armed groups in several towns forced an estimated 168,000 children and their families to flee their homes. By September 2021, more than 720,000 people across the country were displaced.
It is important to note that under the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights (the Charter) and the African Charter on the Rights and Welfare of the Child, all states are entrusted with the responsibility of implementing the provisions of the Charter and its protocols and they “shall undertake to adopt legislative or other measures to give effect to them,” Article 1 of the African Charter. However, the Government of CAR has failed in its obligation under this Article of the African Charter.
The combined effects of violence, COVID-19, fragility following long-standing socio-political, structural, and governance deficiencies, and deep-seated feelings of marginalization between communities, have left an estimated 3.1 million people needing assistance. Yet despite the urgent needs of families, international attention has been scant and the humanitarian response chronically underfunded. Urgent assistance is more important than ever – without it, an entire generation is at risk.
Meanwhile, a world health report has declared that almost two-thirds of the country’s children did not regularly attend or attend school at all in 2021, and 1.41 million will need help to do so in 2022. In total, 944,000 children will also need protection, especially from the psychosocial impact of conflict and the risk of sexual violence. More than anything, though, the children of the Central African Republic desperately need security. The places they go for protection and support – including schools, hospitals, and places of worship – are under attack by the armed groups. Hundreds of schools are non-operational as a result of the fighting, leaving half the country’s children out of school – and even more vulnerable to exploitation and violence.
In conclusion, on the 22nd of June 2022 at a UN Security Council meeting, the head Peacekeeping Mission in the Central African Republic, Valentine Rugwabiza, reported that since taking office, she has been particularly involved in efforts to revitalize the political process in the country and to reposition the UN peacekeeping force to better protect civilians. However, more regional and international effort is needed to curb this violence which has wreaked havoc on an entire nation and has spread like volcanic lava.
Menu
Menu
