The new interim President of the Central African Republic must urgently
rein in the “out of control” anti-balaka militias currently forcing scores
of people from Muslim communities to leave the country in a bid to escape
terrifying abuse, Amnesty International said.
Catherine Samba Panza was appointed by the interim parliament as interim
President of the African nation today.
“People from Muslim communities feel totally unprotected from anti-balaka
attacks and terrified about what might happen to them if they stay in the
country. Even those who were born in the Central African Republic and have
never set foot outside of the country are now trying to escape to Chad,”
said Joanne Mariner Senior Crisis Adviser at Amnesty International, who is
currently in the Central African Republic.
“Reining in the anti-balaka militia and ensuring the Muslim population is
safe from attack must be a top priority for interim president Catherine
Samba Panza.”
Over the past ten days, it has been reported that hundreds of Muslims have
been victims of attacks, including unlawful killings, with many being
forced to leave their homes.
Amnesty International researchers visited the town of Boali, north of the
country’s capital Bangui, on Sunday and found that the town’s Muslim
neighborhoods were empty.
Most of the Muslim community had fled the town the previous week after an
anti-balaka attack that took place on Friday, in which five Muslims were
killed.
Those left behind, up to 850 people, are taking refuge in a local church
that was protected by French and African Union peacekeepers. All those
interviewed by Amnesty International said they wanted to leave the town to
seek safety outside of the Central African Republic, believing that it
would not be safe for them to stay.
People from Muslim communities are also reported to have fled in large
numbers from the towns of Bossembele, Yakole, and Boyali, as well as many
smaller villages, and numerous neighborhoods around Bangui.
Thousands are regrouping on the outskirts of Bangui in a traditionally
Muslim neighborhood in the PK12 area. Some are organizing convoys to flee
to Chad and Cameroon while others have gathered around the mosque awaiting
the opportunity to escape to safety.
Some convoys have faced ambush by anti-balaka militia while attempting to
leave the country. Last Friday, 22 civilians, including three children,
were killed outside the town of Bouar when their vehicle was attacked.
Many of the victims were hacked to death with machetes.
Approximately 1,000 people, mostly from the Christian community, were
killed in early December 2013 by the ex-Seleka and anti-Balaka forces.
However, since the deployment of French forces on 6 December and the
subsequent deployment of additional peacekeeping forces, as well as the
resignation of former interim President Michel Djotodia on 10 January, the
ex-Seleka have lost power rapidly. Many ex-Seleka forces have reportedly
left the towns and villages they previously controlled.
On the surface, with the ex-Seleka’s loss of power, the security situation
in most of the country appears to be improving. In Bangui, shops and
markets have re-opened and in the countryside, many displaced people from
the Christian community are returning to their villages after spending
weeks or even months hiding in the bush.
“The atrocities carried out by the ex-Seleka can in no way justify the
brutal attacks we’re seeing now. The new government must act immediately
to ensure that everyone in CAR, Christians and Muslims, enjoy basic
security,” said Joanne Mariner.
