Anti-Balaka Attack Muslim Youth in CAR
Violence first erupted on Thursday in the town of Bambari on the Ouaka River after a young Muslim man was reportedly beaten to death by members of the predominantly Christian anti-Balaka militia.
By Friday, at least ten people had been reported killed and several others injured in full-blown sectarian clashes.
On the same day, residents of Bambari took to the streets to protest the violence, some of whom criticized apparent inaction on the part of UN peacekeepers deployed in the troubled Central African nation.
“We fail to understand what the peacekeepers do in this country,” said one town resident, who likewise spoke on condition of anonymity.
“Young people were slaughtered while MINUSCA troops just looked on,” he added, referring to the UN Stabilization Mission in the Central African Republic.
CAR descended into anarchy in 2013, when Seleka rebels ousted President Francois Bozize, a Christian who had come to power in a 2003 coup. The rebels then installed Michel Djotodia as interim president.
Djotodia stepped down in early 2014 to be replaced by Catherine Samba-Panza – a Christian – amid a wave of sectarian violence between members of the two communities.
Due to the country’s ongoing crisis, presidential elections in CAR – originally slated for 2014 – have been postponed three times. They are currently scheduled to be held in October.
MINUSCA was established by the UN Security Council in April of last year. The chief elements of its mandate include protecting civilians, supporting a political transition process, facilitating delivery of humanitarian aid and promoting human rights.
Source: World Bulletin
