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Last-Ditch Effort Emerges to Restore Order in Central African Republic Last-Ditch Effort Emerges to Restore Order in Central African Republic
(7 months later)
BANGUI, Central African Republic — By midafternoon, a hot breeze blows down empty corridors of the mostly vacant national assembly building here. Hundreds of grim soldiers, their uniforms looted or hidden away, mass in civilian clothes after going AWOL for months. Around abandoned university buildings, idle students loiter, their classes long canceled. BANGUI, Central African Republic — By midafternoon, a hot breeze blows down empty corridors of the mostly vacant national assembly building here. Hundreds of grim soldiers, their uniforms looted or hidden away, mass in civilian clothes after going AWOL for months. Around abandoned university buildings, idle students loiter, their classes long canceled.
The state no longer exists in the Central African Republic. Civil servants do not go to their offices, taxes are not collected and all the schools are closed. There is no budget, no army, no police force, no president, no Parliament, no judges or jails, and at least a fifth of the population has fled. After nine months of violence and well over a thousand dead since early December alone, Christians and Muslims fear and attack one another. Neighbor has turned against neighbor, and every night there are killings.The state no longer exists in the Central African Republic. Civil servants do not go to their offices, taxes are not collected and all the schools are closed. There is no budget, no army, no police force, no president, no Parliament, no judges or jails, and at least a fifth of the population has fled. After nine months of violence and well over a thousand dead since early December alone, Christians and Muslims fear and attack one another. Neighbor has turned against neighbor, and every night there are killings.
Now, an unlikely experiment in instant nation-building is underway: a vote for president. Inspired equally by desperation and pressure from abroad, a “national transition council” of 135 rebels, rivals, politicians and everyone in between is making a last-ditch lunge for order, hoping to choose a new leader for this fractured country within days.Now, an unlikely experiment in instant nation-building is underway: a vote for president. Inspired equally by desperation and pressure from abroad, a “national transition council” of 135 rebels, rivals, politicians and everyone in between is making a last-ditch lunge for order, hoping to choose a new leader for this fractured country within days.
“We represent hope,” said Rose Yodoma Kondjia, a transition council member.“We represent hope,” said Rose Yodoma Kondjia, a transition council member.
Without an agreement, the chaos continues; but even if the council members manage to overcome their ill will and agree on an interim president, will it be enough to persuade the warring parties to drop their arms and calm a nation on a knife-edge of sectarian tension?Without an agreement, the chaos continues; but even if the council members manage to overcome their ill will and agree on an interim president, will it be enough to persuade the warring parties to drop their arms and calm a nation on a knife-edge of sectarian tension?
“It’s a critical vote,” said Cyriaque Gonda, a former minister on the council. The winner “has got to restore state authority in every corner of the state, so that people can go back home.”“It’s a critical vote,” said Cyriaque Gonda, a former minister on the council. The winner “has got to restore state authority in every corner of the state, so that people can go back home.”
Mrs. Kondjia, an official in a leading political party, added, “The people are watching us.”Mrs. Kondjia, an official in a leading political party, added, “The people are watching us.”
Nearly a million people have fled their homes because of the violence, creating a humanitarian crisis that has been exacerbated by the collapse of the state. On Friday, a spokeswoman for the World Food Program said that about 40 aid trucks carrying rice were stuck at the border, unable to enter the country because of the absence of customs officials. By next week, she warned, cereal stocks will be exhausted here in the nation’s capital.Nearly a million people have fled their homes because of the violence, creating a humanitarian crisis that has been exacerbated by the collapse of the state. On Friday, a spokeswoman for the World Food Program said that about 40 aid trucks carrying rice were stuck at the border, unable to enter the country because of the absence of customs officials. By next week, she warned, cereal stocks will be exhausted here in the nation’s capital.
Other officials have warned of the continued risk of mass atrocities. “It has all the elements that we have seen elsewhere, in places like Rwanda and Bosnia,” John Ging, director of operations for the United Nations Office for Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, told reporters this week. “The elements are there, the seeds are there, for a genocide. There’s no question about that.”Other officials have warned of the continued risk of mass atrocities. “It has all the elements that we have seen elsewhere, in places like Rwanda and Bosnia,” John Ging, director of operations for the United Nations Office for Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, told reporters this week. “The elements are there, the seeds are there, for a genocide. There’s no question about that.”
On the streets, interest in the vote appears intense. For nearly a year, a rebel leader at the head of a brutal insurgent force known as the Seleka held sway here, with its fighters looting and killing extensively in the dense neighborhoods. But he was forced to go into exile last week by regional leaders fed up with the abuses and worried about the looming anarchy on their borders.On the streets, interest in the vote appears intense. For nearly a year, a rebel leader at the head of a brutal insurgent force known as the Seleka held sway here, with its fighters looting and killing extensively in the dense neighborhoods. But he was forced to go into exile last week by regional leaders fed up with the abuses and worried about the looming anarchy on their borders.
Now there is nobody at the head of state.Now there is nobody at the head of state.
“We want somebody who has suffered like us, who knows our suffering, so that we can get out of our situation,” Janny Kpazan, 32, a roadside vendor with four children, said as a crowd gathered to listen. “We’re stuck. There is no joy. We are hanging in the balance. People continue to flee. This is too painful.”“We want somebody who has suffered like us, who knows our suffering, so that we can get out of our situation,” Janny Kpazan, 32, a roadside vendor with four children, said as a crowd gathered to listen. “We’re stuck. There is no joy. We are hanging in the balance. People continue to flee. This is too painful.”
Just up the road, hundreds of Muslim citizens were piling into a dusty 200-vehicle convoy for a perilous journey north to Chad. Many in the convoy said the prospect of staying here was even more frightening.Just up the road, hundreds of Muslim citizens were piling into a dusty 200-vehicle convoy for a perilous journey north to Chad. Many in the convoy said the prospect of staying here was even more frightening.
For now, the void they are leaving in their country is filled with daily sectarian reprisals in the capital and fragmentary reports of massacres and burned villages trickling in from the remote provinces.For now, the void they are leaving in their country is filled with daily sectarian reprisals in the capital and fragmentary reports of massacres and burned villages trickling in from the remote provinces.
“The whole machine has stopped; I’ve never seen this before,” said one of the few Western diplomats still left in Bangui. The Americans fled their embassy here a year ago and have not come back.“The whole machine has stopped; I’ve never seen this before,” said one of the few Western diplomats still left in Bangui. The Americans fled their embassy here a year ago and have not come back.
“Everything has crumbled,” the diplomat continued, expressing guarded hope for the presidential vote but cautioning that the various factions “have to make fear disappear.”“Everything has crumbled,” the diplomat continued, expressing guarded hope for the presidential vote but cautioning that the various factions “have to make fear disappear.”
Those factions are jockeying furiously for the position of interim president until a genuine popular vote can be held, perhaps next year, to elect a more permanent head of state. In the background, still partly armed, are the Seleka, the mostly Muslim rebels who took over last year. Opposing them are the Christian militia groups that sprang up against their reign, the so-called anti-balaka, or anti-machetes, that have committed abuses against civilians as well.Those factions are jockeying furiously for the position of interim president until a genuine popular vote can be held, perhaps next year, to elect a more permanent head of state. In the background, still partly armed, are the Seleka, the mostly Muslim rebels who took over last year. Opposing them are the Christian militia groups that sprang up against their reign, the so-called anti-balaka, or anti-machetes, that have committed abuses against civilians as well.
Both groups are trying to influence the vote. Hovering also are the politicians, widely detested for having reduced the country to its present ruinous state over 50 years of turbulent independence.Both groups are trying to influence the vote. Hovering also are the politicians, widely detested for having reduced the country to its present ruinous state over 50 years of turbulent independence.
“No politicians!” Patricia Karawa, 37, cried out from the side of a road in the Gobongo neighborhood.“No politicians!” Patricia Karawa, 37, cried out from the side of a road in the Gobongo neighborhood.
Conscious of the mistrust, the national transition council members have been laboring to winnow out candidates who might anger either the militias, the street, the nation’s former colonial master, France — whose 1,600 troops here are among the only guarantors of order — or powerful regional leaders like President Idriss Déby Itno of Chad. He was the one who summoned all 135 members to his capital, Ndjamena, last week, forcing them to get rid of the rebel leader, Michel Djotodia.Conscious of the mistrust, the national transition council members have been laboring to winnow out candidates who might anger either the militias, the street, the nation’s former colonial master, France — whose 1,600 troops here are among the only guarantors of order — or powerful regional leaders like President Idriss Déby Itno of Chad. He was the one who summoned all 135 members to his capital, Ndjamena, last week, forcing them to get rid of the rebel leader, Michel Djotodia.
This week, the council decided that no participant “in an armed rebellion over the last 20 years” could run, nor could any militia fighter or member of the national transition council. All of the council members were selected from a variety of groups — the Seleka, political parties, women’s organizations, artists, expatriates, business people — under a political agreement forged by rebels and regional leaders last year.This week, the council decided that no participant “in an armed rebellion over the last 20 years” could run, nor could any militia fighter or member of the national transition council. All of the council members were selected from a variety of groups — the Seleka, political parties, women’s organizations, artists, expatriates, business people — under a political agreement forged by rebels and regional leaders last year.
“There’s a lot of pressure, a lot of die-hard position-taking,” said Gervais Lakosso, a council member, singer and storyteller who represents artists. “Happily, our criteria have eliminated most of the potential candidates.”“There’s a lot of pressure, a lot of die-hard position-taking,” said Gervais Lakosso, a council member, singer and storyteller who represents artists. “Happily, our criteria have eliminated most of the potential candidates.”
The widespread attacks have kept civilians on the run. “We’ve abandoned our house,” said Mamadou Lamine, 31, a Muslim in the convoy for Chad, where trucks were stacked high with chairs, mattresses and sacks of kola nuts to sell. “I’m leaving. It’s unsafe. I was born here. I can’t live a normal life.”The widespread attacks have kept civilians on the run. “We’ve abandoned our house,” said Mamadou Lamine, 31, a Muslim in the convoy for Chad, where trucks were stacked high with chairs, mattresses and sacks of kola nuts to sell. “I’m leaving. It’s unsafe. I was born here. I can’t live a normal life.”
Last week, dozens here witnessed the depths of the sectarian tensions as a young Muslim man was pulled from a minibus, stabbed and beaten to death, then burned and cut up by a mob of 15 young Christian men.Last week, dozens here witnessed the depths of the sectarian tensions as a young Muslim man was pulled from a minibus, stabbed and beaten to death, then burned and cut up by a mob of 15 young Christian men.
“I killed him, then I sucked his blood,” said Magloire Wounthnga, a 15-year-old dropout and orphan, with a sharp machete stuffed into his trousers, a dagger at his side and a thick tangle of beads and crucifixes hanging from his neck. “I burned him, then I ate him, with bread and manioc paste.”“I killed him, then I sucked his blood,” said Magloire Wounthnga, a 15-year-old dropout and orphan, with a sharp machete stuffed into his trousers, a dagger at his side and a thick tangle of beads and crucifixes hanging from his neck. “I burned him, then I ate him, with bread and manioc paste.”
Mr. Wounthnga said he was merely taking revenge because the Seleka had killed his pregnant sister. Next to him, His friend Stany Noakpe, 21, also said he had acted in a spirit of revenge. Their neutral tones spoke to the entrenched antagonism between Christians and the minority Muslim population here — and to the difficult task that confronts the transition council members in alleviating it.Mr. Wounthnga said he was merely taking revenge because the Seleka had killed his pregnant sister. Next to him, His friend Stany Noakpe, 21, also said he had acted in a spirit of revenge. Their neutral tones spoke to the entrenched antagonism between Christians and the minority Muslim population here — and to the difficult task that confronts the transition council members in alleviating it.
French soldiers are patrolling the streets in their armored vehicles, trying to reassure residents and keep the two sides apart, as the foreign diplomats who remain keep a wary watch on the debate over presidential candidates.French soldiers are patrolling the streets in their armored vehicles, trying to reassure residents and keep the two sides apart, as the foreign diplomats who remain keep a wary watch on the debate over presidential candidates.
“We are sitting on top of a pressure-cooker,” the Western diplomat said.“We are sitting on top of a pressure-cooker,” the Western diplomat said.