Central African Republic: UN accuses army and Russian allies of violating human rights

Published on : 06/24/2021 – 09:37

The UN envoy to the Central African Republic did not mince words. Mankeur Ndiaye strongly denounced, Wednesday, June 23, the behavior of the Central African national forces and their Russian allies, presumed responsible for multiple human rights violations and which seriously hamper, according to him, the operations of the peacekeepers of Minusca.

This represents “a new trend,” he told the UN Security Council, referring to “human rights violations and breaches of international humanitarian law attributable to the Central African armed forces, bilateral forces and other personnel. security “- allusion to the hundreds of Russian paramilitaries from the private Wagner group.

The French ambassador to the UN, Nicolas de Rivière, also denounced the action of Russian paramilitaries. Russia only recognizes the presence in the Central African Republic of a thousand “unarmed instructors”. On the ground, NGOs and witnesses, however, evoke a more substantial presence and openly participating in hostilities.

Referring to “a situation in the Central African Republic”, the French diplomat questioned at length the role of the Wagner group.

“Let us be clear: Central African armed groups are no longer the only threat to the Central African population,” he said. The UN reports “point to the responsibility of a new actor, who intervenes alongside the Central African armed forces and whose status is a mystery. Some will endeavor to deny the presence of the Wagner company. Therefore, who are these men involved in the fighting, in what capacity are they present in the Central African Republic and to whom do they answer for their action? “asked Nicolas de Rivière.

On behalf of the United States, US Ambassador Richard Mills condemned “in the strongest terms all attacks on peacekeepers”. Relying on continued reports of human rights and arms embargo violations by Central African forces and Russian instructors, he asserted that the latter “were operating directly as an extension of the Russian Defense Ministry.” .

>> To see, our interview with Mankeur Ndiaye, head of Minusca: “Former President Bozizé remains a threat” for the Central African Republic

Anna Evstigneeva, from the Russian diplomatic mission to the UN, rose up against “anti-Russian propaganda”. There is “no evidence of the presence of Russian mercenaries,” she said, assuring that “Russian instructors” in the country “trained Central African forces by not participating in any fighting”.

Obstacles to the UN mission

According to Mankeur Ndiaye, “the military counter-offensive” of the Central African forces and their allies “to destroy the guerrillas imposed by the CPC” (Coalition of Patriots for Change, bringing together several armed groups) has “negative consequences”.

“This compromises any chance of building social cohesion”, “worsens the marginalization of certain communities, and raises fears of the radicalization of armed groups,” said the envoy. “This is a new trend which, if we are not careful, will ruin the meager progress with difficulty in the quest for social cohesion and national reconciliation,” he said. insisted.

“The deployment of bilateral forces will only gain in utility and legitimacy if they contribute to the protection of civilians”, “raise the professionalism and efficiency of the defense and security forces” and “put an end to the violence, “said Mankeur Ndiaye, while Bangui promised to put an end to the obstacles suffered by Minusca.

“The ineffectiveness of the chain of command and control of the defense and security forces and the lack of credible interlocutors with certain bilateral forces (…) have ended up creating confusion”, also estimated the official. of ONU.

Regarding the obstructions imposed on the 15,000 peacekeepers of Minusca, the emissary denounced a series of incidents, ranging from excavations “to the invasion” of a UN base in Bria to seize fuel, by the way. by targeting her assistant on May 28 at a roadblock, pushing her to turn back.

Coming especially to New York, Angolan President Joao Manuel Gonçalves Lourenço, current president of the International Conference on the Great Lakes Region, called for a lifting of the arms embargo, in force since 2013 and which expires on 31 July. Russia and China also want its lifting, but the West is opposed to it because of the situation in the country.

With AFP