Reports
A decade of Conflict in CAR – Internatonal humanitarian and human rights law violations
- GHRD Team
- 5 September 2022
The corruption and rebels’ repression perpetrated in the Muslim dominated northern territories of the Central African Republic (CAR) during Bozizé rule, from 2003 to 2013 paved the way for the ongoing conflict dominating the country (Lechner, 2022). Since the year 2013 an increase in ethnic tensions and violence have sharply deteriorated the already unstable security apparatus of the Central African Republic. The instability dominating the country has for long seen the majority Muslim Seleka coalition opposing the Anti-Balaka armed group of Christian fighters (Center for Preventive Action, 2022) The last decade of violence dominating CAR has led to a dire humanitarian crisis where more than 2.9 million people need assistance. (Murray, Sullivan, 2019). However, ongoing acts of violence that amount to war crimes and crimes against humanity prevent the civilian population and its most vulnerable segments from accessing basic assistance. The number of atrocious human rights violations and crimes afflicting civilians are endless, including murder, rape, forced displacement, persecution, pillaging, attacks against humanitarian missions and the use of children under fifteen in combat. (UN News, 2014) In recent years, the Central African Republic’s Special Criminal Court (SCC) and the crucial role played by the International Criminal Court (ICC) in prosecuting former leader of anti-balaka and Seleka forces appeared to be effective mechanisms to achieve justice for victims. Amidst the ongoing status of insecurity and violence, accountability for survivors of atrocious crimes is indispensable for engaging in a political dialogue and restoring peace. However, even the realisation of the best-case scenario of the end of hostilities will not necessarily determine the beginning of an enduring peace. Intervening to alleviate the severe humanitarian emergency and restore the dignity of people of CAR by holding perpetrators of violations accountable is and will be indispensable to prevent a new outbreak in a fragile context such as the one in CAR.
✨ AI summary
The corruption and rebels’ repression perpetrated in the Muslim dominated northern territories of the Central African Republic (CAR) during Bozizé rule, from 2003 to 2013 paved the way for the ongoing conflict dominating the country (Lechner, 2022). Since the year 2013 an increase in ethnic tensions and violence have sharply deteriorated the already unstable security apparatus of the Central African Republic. The instability dominating the country has for long seen the majority Muslim Seleka coalition opposing the Anti-Balaka armed group of Christian fighters (Center for Preventive Action, 2022) The last decade of violence dominating CAR has led to a dire humanitarian crisis where more than 2.9 million people need assistance. (Murray, Sullivan, 2019). However, ongoing acts of violence that amount to war crimes and crimes against humanity prevent the civilian population and its most vulnerable segments from accessing basic assistance. The number of atrocious human rights violations and crimes afflicting civilians are endless, including murder, rape, forced displacement, persecution, pillaging, attacks against humanitarian missions and the use of children under fifteen in combat. (UN News, 2014) In recent years, the Central African Republic’s Special Criminal Court (SCC) and the crucial role played by the International Criminal Court (ICC) in prosecuting former leader of anti-balaka and Seleka forces appeared to be effective mechanisms to achieve justice for victims. Amidst the ongoing status of insecurity and violence, accountability for survivors of atrocious crimes is indispensable for engaging in a political dialogue and restoring peace. However, even the realisation of the best-case scenario of the end of hostilities will not necessarily determine the beginning of an enduring peace. Intervening to alleviate the severe humanitarian emergency and restore the dignity of people of CAR by holding perpetrators of violations accountable is and will be indispensable to prevent a new outbreak in a fragile context such as the one in CAR.
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