Insecurity fears even as donors pledge 2 billion euros for Central African Republic.

Record ID: 78530

  • Title: Insecurity fears even as donors pledge 2 billion euros for Central African Republic.
  • Date: 18th November 2016
  • Summary: BAMBARI, CENTRAL AFRICAN REPUBLIC (RECENT) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF DISPLACED PEOPLE CAMP CHILDREN LOOKING AT CAMERA VARIOUS OF CAMP CO-ORDINATOR, NDONGBIA PASSEMA WALKING PASSEMA WITH OTHER DISPLACED PEOPLE (SOUNDBITE) (French) CAMP CO-ORDINATOR, NDONGBIA PASSEMA SAYING: "We have a security problem in relation to the loss of our gendarmes, since our gendarmes help us when there are attacks and since they are not here we are very worried. We don't trust MINUSCA." VARIOUS OF UN PEACEKEEPERS (MINUSCA) GUARDING A BUILDING VARIOUS OF PEACEKEEPERS ON PATROL VARIOUS OF MINUSCA FORCE COMMANDER, BAMBARI, DAH HALMEDE, IN HIS OFFICE (SOUNDBITE) (French) MINUSCA FORCE COMMANDER, BAMBARI, DAH HALMEDE SAYING: "This week the security situation in the Ouaka (province) has calmed down but it is still very volatile. What I mean is that it is never stable for any length of time. There are problems from one of the two warring factions. You know we have tried the UPC (Seleka group - Union for Peace in Central Africa), we have major responsibilities, and on the other hand we have the anti-Balaka and we have a large number of IDPs here so the challenge is important for the displaced as we are here to protect them." VARIOUS OF TWO SECURITY OFFICERS STANDING OUTSIDE BAMBARI POLICE STATION VARIOUS OF OFFICERS INSIDE STATION (SOUNDBITE) (French) POLICE STATION COMMANDER CELESTIN MOUROUGBAM SAYING: "We are here for the population. It is now for the government to think about us and send what is necessary to ensure security for the population. That's what worries us, that is the big problem, that they have not sent us what is needed to re-enforce the Bambari squad so that we can work well for the population." VARIOUS OF DEMOBILIZED FIGHTERS BUILDING A WALL (SOUNDBITE) (French) FORMER ANTI-BALAKA FIGHTER, FABIEN ANDJINGBA SAYING: "What we want is for the DDRR to happen very quickly because we want peace quickly in Central Africa so we support this process." VARIOUS OF DEMOBILIZED FIGHTERS WORKING ON A WALL MAN PUSHING A WHEEL BARROW
  • Embargoed: 3rd December 2016 14:23
  • Keywords: Pledge Conference European Union Minusca Insecurity Brussels Faustin-Archange Touadera
  • Location: BANGUI, CENTRAL AFRICAN REPUBLIC/ BRUSSELS, BELGIUM
  • City: BANGUI, CENTRAL AFRICAN REPUBLIC/ BRUSSELS, BELGIUM
  • Country: Central African Republic
  • Topics: Conflicts/War/Peace,Civil Unrest
  • Reuters ID: LVA00258Z1HZR
  • Aspect Ratio: 16:9
  • Story Text: International donors promised 2.06 billion euros ($2.2 billion) for the Central African Republic (CAR) on Thursday (November 17), seeking to cement a recovery from three years of sectarian strife that has left the country dependent on United Nations peacekeepers.
    At a conference in Brussels attended by CAR President, Faustin-Archange Touadera, 80 countries and international agencies pledged the money for the next four years, including more than 700 million euros from the European Union.
    "We are committed to this, through reforms, it's difficult, but we undertake to achieve this, to fight too against different scourges, such as corruption, bad governance," said Touadera.
    Touadera's election in February was followed by a respite in violence, but clashes between militias are now rising in one of the world's most chronically unstable countries.
    With no army and few basic services, the government in the capital Bangui does not have control over the whole country.
    The departure of French troops this month puts the onus on the U.N. mission known as MINUSCA and an EU military training unit to restore security.
    Violence has displaced about 400,000 people, with only some beginning to return home.
    Ndongbia Passema is a co-ordinator at the camp for displaced people in Bambari, a central town 375 kilometres from Bangui that has seen increased violence.
    Recently, local security forces guarding the camp were killed during an ambush by unknown gunmen.
    Passema says he does not trust UN troops to protect the people.
    "We have a security problem in relation to the loss of our gendarmes, since our gendarmes help us when there are attacks and since they are not here we are very worried, we don't trust these elements of the MINUSCA," he said.
    MINUSCA has been dogged by dozens of allegations of sexual abuse, prompting a broad U.N. inquiry. Criticism of the 13,000-strong mission has been mounted by local people accusing the peacekeepers of not doing enough to protect them.
    MINUSCA said last month that it had reinforced patrols in Bambari and surrounding areas in response to the intensifying of attacks.
    Force commander, Dah Halmede says the situation in Bambari remains volatile.
    "This week the security situation in the Ouaka (province) has calmed down but it is still very volatile. What I mean is that it is never stable for any length of time. There are problems from one of the two warring factions. You know we have tried the UPC (Seleka group - Union for Peace in Central Africa), we have major responsibilities, and on the other hand we have the anti-Balaka and we have a large number of IDPs here so the challenge is important for the displaced as we are here to protect them," he said.
    Touadera announced in Brussels that he would equip the police force to help increase security.
    Célestin Mourougbam and his colleague are the only two security officers in Bambari working as part of the military police. They say they need reinforcements and have no equipment to operate despite their willingness to help secure civilians.
    "We are here for the population. It is now for the government to think about us and send what is necessary to ensure security for the population. That's what worries us, that is the big problem, that they have not sent us what is needed to re-enforce the Bambari squad so that we can work well for the population," said Mourougbam.
    In Bambari, a sign of hope - about 30 former fighters from both Seleka and anti-Balaka that put down their weapons are taking part in the Disarmament, Demobilisation, Reinsertion and Repatriation (DDRR) process, which was as part of a peace deal signed last year.
    They are helping rebuild schools and a wall around the market to try and make it more secure for traders afraid that they were too exposed to attacks from rebels.
    "What we want is for the DDRR to happen very quickly because we want peace quickly in Central Africa so we support this process," Fabien Andjingba a former anti-Balaka fighter.
    Donors hope funds can provide housing and establish land and property rights to allow refugees to return home. They hope to support the economy, which is relying on a $115.8 million International Monetary Fund program agreed in July.
    CAR has been plagued by inter-religious and inter-communal conflict since 2013 when the mainly Muslim Seleka rebels seized power, prompting reprisals from the anti-Balaka militia, many of whose fighters are nominally Christian.
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