Highlights

• The Popular Army for the Restoration of Democracy (APRD) suspends its participation in the process leading up to the political dialogue.
• A barge crossing the Oubangui river in CAR, sank, killing 42.

Background and security

The APRD pulls out of the political dialogue
The President of the Popular Army for the Restoration of Democracy (APRD), Jean-Jacques Démafouth said in a press release that his organisation had suspended its participation in the process leading up to the political dialogue. Mr. Démafouth has also stated that the APRD had withdrown from a ceasefire and a global peace agreement signed on 9 May and 21 June 2008. The APRD made that resolution because they disapprove parts of a proposed general amnesty law.
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About 1,400 displaced people are living in the village of Kamba Kota (Ouham) in terrible health and security conditions. They fled their villages following attacks by armed bandits, who reportedly killed 37 people. The banditry victims come from Kambandja, Kassai and Kagoué II villages on the road to Ouogo to the north of Kamba Kota.

The joint mission of the UN refugee agency (UNHCR) and the United Nations Office in the Central African Republic (BONUCA) who located these displaced people expressed concern about their health and security.

At the moment, these displaced people get water from the river and eat mainly cassava leaves. Their huts are made of branches and foliage. Access to health care is made difficult by the system of cost recovery applied by the local health center (patients must pay a fee). In spite of these challenges, the displaced are planning for the future: with the help of the Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC), they started building a school which will soon be operational. Continue Reading »

BONUCA, UNHCR and UNICEF train civilian and military authorities on the Guiding Principles on Internal Displacement, Human Rights and Child Protection in Armed Conflict

Since 2005, the civilian population in northern CAR has been subjected to widespread human rights violations perpetrated by rebel groups, armed and security forces, and armed bandits (coupeurs de route). Attacks by coupeurs de route have recently increased and become more violent. The Central African Government lacks the capacity to effectively assert control over large parts of its territory and thus is unable to ensure the security and protection of civilians. This situation has caused massive population displacements. Continue Reading »

The Bonuca (United Nations Office in the Central African Republic) releases its monthly info bulletin:

• Towards the Inclusive Political Dialogue
• Eufor / European Commition press conference
• One month training for border and air police forces
• Who does what at Bonuca

Click here to download the bulletin (in French - PDF; 539 KB)

Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon announced on 8 January that the Central African Republic was eligible for continuing support from the UN Peacebuilding Fund. This announcement follows an emergency decision last September to provide $800,000 in support of a broad-based political dialogue in the country. The Peacebuilding Fund was launched in October 2006 with a mandate to support post-conflict countries’ efforts to consolidate peace and avoid recidivism. Continue Reading »

HDPT’s Info Bulletin no 39 (November 19 - November 26) is out - with detailed information on current humanitarian and development activities in the Central African Republic. It contains a current overview on the most important developments and news from within and about CAR. Continue Reading »