In Birao, in northeastern CAR, women and children have been particularly affected by what they nervously call “the events”, the fights between the rebel forces of the Movement of Democratic Forces for Unity (UFDR) and the government forces.
In their own words, the women of Birao talk about the attacks on their villages, their escape, their pain and their memories.

First woman

“During the battle, I was giving birth. I took my daughter on my back and walked until Am Dafock… I reached Am Dafock at night. In the morning I had given birth… a baby boy. My husband went the other way. Me, I took the children of my dead brother. Three boys. Their mother went back to her parent’s.” Continue Reading »

Important achievements have been made in the inclusive political dialogue initiated at the end of 2007 to put an end to the recurrent violence in the Central African Republic. Over the last three months, the dialogue’s Preparatory Committee (CPDPI) has managed to bring together all major political and military actors as well as reach consensus on the need to find a political solution to the country’s divisions.

All rebel movements, including the Popular Army for Democratic Restoration (APRD), which only joined the CPDPI last month, have committed to sit with the government, opposition parties and civil society in order to open a constructive dialogue. The committee’s final document will set general conditions for the dialogue and will be officially delivered to President François Bozizé in the coming days. This hand-over will mark the end of the preparatory stage and the beginning of the actual dialogue. Continue Reading »

Responding to persistent pockets of insecurity in the Central African Republic, the UN Peacebuilding Fund (PBF) will provide over $800,000 to forge a more inclusive political dialogue within the country. The project, called the Inclusive Political Dialogue, makes CAR the second country to be awarded PBF funding under emergency provisions and the fourth country to win funding overall. The Inclusive Political Dialogue will bring the government, opposition parties and armed groups together for internationally-mediated negotiations before the end of the year. Continue Reading »

The Human Rights Watch team that visited the Central African Republic in February and March this year has now released their comprehensive assessment of the human rights situation in the country.

The report “documents the human rights abuses and breaches of international humanitarian law being committed in northern CAR and describes the make-up, origins, and aims of the most significant rebel groups. The Popular Army for the Restoration of the Republic and Democracy (Armée populaire pour la restauration de la République et la démocratie, APRD) is active in the northwestern provinces of Ouham, Ouham-Pendé, and Nana-Grébizi. The Union of Democratic Forces for Unity (Union des forces démocratiques pour la rassemblement, UFDR) is most active in remote northeastern provinces of Bamingui-Bangoran and Vakaga.” Human rights abuses committed by the FACA and the Presidential Guard are reported in detail.

Click here to access the Human Rights Watch report

Click here to access the US State Department’s 2006 Human Rights Report for CAR

Below a small brief on the security situation in the first half of 2007, taken from the Mid-Year Review of aid operations in CAR.

This is a good first introduction to the rebellion in the north and other security problems in the Central African Republic.

For more info, please read the full Mid-Year Review of our Coordinated Aid Programme.

In late 2006 and early 2007, the UFDR militant group rose to prominence in the northeast of the CAR. Conflict has since spread from Birao to the town of Mouka in the south, and to Ndélé in the west. As a result, a rising number of civilians have been displaced. The villages of Ouanda- Djallé, Gordil and Tiringoulou were particularly badly affected by the violence. Continue Reading »

UNICEF announced on Thursday 18 May that negotiations have started with non-state armed groups for hundreds of child soldiers enrolled in the north-east of the Central African Republic (CAR) to be released and returned to their families.

Discussions have started with the full support of the Government of CAR, who has engaged in talks with the UN Children Fund (UNICEF) since the first UN assessment mission in the Vakaga region identified armed children among the rebels’ ranks in January 2007.

General Damane Zakaria, head and founder of the Assembly of the Union of Democratic Forces (UFDR) rebel group that controls parts of north-eastern CAR (close to Sudan’s Darfur region), has agreed on releasing some 400 children. A first list of 220 child soldiers has been given to UNICEF last week. This UNICEF programme not only contributes significantly to children’s welfare, but also helps resolve one of CAR’s most pressing problems,” says CAR Humanitarian Coordinator Toby Lanzer. Continue Reading »