The Chairman said his willingness to promote the opening of a “republican dialogue”, promised after his re-election but still has not seen the day.
Le Monde
The Central African President, Faustin-Archange Touadéra, decreed on Friday 15 October, a “unilateral ceasefire” of his army and his allies in their war against the rebels. He assured that the enemy had done the same, with the exception of two important armed groups. Several ceasefire and peace agreements have been signed in recent years, but none has been sustainable.
“I come to announce you tonight the end of the military operations throughout the national territory, from this day at midnight,” Touadéra announced to the state radio, adding: “the cease- Immediate unilateral fire is the demonstration (…) of my firm will to privilege the path of dialogue. “
The Central African Republic has been the scene of a civil war since 2013. The fighting has dropped considerably from intensity for three years. In December 2020, a portion of the armed groups who were then occupied by more than two-thirds of the country, grouped in the Change (CPC) coalition, launched an offensive to prevent the re-election of Mr. Touadéra.
“A good part of the national territory” reconquered by Bangui
This one then solicited Moscow and Kigali, who sent hundreds of Russian paramilitary and Rwandan soldiers to the rescue of a homely Central African army. Because essentially this support, she has, since then, has reconquered all the big cities and repulsed the rebels into the forests. The latter, however, multiply stealth attacks in recent weeks, far from the capital, Bangui, despite the presence of 12,000 UNMUSCA blue helmets, the UN peacekeeping force since 2014.
“The Central African Armed Forces, supported by Russian and Rwandan allied forces, were able to repel the Assaults of the CPC and reconquering a good part of the national territory,” said Touadéra on Friday. The President justified this ceasefire by the search for the “appeasement” to promote the opening of a “republican dialogue”, promised after his re-election ten months ago, but who still has not seen DAY.
“The main Leaders of the CPC, with the exception of Noureddine Adam and Ali Darassa (…) have signed the commitment to cease any armed action on the national territory,” said Touadéra. Noureddine Adam and Ali Darassa are respectively the leaders of the Popular Front for the Renaissance of the Central African Republic and the Central African Peace Unit (UPC), two of the main armed groups in the country. The UPC, however, left the CPC in April.
“We respect the ceasefire but (…) Let’s stay on defensive positions, if we are attacked, we will defend ourselves,” announced by telephone to the France-Press agency (AFP) Abakar Sabone, door -PC member of the CPC. “If Touadéra considers that we are not part of the ceasefire, it does not matter. We will continue our actions until we find a solution,” commented on AFP ousmanou Bi Mohamadou , sentence of the UPC.
The civil war had erupted in 2013 after a coup against the President François Bozizé. Bloody fighting had followed between the coalition of armed groups having reversed, the Seleka, for Muslim majority, and militia gathered by the deposed head of state, the anti-Balaka, dominated by Christians and the animists.
This conflict culminated between 2014 and 2015 with thousands of deaths, and Seleka and Anti-Balaka – which still form most current armed groups – have been accused of crimes against humanity by the United Nations . Mr. Bozizé is today at the head of the CPC.