Rebels’ Movement Creates Panic In Central African Republic Town Of Ngaoundaye
The sudden movement of rebels of the Retour, Reclamation et Rehabilitation (3R) movement into the town of Ngaoundaye in the Central African Republic is creating an atmosphere of insecurity and residents are calling for protection from the government.
Residents of Ngaoundaye town, situated five kilometres from the border with Chad and 20 kilometres from the frontier with Cameroon, are leaving in panic, following a massive movement of rebels of the Retour, Reclamation et Rehabilitation (3R) movement, who have been absent from the headlines for some time now.
The 3R rebels, who also belong to the Coalition of Patriots for Change (CPC), started arriving in the town on Sunday, March 14, and have since created an atmosphere of insecurity, with several people already fleeing their homes.
According to local sources, the rebels arrived massively on motor bikes and headed straight to the Catholic Church, where they have since installed their base.
“Though no reports of looting and extortions have been received, if the past behavior of the 3R fighters is anything to go by, then it is only a matter of time, and a short time at that, before they start to show their true colours,” a civil society activist who elected for anonymity for fear of reprisals, told HumAngle Monday evening. “And that is why most people have started quitting the town,” he added.
According to local sources, some elements of the 3R combatants on Monday, March 15, morning seen heading towards Paoua, as commercial activities have continued unperturbed.
But residents have called on the government to deploy soldiers of the national army to ensure the security of the civilians.
On Thursday, Aug. 20, 2020 fighters of the 3R rebel movement led by Abass Sidiki, chased electoral agents and enumerators away from the sub-district of Ngaoundaye, situated in the Ouham-Pende prefecture.
This action led to the end of electoral registration in the locality until negotiations with government authorities that resulted in a resumption of registration formalities.
Recently, during the campaign for the first round of the legislative elections, a four-wheel drive vehicle belonging to Antoine Koirokpi, a candidate of the Movement for the Liberation of the Central African People (MLPC) in the second Ngaoundaye constituency was seized by CPC rebels in the town.
Koirokpi has accused the United Nations Organization Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in the Central African Republic (MINUSCA) of refusing to come to his assistance during the course of the attack though he had called for their help.
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