UN Accuses Central African Republic Of Human Rights Violations

The United Nations Commission on Human Rights has condemned the crimes committed against civilians by the Central African Republic national army, FACA and the Russian paramilitary group of Wagner Security.

According to Michelle Bachelet, the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, “the military operations carried out against opposition armed groups by government security forces, supported by diverse armed elements and private foreign entrepreneurs also resulted in serious violations of human rights.”

Fernand Mande, Coordinator of the Coalition of Civil Society Organisations for the Special Court put in place for the Central African Republic, explained that “sometimes in their vehicles, the men of Wagner are with FACA forces”. 

“There are images filmed by a FACA soldier that have circulated on social media. They were filmed how they arrested bandits, they undressed them, tortured them then killed them.”

“On the ground, there is Abdoulaye Hissene. He is a rebel leader who is not disturbed or called to account for his crimes. He took part in the 2019 dialogue and says he is prepared to surrender to justice but he first has to be arrested,” Mande added.

Abdoulaye Hissene is the leader of the Front pour la Renaissance de la Centrafrique, a signatory to the 2019 peace accord who was placed under an arrest warrant in his country in 2018 and under United States sanctions in 2017 but remains evasive and yet  to be arrested to face the law.

“I had asked for pardon from all the populations of my country but concerning the other actions, I cannot say anything because I am not an expert,” the rebel leader said in his defence.

According to the United Nations, the violence provoked by rebels who are still free and roaming the Central African Republic territory with impunity have since resulted in the displacement of one million persons while almost two thirds of the national population is in need of humanitarian assistance.