The Central African Republic has yet to fully emerge from a civil war fought partly along religious lines. Although the Islamist rebel group, Séléka, has been driven out of many parts of the country, attacks against Christians continue in the capital, Bangui, and in the mainly Muslim northeast. Christians have been forced to flee from their villages and are denied access to farming fields. Large groups of Christians live in extremely poor conditions in refugee camps.
Chad is withdrawing its troops from CAR
The neighbouring nation has contributed roughly 850 soldiers of the 6,000 strong African Union peace keeping contingent that is also backed by about 2,000 French troops. The troops were meant to serve as part of the larger peace keeping force but are no longer welcome due to their alleged links […]
Global leaders emphasise continuing CAR chaos is ‘not about religion’
L to R: Archbishop Dieudonné Nzapalainga; Imam Omar Kobine Layama; Rev. Nicolas Guérékoyamé Gbangou; UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, in a photo taken March 13 at the United Nations in New York.UN Photo/Eskinder Debebe The three top religious leaders of the Central African Republic have once again travelled to the United […]
CAR clerics plead for ceasefire
Two of the most senior religious leaders in the Central African Republic have issued a joint plea for a truce between retreating militant rebels and vigilantes who have been taking their revenge. “May all the brothers carrying weapons hand over their arms,” said the Catholic Archbishop of Bangui, Msgr. Dieudonné […]
CAR Church leaders call again for aid
More than 1 million people have been displaced and nearly 2 million require urgent humanitarian assistance, according to aid organisations.UNHCR, S. Phelps / Flickr / Creative Commons Church leaders in the Central African Republic have reiterated their opposition to the ongoing violence in the country and demanded more troops on […]
Pastor and son killed as CAR violence continues
Bangui.World Watch Monitor A pastor and his son are among the latest casualties of violence in the Central African Republic, which continues despite the recent appointment of Catherine Samba-Panza as interim President. Rev. Pierre-Séverin Kongbo, 52, his son Dieubéni were killed on Jan. 28 by former members of the disbanded […]
Religious leaders plead for UN force in Central African Republic
The Catholic Archbishop of Bangui, Dieudonné Nzapalainga, says Central Africans live in fear.Courtesy Open Doors International Two of the most senior religious figures in the Central African Republic (CAR) visited London this week to urge the UK to support the deployment of a UN-led peacekeeping operation in the war-torn […]
Central African Republic conflict ‘political not religious’
Nicolas Guerékoyamé-Gbangou says fighting between members of the disbanded Séléka rebel group and the anti-balaka self-defense militias is not a battle between Muslims and Christians.hdptcar / Flickr / Creative Commons The man chosen to lead what he says is 51% of the population of the Central African Republic (CAR), its […]
CAR crisis ‘far from over’
The crisis in the Central African Republic is far from over, despite the resignation of President Michel Djotodia, according to a local Catholic archbishop. “The shooting has ceased, but the tensions are still there,” said Nestor Desire Nongo-Aziagbia, archbishop of Bossangoa. “Resignation is a first step towards solving the crisis.” […]
CAR President Djotodia resigns
Central African Republic’s first Muslim president Michel Djotodia has resigned from office at a regional summit aimed at ending the violence that has engulfed the country. Djotodia took power from former president Francois Bozizé in a coup in March last year, as head of the now-disbanded Séléka rebel forces. Séléka […]
Media ‘wrong’ to ignore Christians’ plight in Central African Republic
Unicef says that violence has ‘sunk to a vicious new low’ after reported beheadings of children.World Watch Monitor The vulnerability of Christians in the Central African Republic (CAR) is being overlooked, even as international media wrongly focus on the ‘interfaith’ element of the conflict, says Open Doors International. The charity […]