Burundi rejects African Union peacekeepers as invasion force

BURUNDI REJECTS AFRICAN UNION PEACEKEEPERS AS INVASION FORCE

Nairobi- Burundi's government said Sunday it would not agree to the deployment of African Union (AU) peacekeepers, warning that they would be seen as "an invasion force".

The announcement came a day after the 54-member bloc said it would send a 5,000-strong force to halt spiralling violence in the tiny central African country as fears grow that it is rapidly sliding towards civil war. It gave the government in Bujumbura a four-day deadline to agree to the offer, but warned it would send troops anyway.

"Burundi is clear on the matter: it is not ready to accept an AU force on its territory," deputy presidential spokesman Jean-Claude Karerwa told. "If AU troops came without the government's approval, it would be an invasion and occupation force, and the Burundi government would reserve the right to act accordingly."

Burundi has so far dismissed proposals for any peacekeeping force on its territory and Karerwa said any such move by the AU would have to be approved by the UN Security Council. "The Burundi government believes the AU resolution cannot be automatically applied and must first be endorsed by the UN Security Council," he said.

The Security Council late Saturday urged all Burundian stakeholders to cooperate with the proposed African Union peacekeeping mission. It condemned violence on all sides and the "persistence of impunity, as well as of the inflammatory statements made by Burundian political leaders".

The standoff comes as international alarm grows over soaring unrest in Burundi where at least 87 people were killed on December 11 in a crackdown by security forces after an attack on three military bases. Many of the dead were youths who were shot dead by the security forces.

- 'Arbitrary killings' -

Burundi has been in crisis since April, when President Pierre Nkurunziza began seeking a third term in a move that even some in his own camp judged unconstitutional. The situation deteriorated when Nkurunziza was re-elected in July in a poll that was boycotted by the opposition.

The country has since spiralled into violence and there are fears in the international community this could deteriorate into genocide. In a strongly-worded statement issued on Saturday, the AU said it would "take additional measures" to ensure the new force's deployment.

It underlined its determination "to take all appropriate measures against any party or actor... who would impede the implementation of the present decision".

The announcement came two days after the bloc's Peace and Security Council met over the crisis and agreed it would not allow "another genocide" on African soil. No details have been given about which countries might send troops -- or when they would be deployed.

The AU has urged talks with its members including regional countries in the AU's East African Standby Force (EASF) "to generate the troops and police elements needed to quickly reach the authorised strength". The 10-nation EASF includes Burundi itself, and is one of five AU regional bodies with a mandate to boost "peace and security". It has never deployed and is currently a force in principle only.

AU rights investigators last week returned from a fact-finding mission to Burundi expressing "great concern" after witnessing some of the heaviest fighting in the troubled country for months. The AU team said it had reports of "arbitrary killings and targeted assassinations" as well as arrests, detentions and torture.

Karerwa said both chambers of the national parliament would hold an extraordinary meeting on Monday to debate the African Union move, adding that "Burundi always reaches out to the international community"

Suicide bomber kills four Chadian UN peacekeepers in Mali

SUICIDE BOMBER KILLS FOUR CHADIAN U.N PEACEKEEPERS IN MALI

A suicide bomber killed four Chadian United Nations peacekeepers at a military camp in rebel-infested north-eastern Mali on Wednesday, the UN and the government said. The bomber struck in a car laden with explosives at the entrance to the barracks, which houses local soldiers as well as international troops from the UN's MINUSMA peacekeeping force.

"Today at 3:30pm (1500 GMT), a suicide car exploded at the entrance of the MINUSMA camp... The attack killed four peacekeepers," a statement from the force said. "In addition, the attack wounded 10 people who are currently being evacuated, including six from MINUSMA and four members of the Malian armed forces."

The statement quoted MINUSMA chief Bert Koenders condemning "this cowardly and odious attack" in Aguelhok, a town of 8,000 in the Ifoghas mountain range. "I am shocked that brave peacekeepers have again been targeted. This attack will not deter the MINUSMA from its mission of peace and security in Mali," Koenders said.

A Malian military source had earlier said that "at least four Chadian and Malian soldiers" were killed. But a ministry of defence source told Malians initially thought to be among the dead turned out to have survived and were severely wounded, while the dead were all Chadian.

It was the first major attack in the Kidal region since the government and the three main rebel groups signed a ceasefire deal in May to end days of violence in the northern desert. Around 50 Chadians have been killed since the country's leader Idriss Deby sent troops to fight Islamist rebels alongside French troops in Mali at the beginning of last year. Kidal is the cradle of Mali's Tuareg separatist movement, which wants independence for a vast swathe of northern desert it calls "Azawad" and which has launched several rebellions since the 1960s.

- Security challenges 'enormous' -

The country descended into crisis in January 2012, when Tuareg rebels from the National Movement for the Liberation of Azawad launched the latest insurgency. A subsequent coup in Bamako led to chaos, and militants linked to Al-Qaeda overpowered the Tuareg to seize control of Mali's northern desert.

A French-led military operation launched in January 2013 ousted the extremists, but sporadic attacks by armed Islamists have continued, and the Tuareg demand for autonomy has not been resolved. The UN has acknowledged that it is struggling to get peacekeeping troops into place in Mali as France seeks to draw down its force battling militant groups.

Almost 18 months after France intervened to halt an Islamist march on Mali's capital, the UN mission in the impoverished west African nation has just 7,250 of the 11,200 troops it intended to build up, according its website. France is winding down its force from a peak of around 5,000 soldiers but is to keep 1,000 troops in Mali beyond July.

The UN peacekeepers took over security in July last year from a pan-African military mission which had been supporting the French troops. MINUSMA chief Koenders told the UN Security Council in January the security challenges in Mali are still "enormous".

A roadside bomb struck a UN vehicle in northern Mali in April, wounding a peacekeeper from Guinea during a UN visit of foreign dignitaries. Two Senegalese peacekeepers were killed six months ago when a car filled with explosives crashed into a bank in Kidal's regional capital also called Kidal -that was being guarded by MINUSMA troops.

A Malian jihadist, Sultan Ould Badi, claimed responsibility for the attack, calling it payback for African countries' military support for French operations on the continent.

350 Bangladeshi Police to join UN mission in Central African Republic

350 BANGLADESHI POLICE TO JOIN UN MISSION IN CENTRAL AFRICAN REPUBLIC

Dhaka- Bangladeshi police are expected to deploy some 350 personnel to the United Nations peacekeeping mission in Central African Republic in the month of October.

This will be the first United Nations peacekeeping mission in Central African Republic for the members of Bangladesh police, according to a Dhaka-based privately-run news agency. The United Nations decided to start sending peacekeepers from different countries to Central African Republic from September 15. 

Currently, over 1,750 members, including 190 female, of Bangladesh Police have been deployed in different peacekeeping missions in Congo, South Sudan, Darfur, Ivory Coast, Mali and Haiti.

Bangladesh Police Headquarters said has already given consent to the United Nations Headquarters, that Bangladesh police have the capacity to send more peacekeepers as per the requirement. 

On March 14 this year, both Muslim and Christian leaders of Central African Republic pleaded the United Nations Security Council for deploying peacekeepers to the country that has been ripped apart by unprecedented sectarian violence in recent times.

Later, the United Nations secretariat requested the member states to provide peacekeepers with adequate capabilities and equipment, and to enhance the capacity of UN Multidimensional Integrated Stabilisation Mission in Central African Republic (MINUSCA) to operate and discharge its responsibilities, including specialized competencies and language skill appropriate to discharge the entrusted police task. 

United News of Bangladesh quoted an unnamed source at the police headquarters saying the UN headquarters has already sent a request letter seeking contribution to support the MINUSCA.

Two police units comprising 140 members each along with 50 more members for the UNPOL will be deployed to the Central African Republic by October this year if everything goes well, he said. 

Assistant Inspector General of the Police, Assaduzzaman, acknowledged that the police headquarters has already given consent for deploying Bangladeshi peacekeepers.

Assistant Inspector General of Police Assaduzzaman told “We got the new offer to deploy more peacekeepers under UN Peacekeeping Mission as members of Bangladesh police have been discharging their duties with reputation in different countries,”  

French troops in Central African Republic escort Muslims to safety

FRENCH TROOPS IN CENTRAL AFRICAN REPUBLIC ESCORT MUSLIMS TO SAFETY

A Reuters witness said 102 Muslims guarded by 150 French troops, supported by a helicopter patrolling overhead, left the northern suburb of PK-12 on Sunday in trucks for Bambari, about 300 km (190 miles) northeast of the capital.

Almost all Muslims have fled Bangui since the Muslim Seleka rebels, who seized power in March 2013, were forced to step aside in January. The United Nations has since reported a "cleansing" of Muslims from the country's west.

Inter-communal violence has gripped Central African Republic since late 2012 when a battle for power degenerated into violence between Muslims and Christians that have forced about 1 million people from their homes.

Almost 200,000 people have fled the country since December with a further 160,000 are expected to this year.

There was no violence during the journey to Bambari, a town effectively controlled by Seleka in the centre of the country. But the fact that the Muslims went there is a sign of growing de facto partition of Central African Republic.

"I'm going to stay in Bambari. Once the country calms down I'll go back (to Bangui) but if it doesn't calm down I'll remain here," one girl in the convoy told Reuters.

The convoy passed through a Christian neighborhood of the capital where anti-Balaka forces that have conducted much of the violence against Muslims are a powerful force.

"We don't want the Muslims to stay in Bambari ... They need to get out and go directly to Chad. That's what we want," said an anti-Balaka fighter who identified himself as Paterne.

The United Nations Security Council this month authorized a 12,000-strong U.N. peacekeeping mission to be deployed in September, recognition that the 6,000 African and 2,000 French peacekeepers already there have failed to stamp their authority on the country.

Security Council has approved 10000 troops and almost 2000 police for Central African Republic (CAR)

United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon

SECURITY COUNCIL HAS APPROVED 10,000 TROOPS AND ALMOST 2,000 POLICE FOR CENTRAL AFRICAN REPUBLIC (CAR)

The Secretary-General of United Nations Ban Ki-Moon said there is a hole in the heart of Africa because of the atrocities that have been committed in the nations.

Therefore, the Security Council has approved my proposal to deploy a United Nations peacekeeping mission to the Central African Republic (CAR) opening the way for 10,000 troops and almost 2,000 police to bring a semblance of order to a nation in ruins.

I have just returned from a visit to the country to see the situation firsthand. Desperate is an understatement. More than half the population of the Texas-sized country need life-saving assistance. One out of four Central Africans has been uprooted from their homes.

At makeshift camps I visited at the airport outside the capital city of Bangui, as many as 500 people share one toilet. Conditions will only get worse with the onset of the rainy season.

“Who would accept to live here?” one woman cried out to me.

“But we are risking our lives to live where we lived.”

The majority of the country’s Muslim community has fled the country, escaping a brutal wave of sectarian strife that has claimed innocents on all sides. Atrocity crimes continue. The justice system has crumbled. Ethno-religious cleansing is a reality. Whole communities have been dismantled.

Despite the many deprivations, the commodity that the CAR lacks most is time. The peacekeeping mission will take at least six months to get up and running. Meanwhile the country’s people are caught in a daily struggle for survival.

I travelled to the CAR on my way to mark the 20th anniversary of the Rwanda genocide. In Rwanda, I expressed my profound sadness for the international community’s inaction during that country’s hour of need.

But what of crises on our watch?

Will the international community act now instead of apologizing in 20 years for not doing what was needed when we had the chance?

Will national leaders heed the lessons of the past and prevent another Rwanda in our time?

In the center of one of Bangui’s hardest-hit neighborhoods, we drove past block after block of the concrete carcasses of shops and homes. We passed a sea of trucks filled far beyond capacity with pots, pans, water jugs, the last possessions of a population on the run.

Women and men shared harrowing tales of sexual violence, kidnapping and constant threats on their lives. Now they are virtual prisoners desperate only for escape. They told me how schools, hospitals, even cemeteries are off-limits. As one person lamented, “We can’t even help our dead.”

Now is the time to help the living. That requires fast-track action on three fronts.

First, security. African Union and French forces are working hard to restore peace and security. The European Union force that began hitting the ground this week is a welcome addition. But they need reinforcements to contain the violence and protect civilians.

I have called for the immediate deployment of 3,000 more troops and police who would lay the groundwork for the future UN peacekeeping mission.

Second, the government needs help with the very basics — including getting police, judges and prison guards back on the job.

Interim President Catherine Samba-Panza is committed to restoring state authority. But with no budget, her abilities are sharply constrained.

Funding for humanitarian aid is also falling short with only 20 per cent of pledges received.  Third, since the new peacekeeping operation can be only part of the solution, establishing an inclusive political process is crucial. Community and religious leaders are fundamental to promoting tolerance, non-violence and dialogue.

Accountability for horrendous crimes is central to peace. The people of the CAR must see that the rule of law matters no matter who they are or what they believe, from leaders to individual combatants.  These are essential building blocks for reconciliation and ensuring that refugees and the internally displaced can return to their homes and communities.

The alternative is a de facto partition that would lay the seeds of conflict and instability in the fragile heart of Africa for years, perhaps generations. During my visit, a leader of a women’s peace group said, “Our social fabric is in shreds. The bonds of our communities have broken. There is nothing to connect us. But you represent the world and you are here. Now we know we are a part of the world.”

I appreciated her trust but I know we need action to earn it.

The CAR is blessed with abundant resources and fertile land. For generations, it has been a crossroads of cultures where different communities have lived peacefully.

It is up to the international community to prove through deeds that the people of the CAR are indeed part of our common humanity and shared future. A little help will go a long way. We have a collective responsibility to act now instead of expressing regrets twenty years later.

United Nations may approve force for Central African Republic

UNITED NATIONS MAY APPROVE FORCE FOR CENTRAL AFRICAN REPUBLIC

UNITED NATIONS - France is predicting that the U.N. Security Council will vote unanimously Thursday to authorize a nearly 12,000-strong U.N. peacekeeping force for Central African Republic, which has been torn by mounting violence between Christians and Muslims.

The 10,000 U.N. troops and 1,800 police would take over from more than 5,000 African Union soldiers but not until Sept. 15.

France, the country's former colonial power which drafted the resolution, scheduled the vote for Thursday morning. A separate 2,000-strong French force in the Central African Republic would be authorized to use "all necessary means" to support the new U.N. force, to be known as MINUSCA.

Central African Republic has been in chaos since a March 2013 coup, when mostly Muslim Seleka rebels seized power and launched a brutal regime. Christian Anti-Balaka militiamen attacked Seleka strongholds in the capital, Bangui, in early December, and as the rebel government crumbled in January the anti-Balaka stepped up the violence, forcing tens of thousands of Muslims to flee.

The draft resolution expresses serious concern at multiple violations of human rights and humanitarian law committed by both former Seleka elements and anti-Balaka militia including killings, enforced disappearances, arbitrary arrests and detentions, torture, sexual violence against women and children, rape and attacks on civilians, "in particular but not limited to Muslims," and attacks on places of worship.

The draft resolution "demands that all militias and armed groups put aside their arms, cease all forms of violence and destabilizing activities immediately and release children from their ranks."

The Security Council wants a strong mandate and the draft would authorize the new U.N. force to protect civilians and support the disarmament of combatants and the restoration of peace and law and order. It would also authorize MINUSCA to help investigate violations of human rights and humanitarian law by armed groups including former Seleka rebel and the anti-Balaka.

While U.N. peacekeepers and police will not take over until Sept. 15, the draft resolution will establish the U.N. mission, to be known as MINUSCA, immediately. It will take over all activities of the U.N. political office in Bangui, including supporting the political transition process, humanitarian assistance and human rights monitoring.

The draft welcomes Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon's call for "revitalization and acceleration of the political and reconciliation process in order to lay the ground for an end to the conflict," and it urges the transitional authorities to accelerate preparations for free and fair elections no later than February 2015.

Once MINUSCA is established, the African Union force on the ground will receive logistical support from the United Nations. Many of its members are likely to become part of the new U.N. force after being checked to ensure they meet U.N. standards.

The draft resolution stresses "that all perpetrators of violations of international humanitarian law and human rights violations and abuses must be held accountable and that some of these acts may amount to crimes under the Rome statute of the International Criminal Court."

It would authorize MINUSCA to help investigate violations of human rights and humanitarian law by armed groups, including ex-Seleka and anti-Balaka, "and to contribute to efforts to identify and prosecute perpetrators."

The draft notes that Central African Republic is a state party to the ICC and the court's prosecutor has opened a preliminary examination of alleged crimes committed in CAR since September 2012.

UN to evacuate 19,000 Muslims from Central African Republic

U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights Navi Pillay addresses a news conference at the U.N. Integrated Peace-building Office in the Central African Republic (BINUCA) in Bangui, in this March 20, 2014 file photo.

UNITED NATION TO EVACUATE 19,000 MUSLIMS FROM CENTRAL AFRICAN REPUBLIC

GENEVA: The United Nations said on Tuesday it was trying to evacuate 19,000 Muslims urgently from Bangui and other parts of Central African Republic who are surrounded by anti-balaka Christian militia threatening their lives.

Anti-balaka forces control major routes to and from Bangui as well as many towns and villages in the southwest, the UN refugee agency said. The militia has become more militarised as it steps up attacks on Muslims and African Union peacekeepers.

“What we don’t want is to stand by and watch people being slaughtered,” UNHCR spokeswoman Fatoumata Lejeune-Kaba told a news briefing about a conflict that UN officials have warned could spiral into genocide.

“This is what could happen because the only thing keeping them from being killed right now is the presence of the French troops and the MISCA,” she said, referring to African Union peacekeeping forces, known as MISCA.

Mainly Muslim Seleka rebels seized power a year ago, perpetrating abuses on the majority Christian population that triggered waves of revenge attacks, leading to thousands of deaths and displacing hundreds of thousands of people.

Seleka rebels gave way in January to an interim civilian government. But the government backed by 2,000 French and 6,000 African Union peacekeepers — has been unable to halt attacks by anti-balaka militias on Muslims, thousands of whom have fled to neighboring countries or sought shelter in camps.

The anti-balaka pose a particular threat to Muslims in the PK12 neighborhood of Bangui; the towns of Boda, Carnot and Berberati to the west of the capital and Bossangoa to the north, Lejeune-Kaba said.

“We fear for the lives of 19,000 Muslims in those locations. UNHCR stands ready to assist with their evacuation to safer areas both within and outside of the country,” she said.

At least 60 people have been killed in Bangui since March 22, mainly in a series of clashes between anti-balaka and Muslims, UN human rights spokeswoman Cecile Pouilly said.

“In the light of this further deterioration of the security situation, we once again urge states to support the secretary-general’s urgent appeal for thousands more peacekeepers and police,” Pouilly told the briefing.

UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon warned on Monday against any support or facilitation of violence by armed groups in Central African Republic after Chadian troops were accused of opening fire on civilians and killing at least 10 people at the weekend.

At Brussels conference, Ban spotlights crisis in Central African Republic

Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon (right) with Jose Manuel Barroso, President of the European Commission, during the fourth European Union-Africa summit, taking place in Brussels, Belgium. UN Photo/Evan Schneider

AT BRUSSELS CONFERENCE, BAN SPOTLIGHTS CRISIS IN CENTRAL AFRICAN REPUBLIC

2 April 2014 – Stating that the world failed to stop the Central African Republic’s slide “into a grave political, economic and humanitarian crisis,” United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon today urged African and European leaders meeting in Brussels to act quickly to end the killing, protect civilians and prevent further inter-communal strife, including through the deployment of a UN peacekeeping force.

“We have not made the difference that we promised we would make – to prevent the preventable,” Mr. Ban told the High-Level Meeting of the European Union (EU) and African Union (AU) on the crisis in the Central African Republic (CAR).

He noted that after a year of largely continuous violence, the situation in the country remains “highly volatile” with the people suffering “grave deplorable atrocities” and in desperate need of assistance.

Mr. Ban has been at the EU headquarters in Brussels since yesterday, holding a series of meetings with political leaders on a host of issues. At today’s CAR-focused talks, he said the people of the crisis-torn country need support in a number of critical areas and that the international community has a collective responsibility to respond.

Thousands of people are believed to have been killed, and 2.2 million, about half the population of CAR, need humanitarian aid as a result of the conflict that began in December 2012, when mainly Muslim Séléka rebels launched attacks.

More than 650,000 people are still internally displaced, and over 290,000 have fled to neighbouring countries in search of refuge from the conflict, which has taken on increasingly sectarian overtones.

On the current security situation, Mr. Ban said that killings, targeted attacks and other atrocious human rights violations continue in a context of total impunity. Genocide was avoided in large measure because of the mass exodus of minorities to areas where they felt they were safe – with their own people.

Commending the AU-led peacekeepers (MISCA) and the French peacekeeping operation known as Sangaris for their efforts to restore peace and security, he warned: “They are under-resourced and overwhelmed. Reinforcements are needed right away.”

The next priority for the international community is to provide assistance to the CAR’s Transitional Government, which needs help in getting police, judges, prison guards and others back on the job.

The Head of State of the Transition, President Catherine Samba-Panza, is committed to restoring State authority, Mr. Ban noted. “But with no budget, her abilities are sharply constrained. Funding for humanitarian aid is also falling short of the amounts needed and of pledges made, with only 20 per cent of the resources received,” he added.

The final priority action area will be to ensure an inclusive political process. “Community and religious leaders have an important role to play. The people of the CAR must see that accountability applies to all – that the rule of law matters no matter who they are or what they believe, from leaders to individual combatants,” declared the UN chief.

While the international community had not made the difference that it had promised, “today, with even modest support, we have the opportunity to reverse course and help ensure that the people of the CAR can enjoy the fruits of their country’s natural riches and re-establish the coexistence that has been their proud history,” said Mr. Ban.

Speaking on the sidelines of the meeting following his talks with European Commission President José Manuel Barroso, the Secretary-General recalled the recommendations he presented last month to the UN Security Council to transform MISCA into a UN peacekeeping operation.

“But this will take time. Meanwhile, I have a plan to address immediate needs,” Mr. Ban told the press, pledging to do everything possible to improve the international response towards ending the violence. “We also need to get more aid through,” he pleaded, adding that there is hope for the people of CAR to stabilize, rebuild and develop their country, provided they receive the necessary help.

Answering a reporter’s question on the scope of the recommended UN peacekeeping force for CAR, the Secretary-General said: “I have recommended that at least, we need to have 10,000 military personnel, 1,800 police officers and 20 correctional officers. This is within 12,000 altogether. I hope the Security Council will approve my recommendation as soon as possible. My expectation is that the Security Council may take action early next week.”

Mr. Ban expressed appreciation to several European countries, such as Denmark and Finland, who have generously offered to provide additional financial support to help pay the salaries of CAR Government officials, as well as to the EU for its $30 million to help with institution building.

During their meeting, Mr. Barroso and Mr. Ban also reviewed developments in Mali, the broader Sahel, the Africa’s Great Lakes region, and discussed global challenges, such as climate change.

“I fully support the visionary commitment of the European Union to reduce by 40 per cent greenhouse gases by 2030. I hope the European Union will lead this campaign and agree on this vision at the forthcoming June summit meeting so that they can come with a very ambitious target to the climate change meeting that I am going to convene on September 23 this year,” the UN chief said, adding that the EU’s leadership is needed on this matter.

source: http://www.un.org/News/ 

United Nations proposes 12,000-strong force for Central African Republic

UNITED NATIONS PROPOSES 12,000-STRONG FORCE FOR CENTRAL AFRICAN REPUBLIC

United Nations (United States) U.N Secretary General Ban Ki-moon recommended Monday deploying nearly 12,000 peacekeepers in Central African Republic to reestablish Law & order in a country that has erupted in chaos and sectarian killing.

The former French colony was thrown into turmoil after rebels from the mainly Muslim Seleka group seized power in a March 2013 coup, triggering Muslim-Christian violence that has left thousands dead and prompted fears of genocide and ethnic cleansing.

In a report to the 15 members of the United Nations Security Council, Ban specified that the peacekeeping mission should focus, in the initial stage, on "the protection of civilians" as part of a "military surge."

However, Ban warned that "the scale of the needs in the CAR is daunting" and it is understood that even in the best case, UN peacekeepers couldn't be deployed for another six months because of the time required mounting such an operation.

The mandate of the proposed force would be progressively expanded to support the political transition process, in particular restoring the government's authority over the country and organizing elections. The peacekeeping force would also be charged with safeguarding the delivery of humanitarian aid, the respect of human rights and the return of the estimated quarter of the country's 4.6 million people displaced by the violence.

"It is envisaged that the strength of the peacekeeping operation would comprise up to 10,000 troops and 1,820 police personnel," and include logistical and transport support, such as helicopters, the report explained. The deployment would be rolled out in stages.

In the report "To deal with immediate security needs, there will be an initial surge of military personnel and corresponding military enablers,".

"Police will also be phased in and, as the security environment improves, should eventually replace the bulk of the initial military surge capacity," first in the capital, Bangui, and then in the provinces. Little by little, a large civilian component would be added, though the report does not specify exact numbers.

These civilians administrators, engineers, rights observers and lawyers will be charged with helping organize elections, promoting national reconciliation and rebuilding a national government that hasn't been effective for months and which no longer provides essential services for the population.

- 'Dramatic deterioration'

Ban said that he was "deeply concerned about the dramatic deterioration of the situation" in CAR and paid tribute to French and African forces for "their dedication and courage to implement their mandates."

An African Union-led force, MISCA, nearly 6,000-strong, is already engaged on the ground, as are 2,000 French soldiers from its Sangaris operation.

"In spite of the progressive effectiveness of MISCA and Sangaris, the current deployment of international security forces is not sufficient, and lacks the civilian component," Ban said in the report.

"To address the current situation of violence and impunity, a military response alone will not be sufficient, no matter how robust," he added, calling for police forces to help protect civilians. The report gives no figures on the cost for such an operation, but a UN official said it would come to between $500 and $800 million a year.

The Security Council will now be able to work on a draft resolution that would give a green light to the peacekeeping force Ban is requesting. France hopes to submit a text to its partners before the end of the month.

The African Union would also have to accept turning over the reins of its operation to the United Nations: it is expected that most of the 6,000 MISCA troops would become UN peacekeepers. Interim President Catherine Samba-Panza said there was no chance of bringing rapid stability to the Central African Republic without "massive support and assistance from the international community."

United Nations wants 3,000 more troops for CAR African Republic

Victims of Christian-Muslim violence gather at the Mpoko refugee camp in Bangui, Central African Republic, on February 20, 2014. Hundreds of thousands of people have also been displaced by the brutal surge of killings, mutilations, rapes and looting. (AFP photo / Fred Dufour)

United Nations wants 3,000 more troops for CENTRAL African Republic

UNITED NATIONS: U.N Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon appealed to the international community to send an additional 3,000 troops and police to Central African Republic to combat worsening sectarian violence until a likely UN peacekeeping force is established.

He told the United Nation Security Council he would shortly report to the 15-member body with a recommendation for a U.N peacekeeping force with a robust mandate to protect civilians and promote stability in the landlocked former French colony.

Ban, who has said he is gravely concerned the violence could spiral into genocide, warned that a “de facto partition” of the country was setting in. At least 2,000 people have been killed and some 700,000 have been displaced since December.

“The deployment of a peacekeeping operation, if authorized, will take months. The people of the Central African Republic do not have months to wait,” he said. “The international community must act decisively now.”

Ban proposed that an international force of African, French and European troops be increased by a third within weeks to 12,000 soldiers and police. The force would bridge a gap of up to six months until a UN peacekeeping force, if approved by the Security Council, could be established in the country.

“The security requirements far exceed the capabilities of the number of international troops now deployed,” Ban said. “I call for the rapid reinforcement with additional deployments of at least 3,000 more troops and police.”

The bridging force should focus on containing the violence, protecting civilians, preventing more displacements, creating a secure environment for aid delivery, and laying the groundwork for the handover to a UN force as soon as possible, he said.

United Nation aid chief Valerie Amos said on Thursday she had been shocked by what she had seen during a three-day visit to the poor nation at the heart of Africa. “There are not enough troops on the ground,” Amos told a news conference in Bangui, after returning from a trip to the north of the country.

French United Nations Ambassador Gerard Araud said French and African forces had started to stabilize the situation.

“The priority today: What we are going to do in the coming months to try to alleviate the suffering of the Central African people?” he said. “The secretary-general made some proposals. The Security Council is going to have a look at them.”

The European Union is already deploying 1,000 soldiers to join 6,000 African and 2,000 French troops, who have struggled to stop the fighting sparked when the mostly Muslim Seleka rebels seized power a year ago in the majority Christian state.

“I am grateful for these commitments. But more are needed, quickly, and the wider international community must share the burden,” said Ban, who also proposed that the international troops all be brought under a coordinated command.

Ban also proposed that the African Union force be provided with logistical and financial support, including rations, water and fuel, estimating that such a “bare essentials” package would cost $38 million for six months.

African Union Commissioner for Peace and Security Smail Chergui welcomed the call for financial support for African troops.

Ban said urgent financial support was also needed to help the Central African Republic government “get police back on the streets, judges back in the courtrooms, and prison guards back on the job.” He said Denmark and Norway had already pledged money for this aspect of his initiative.

“We have the power to stop the killing and save the Central African Republic from its current nightmare,” Ban said.