UN peacekeeping chief discusses roll-out of Central African Republic mission

UNITED NATIONS PEACEKEEPING CHIEF DISCUSSES ROLL OUT OF CENTRAL AFRICAN REPUBLIC MISSION IN BANGUI

03 May 2014 – The head of United Nations peacekeeping operations continued today his visit to the Central African Republic (CAR), where he met a range of stakeholders and pledged that “no effort will be spared” towards full deployment of a newly mandated 12,000-strong United Nation mission to help stabilize the crisis-riven country.

At a press conference earlier today in the CAR capital of Bangui, Hervé Ladsous, Under-Secretary-General for UN Peacekeeping Operations, told reporters that he had headed to the country as soon as possible following the Security Council's unanimous authorization on 10 April of the UN Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission, to be known as MINUSCA.

“I have come…to personally get a more accurate picture of the situation. To hear from the different actors and stakeholders, to be sure that we integrate all these elements in the vision we have for deployment of MINUSCA, "said Mr. Ladsous, emphasizing the Organization's commitment to help usher the country of “this terrible crisis,” and end the suffering that has continued “far too long.”

Fighting in CAR has taken on an increasingly sectarian nature following a 2012 coup and has since grown more brutal with reports of ongoing human rights violations and reprisal attacks between largely Christian anti-balaka and mostly Muslim Séléka rebels that have displaced hundreds of thousands of people both inside and outside the country, and left 2.2 million in need of humanitarian aid.

The new UN Mission will take over the responsibilities of the African-led International Support Mission, known as MISCA, and, as from 15 September 2014, will initially comprise up to 10,000 military personnel, including 240 military observers and 200 staff officers, as well as 1,800 police personnel.

Further, the Council has requested Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon to incorporate the presence of the UN Integrated Peacebuilding Office in the Central African Republic (BINUCA) into MINUSCA and to ensure “a seamless transition” from one entity to the other.

"I think we are now in a phase where we will work hard to ramp up MINUSCA, building on the excellent work that had already been the Special Representative of the Secretary-General Gaye [in] BINUCA,” said Mr. Ladsous.

The new mission will aim to protect civilians and facilitate humanitarian access in the war-torn country, and Mr. Ladsous said the shift from a political office to a peacekeeping operation would enhance the UN capacities on the ground, including through the deployment of civilian teams, as well as military and police components.

"[MINUSCA's aim] is therefore to create safe conditions for significant improvement in the situation. It will help restore [State authority] and its various institutions. It is also to help with a political process…and national reconciliation," he added.

"We will spare no efforts…and I think we have the desire to work with all stakeholders in the international community, with our partners in the African Union, in the Economic Community of Central African States (ECCAS), and major regional actors, all in a unity of vision, "Mr. Ladsous declared, adding that the CAR Government must also play a key role in easing the crisis.

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/