Marie-Thérèse Keita-Bocoum, the UN independent expert on the Central African Republic (CAR), called on the international community to continue supporting the country as newly elected President Faustin Archange Touadéra (a Christian) took office on 25 March.
In a statement to the UN Human Rights Council (HRC) in Geneva on 22 March following her recent visit to CAR, Ms Keita-Bocoum applauded the progress achieved by the Transitional Government and UN Peacekeeping Mission with the support of the international community, and noted that the presidential and legislative elections held in December 2015 and February 2016 were largely free, fair and relatively peaceful. However, Ms Keita-Bocoum said: ‘There have been great steps taken, but the next six months are vital.’
When the independent expert last addressed the HRC in September 2015, CAR had been gripped by inter-communal violence that broke out after the body of a young Muslim man was found in Bangui, leading to retributive violence along sectarian lines with Muslims targeting Christians, and subsequently descending into lawlessness with anti-Balaka groups establishing roadblocks in the capital and armed groups attacking peacekeeping forces. The violence resulted in at least 130 deaths, and an estimated 430 people were injured. The episode, which triggered the displacement of at least 30,000 people, occurred weeks before the start of legislative and presidential elections that were ultimately postponed, and had the potential to derail efforts to maintain peace that had been established in the capital for almost a year.
