Pretoria - Concerned by widespread human rights violations and the “increasing cycle of violence and retaliation” in the Central African Republic (CAR), the Security Council has extended the mandate of the United Nations peace-building office in that country.
The Security Council has also authorized the deployment of several hundred troops from the European Union, and added travel bans and asset freezes to an arms embargo already in place.
The unanimous decision by the UNSC comes as the CAR struggles to transition from instability and lawlessness, which began with the overthrow of the government in March last year.
The resolution by the UN is seen as the next step in a matrix that will eventually see a fully-fledged peacekeeping force deployed to that country.
The 15-member council extended the mandate of the UN Integrated Peace-building Office in the CAR (BINUCA) to 31 January 2015. It is hoped this will support the implementation of the transition process by expediting the re-establishment of constitutional order and implementing the 2013 Libreville agreements, which resulted in a temporary ceasefire and created a unity government in which opposition figures were given key posts.
The rebels claimed government failed to live up to its commitments, and the conflict reignited, resulting in thousands of people being killed in the past 10 months. The violence has recently taken on increasingly sectarian overtones, with mainly Christian militias, known as anti-Balaka (anti-machete), taking up arms against an alliance of mainly Muslim rebel groups, known collectively as Séléka.
Included in the resolution is a call on CAR’s transitional government, led by newly appointed Catherine Samba-Panza, the former mayor of the capital city of Bangui, to speed up, with BINUCA’s support, progress towards “free and fair” elections.
These are to be held no later than February 2015, and if possible, in the second half of 2014.
The UNSC members also called for the holding of national dialogue, in close coordination with the UN office, to promote reconciliation.
Included also in BINUCA’s mandate is support for conflict prevention and humanitarian assistance, and the promotion and protection of human rights.
The council also authorised a new international push in CAR, allowing European troops to deploy an operation for an initial six months “to take all necessary measures”.
Member States, including CAR’s neighbours, are requested to support the EU action, in particular by facilitating personnel, equipment, provisions, supplies and other goods, vehicles and spare parts intended by these troops.
The Council last month authorised an African-led and French-backed peacekeeping force (known by its French acronym MISCA) to quell the spiralling violence.
Among the positive steps taken by the mission in recent weeks has been aiding UN agencies to secure humanitarian access.
The council, which had considered imposing targeted measures - including travel bans and assets freezes - in December, decided that all Member States “shall take the necessary measures to prevent the entry into or transit through their territories”.
It also decided that states “freeze, without delay all funds, other financial assets and economic resources which are on their territories, which are owned or controlled, directly or indirectly” by the designated individuals or entities.
In December 2013, the Council unanimously adopted a resolution imposing several measures, including a year-long embargo on the supply of arms, military equipment and related assistance to non-state actors in the CAR.
UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, supported by the UN human rights office and other UN entities, has described the human suffering in the country as “a crisis of epic proportions”. – SAnews.gov.za
