Elections brought disruption in the Central African Republic

Rebels in the Central African Republic (CAR) have laid under siege the capital, Bangui, to protest against the results of the national elections held in December 2020. As a result, 200,000 people have been displaced, the whole country is experiencing food shortage, and sexual abuses are being reported.

The results of the presidential election brought the CAR into chaos. On December 27, an alliance of armed forces known as the Coalition of Patriots for Change (CPC) launched an attack on Bangui, protesting the re-election of former President Faustin-Archange Touadéra (Ahmed, 2021). President Touadéra defeated more than a dozen candidates with 54% of the total votes. Both the CPC and traditional opposition groups have protested the rejection of former President Francois Bozize’s to run for the election (UN News, 2021b). The CPC, currently the main rebel group in the CAR, is a coalition of two formerly antagonistic armed groups: the Seleka and the Anti-balaka. The former is a coalition of Muslim fighters from the north of the country, along with a few fighters from Chand and Sudan. The latter is a Christian vigilante militia. In the past, both groups have been accused of atrocities such as mass killings and rapes (Maclean, 2021).

Armed forces are blocking the country’s main supply route (MSR1) connecting the capital with the closest port in Cameroon. More than 1,600 trucks are stuck at the border, a third of them carrying humanitarian aid such as food and medicine to fight the Covid-19 pandemic (Ahmed, 2021; OCHA, 2021c). This has caused an escalation in food prices. The price of basic items such as oil, onions, fish, and meat has increased by up to 50%. Even cassava, the country’s staple food, has seen an increase in price up to 57% in rural areas. Shortages of fuel are also being reported in many towns. More than a third of the population, a staggering 1.9 million people, is facing high food insecurity with civilians not being able to meet their daily food needs (OCHA, 2021c). Sexual abuses have also been reported as armed groups frequently make use of sexual violence on civilians. In addition, some refugees have become so malnourished to exchange sexual intercourse for food (BBC, 2021; OCHA, 2021b).

Almost one-third of the population of the CAR has been displaced in recent years and about 200,000 fled since the election results in December (Maclean, 2021). Many people sought refuge in the Democratic Republic of Congo. About 92,000 individuals are being hosted in local communities in North Ubangi, South Ubangi, and Bas Uele (OCHA, 2021a, UN News 2021c). Refugees have settled in 40 different localities, living in dire conditions with poor access to food. Humanitarian organizations have difficulties reaching these locations and, as a consequence, refugees are experiencing acute food shortage. Local rivers are the only source of water and have been used for several activities such as drinking, cooking, and washing, spreading malaria, respiratory infections, and diarrhea that are now common among refugees (UN News 2021c). There are now, approximately, 8,000 refugees in Chad, 6,500 in Cameroon, and 7,000 in the Republic of Congo, while several people remain internally displaced. Many are camping outside churches, lacking food, clothes, bedding, and basic cooking utensils. Motorbikes, the most popular vehicle among civilians, have been banned as they are used by armed groups in their attacks. This had a negative impact on civilians as well, who are now left without means of transportation (Maclean, 2021).

The political situation in the CAR has been unstable for a long time, with the government having no control over two-thirds of the country that are instead controlled by rebel forces. Rebel groups control some of the major mining areas and are involved in the trafficking of gold and diamonds. For them, keeping a distance between the central government and the population is a necessity for their financial interests (BBC, 2021; Maclean, 2021). Despite being full of resources such as uranium and diamonds, the CAR is among the poorest countries in the world, with half of the population dependent on humanitarian aid and nearly three-quarters of its citizens living under the poverty line of $1.90 a day (BBC, 2021; Maclean, 2021).

Humanitarian organizations are trying their best to support the CAR, but the blockage of the main supply route is slowing down the process. Rebel groups have also attacked many humanitarian organizations and seven peacekeepers have already been killed (Ahmed, 2021). Jean-Pierre Lacroix, Under-Secretary-General for Peace Operations, affirmed that the CAR is now the most dangerous country for humanitarian organizations to operate in (UN News, 2021a). Despite the ongoing fears and dangers, many members of humanitarian organizations have decided to stay to bring support and aid. Kessy Martine Ekomo-Soignet, Director of youth-led peace-building organization URU, affirmed: “Our hopes are stronger than our fears” (UN News, 2021a).