缅北禁地

27 January 2014 鈥� Warning that the Central African Republic (CAR) is now at a critical juncture, the United Nations human rights chief听听on the international community to help restore security in the country, including by boosting the peacekeeping effort there.

鈥淲e simply cannot let the social fabric of this country be torn apart. I call as a matter of utmost urgency upon the international community to strengthen peacekeeping efforts,鈥� said High Commissioner for Human Rights Navi Pillay.

鈥淭here is a need to urgently restore security not only in Bangui but also in other parts of the country. Many lives are at stake,鈥� she warned in a news release.

Thousands of people are estimated to have been killed, and 2.2 million, about half the population, need humanitarian aid in a conflict which erupted when mainly Muslim S茅l茅ka rebels launched attacks in December 2012 and has taken on increasingly sectarian overtones as mainly Christian militias known as anti-Balaka (anti-machete) have taken up arms.

The High Commissioner鈥檚 call comes amid renewed fighting and the flight of ex-S茅l茅ka and Muslim civilians towards the north of the country, her office () said in a news release.

Since last week, clashes between anti-Balaka and ex-S茅l茅ka supported by armed Muslim civilians in several neighbourhoods in the capital, Bangui, have resulted in several casualties. Mobs went on a rampage, looting shops, homes and mosques in Muslim areas of these neighbourhoods. The fighting has also forced ex-S茅l茅ka and Muslim civilians to flee towards the town of Damara, some 65 kilometres north of Bangui.

Ms. Pillay welcomed the recent appointment of Catherine Samba-Panza as the Head of State of the Transition and her repeated calls for an end to violence.

鈥淗owever, the security and human rights situation has further deteriorated over the past few days. Muslim civilians are now extremely vulnerable. Many are being pushed out of the country, alongside ex-S茅l茅ka, and are now fleeing, mostly towards the Chadian border,鈥� she said.

Serious incidents of violence have also been reported beyond Bangui as ex-S茅l茅ka and Muslim civilians flee the country.

Despite the presence of African peacekeeping troops in Bouar, clashes were reported between remaining ex-S茅l茅ka and anti-Balaka, supported by former national army (ex-FACA) soldiers, on 20 and 21 January. Several civilians and ex-S茅l茅ka fighters were reportedly killed. The town is deserted and anti-Balaka elements have allegedly threatened international organizations that are sheltering the Muslim relatives of their staff.

In the town of Baoro, anti-Balaka reportedly attacked Muslim civilians on 22 January, killing at least 80 people and injuring several hundred. Close to 4,000 houses were also allegedly burned.

Ms. Pillay also voiced concern about the proliferation of armed groups and the 鈥渆xplosion of common criminality鈥� which are making the situation even more chaotic and dangerous.

Last week, both the High Commissioner and听听Ban Ki-moon urged a more robust response to the crisis in CAR to protect civilians, prevent further violence, end impunity and promote reconciliation.