UN Boosts Peacekeeping Presence In Troubled Area Of Central African Republic
New York, Dec 23 2009 11:10AM United Nations peacekeepers in the Central African Republic (CAR) are stepping up their
presence near a refugee camp in the country’s northeast where deadly clashes last week have increased tensions in an
already unstable area.
The Secretary-General’s Special Representative to the CAR, Victor Angelo, announced today that the peacekeeping force
(known as MINURCAT) would boost its presence at the Sam Ouandja camp given the security risks in the area and the
precarious situation of the refugees, who are mainly from the neighbouring Darfur region of Sudan.
Mr. Angelo travelled to Sam Ouandja yesterday to assess the situation in the wake of last week’s clashes on a road near
the town that killed two members of the rebel group, the Union of Democratic Forces for Unity – known by its French
acronym, UFDR – and another person.
Tensions have subsequently increased between the UFDR, which has about 100 armed men stationed in Sam Ouandja, and the
Darfurian refugees.
Yesterday Mr. Angelo met with local authorities, civil society groups, the local UFDR leadership, refugee
representatives and aid workers in the affected area.
He encouraged all parties to continue their discussions and said he hoped that national authorities based in the
capital, Bangui, will initiate mediation efforts as soon as possible to restore calm.
The Special Representative also reminded the UFDR of its responsibilities as a non-regular army, calling on members to
exercise restraint in advance of an expected disarmament, demobilization and reinsertion (DDR) programme being
introduced to the CAR.
One of the poorest and most under-developed countries in the world, the CAR has been beset by sporadic conflict between
Government forces and rebels and wider unrest in recent years, leaving hundreds of thousands of people displaced. The
fighting and tensions have been most acute in the northeast.
MINURCAT has been in place in north-eastern CAR and eastern Chad since 2007 to promote peace in the troubled region and
to promote human rights and protect civilians.
ENDS