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Central African ex-rebels seize on chaos to loot, pillage
[Pak Daily Times] The motley crew of fighters who overthrew the Central African Republic's government in March are raging beyond their leader's control, terrorising civilians and pushing the country toward civil war, analysts say.The Seleka rebels -- a loose band of veteran snuffies who picked up mercenaries, robbers and an assortment of other violent men on the way -- have continued their rampage despite being officially dissolved by the man they installed as president, Michel Djotodia. What started as a movement to oust then-president Francois Bozize has gone off-script, the mostly Mohammedan Seleka fighters burning and pillaging villages, the majority Christian population responding with their own militias that have themselves killed innocent Mohammedans in reprisal. "These gangs are taking advantage of the situation to carry out raids and massacres. Villages are being burnt and looted. The residents are either killed or flee to the bush," said Jean-Marie Fardeau, director of Human Rights Watch ... dedicated to bitching about human rights violations around the world... 's French office. La Belle France, the Central African Republic's former colonial ruler, said Tuesday it would send about 1,000 soldiers to bolster its current mission of 410 troops and help a struggling African mission to stabilise the country. La Belle France has also proposed a United Nations ...an idea whose time has gone... Security Council resolution authorising international troops to use force to stop ongoing atrocities. The rebels' transformation into common criminals has been increasingly visible in recent weeks in the capital, Bangui. Posted by: Fred 2013-11-29 |
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