UN ‘deeply alarmed’ by CAR unrest

The United Nations said Wednesday that it was “deeply alarmed” by unrest in the Central African Republic, which it said posed a serious threat to public safety and to upcoming elections.

The CAR’s fourth-largest town Bambari was seized by rebels on Tuesday ahead of presidential and legislative polls scheduled for Sunday. It is now back under the control of UN peacekeepers and national security forces.

“Armed violence presents serious risks to the safety of civilians and the exercise of the right to vote,” UN Human Rights Office spokeswoman Liz Throssell said in a statement.

“We are deeply alarmed by reports of escalating violence stoked by political grievances and hate speech, resulting in the forced displacement of civilians, including to neighbouring countries.”

The Human Rights Office called for all parties in the CAR to “put an end to the violence” and reminded them that they were bound by international humanitarian and human rights laws.

“The protection of civilians is paramount,” said Throssell.

“We believe that neighbouring countries, the African Union and the Economic Community for Central African States have a central role to play in ensuring a peaceful resolution of this crisis and protecting the civilian population.”

The CAR is one of the poorest and most unstable countries in the world, experiencing only rare moments of peace since it became independent from France in 1960.