More military help sought by UN to protect CAR civilians

The Africa News.Net Friday 21st February, 2014

more military help sought by un to protect car civilians

NEW YORK - United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has called for more military deployment in the Central African Republic to prevent the restive nation from a dangerous partition on communal lines between Christians and Muslims.


Ban at a meeting at the UN headquarters Thursday said another 3,000 soldiers should be sent immediately to the country that has been ravaged by sectarian killings since last fall.

"Innocent civilians are being murdered in large numbers, deliberately targeted in the most brutal fashion simply because of who they are, the world must act. Our vow of never again is meaningless without the political, military and financial muscle to back it up," Ban said.

The secretary general also called for financial and logistical backing of the African Union-led International Support Mission to the Central African Republic (MISCA) force and the fragile government in the country.

He spelled out a six point plan for the urgent deployment of additional troops by France, the EU and others. He said all forces be brought under a central command structure and at least $38 million were needed to support the African Union troops for a six month bridging period.

Ban also stressed that the country needs tangible support for the Central African Republic government, the start of a reconciliation process and financial support for the vast humanitarian needs.

"The crisis that continues to unfold in the Central African Republic poses a test for the entire international community," Ban said in his remarks to the Security Council, as he outlined a set of measures to address the greatest risks facing the country.

"The situation in the country has been on the agenda of the Security Council for many years now. But today's emergency is of another, more disturbing magnitude. It is a calamity with a strong claim on the conscience of humankind," said the United Nations chief.

He noted that over the past year the country has witnessed, in quick succession, the violent overthrow of the government, the collapse of state institutions and a descent into lawlessness and sectarian brutality.

The crisis in the Central African Republic has already claimed thousands of lives, uprooted almost one million people and left more than 2.5 million people in need of immediate humanitarian assistance.

The crisis began after Muslim rebels overthrew the president nearly a year ago. In response, a Christian militia sprang up and violence between the two communities has continued?

There are nearly 6,000 African Union troops on the ground, aided by about 2,000 French soldiers. If the UN's proposal for another 3,000 troops gets a nod, it would bring the total of international forces to 11,000 in the violence-ravaged country.

The UN chief said he would soon return to the Security Council with specific recommendations for a UN peacekeeping mission with "a robust mandate to protect civilians".

"I have called many world leaders to enlist their support, emergency relief coordinator Valerie Amos is in the country now, we are doing our utmost to contain the violence and get the country back on track."

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