The rebel fighters who overthrew the government of the Central African Republic (CAR) earlier this year, and who now comprise the country’s armed forces, are “out of control”, says the international advocacy group, Amnesty International.
In a report released on Tuesday, Amnesty says senior military and government officials in the CAR told its researchers they want the United Nations to deploy a peacekeeping mission with a mandate to use force to bring the country under control before it becomes “totally ungovernable”.
The report – which details a litany of human rights abuses since Seleka rebels first launched an offensive against, and then overthrew former President Francois Bozizé – says researchers were told that government ministers who are not leaders of Seleka factions are “powerless” to prevent violations.
Even the orders of President Michel Djotodia are often disobeyed if they are issued to rebels who are not part of his faction. Moreover, his faction is among those reported to have committed violations, the report says.
In a press release issued with the report, Godfrey Byaruhanga, an Amnesty researcher, said that “Seleka forces have attacked civilians across the country, executing and torturing civilians, indiscriminately shelling communities, raping women and forcefully conscripting children”.
He added: “The level of hopelessness and despair has reached a new high as a result of these persistent, large scale human rights violations, which may amount to war crimes and crimes against humanity.”
The report cites evidence suggesting that Seleka forces have grown from 5,000 fighters when they overthrew Bozizé in March to 20,000 two months later. Among the fighters are an estimated 3,500 child soldiers, and elements from Chad and Sudan.
