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Analysis of Conflict and Peacebuilding in the Central African Republic

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Analysis of Conflict and Peacebuilding in the Central African Republic Report November 2015 Analysis of conflict and peacebuilding in the Central African Republic Logo using multiply on layers Logo drawn as seperate elements with overlaps coloured seperately Cover image: A Rwandan soldier exits a U.S. Air Force C17 Globemaster III aircraft near an IDP camp at Bangui M’Poko International Airport, CAR © Wikimedia Commons Contents Executive summary 5 Introduction 6 Part I: Conflict analysis 7 1. Persistent poor governance and its consequences 7 A. Weak and centralised public services unable to deliver 8 B. A security sector weakened from within 9 C. The rise of entrepreneurs of violence 10 D. The northeast geopolitical problem 10 E. Economic mismanagement and decline 10 F. Disenfranchised youth 13 2. Religious identities and socio-economic tensions 14 3. A cycle of violence and vengeance 17 Part II: Analysis of peacebuilding initiatives 19 1. State-led initiatives 19 2. Non-state initiatives 21 Conclusion 24 Bibliography 25 Analysis of conflict and peacebuilding in the Central African Republic • 3 Map of the Central African Republic. © United Nations Acknowledgments Conciliation Resources is grateful to Thierry Vircoulon who conducted the research and contributed to the analysis in this report. We give special thanks to Ned Dalby and Stephanie Brigden for working with Thierry on the final report. We would like to extend our grateful thanks to David Elliot and Caesar Poblicks for managing the final production of this report. Conciliation Resources is very grateful to the European Union, through the Instrument for Stability (IFS) now known as the Instrument contributing to Stability and Peace (IcSP), for its financial support for this publication. The contents of this publication are the sole responsibility of the authors, Thierry Vircoulon and Conciliation Resources, and do not necessarily reflect the views of the European Union. 4 • Conciliation Resources Executive summary The ongoing presidential and legislative elections with Seleka and blamed them for the crimes the in the Central African Republic (CAR) look set rebels committed while in power. Longstanding to produce a new government in early 2016. The jealousy of Muslims’ more influential positions in foremost responsibility of the country’s elected business circles in Bangui and gold and diamond leaders and the Central African people will be mining areas also lay behind attacks on them to stop the violence that has beset the country and their property. Violence clearly targeted since the Seleka rebel coalition’s coup in 2013 against civilians for their religion stoked sectarian and build the foundations of lasting peace. Since tensions and ignited a cycle of revenge attacks. the coup the transitional government, civil society Diverse civilian peacebuilding efforts by the and international partners have launched diverse government, civil society, international NGOs and initiatives to begin the peacebuilding process the UN have struggled to take hold alongside the at the national and local levels, and they have disintegration of the state, fragmentation of armed made some gains. Relatively peaceful elections actors, new outbreaks of violence and a rise in are testament to this. To prevent a backslide, all crime. The government’s efforts to institutionalise stakeholders need to learn from their own and reconciliation have not had the desired impact due others’ efforts and address both the drivers and to internal political quarrels, its loss of credibility long-term underlying causes of the crisis. among citizens and bureaucratic obstacles. On the The causes of the crisis lie in the CAR’s troubled other hand, the country’s religious leaders have past, while new dynamics since 2012 have successfully harnessed their symbolic influence to perpetuated violence. The failure of highly call for restraint, and in the provinces priests have centralised and self-interested governments over successfully mediated local conflicts. decades to provide security and basic services to A plethora of bottom-up local peacebuilding the people has lost the whole political class its initiatives supported by Central African and legitimacy within Central African society. In the international NGOs have helped to stop violence, lead-up to the coup, Former President François mitigate its effects and create more trusting Bozizé’s paranoid weakening of the security relations within and between communities. Local forces left the population and eventually his own civil society actors such as local peace committees government vulnerable to Seleka’s attack. The and religious leaders have proved influential rebel movement came from the northeast, a part frontline mediators due mainly to their proximity of the country historically neglected by central to the communities in which they live and their government. The entrepreneurs of violence religious identity. at the helm of ethnically based rebel militia enlisted guns-for-hire from across the border However, the impact of current civil society to make their challenge. The government’s efforts risks being short-lived. They have largely chronic economic mismanagement also provoked followed a ‘social cohesion’ model that aims to deep resentment among the population while bring diverse communities together through the absence of education or job opportunities mutually beneficial joint activities. These build made disenfranchised young people particularly confidence among participants but do not explicitly vulnerable to recruitment by armed militia or create opportunities for communities to jointly manipulation by politicians. analyse local and national conflicts and plan strategies to manage conflict peacefully. They risk The representation of the conflict, perpetuated by concentrating attention on the recent manifestation the international media, as one pitting Christians of violence between communities, without allowing against Muslims distorts a more nuanced reality. communities to examine the historic causes of Before 2012, religious identity was not a major the conflict. source of tensions, although the minority Muslim community had struggled for official recognition To date the transitional government has lacked for decades with the central government. Central the credibility and legitimacy in the eyes of Central African society was tolerant of religious diversity. African society and the political will to play a But rhetoric by the Bozizé government used to central peacebuilding role. Instead civil society muster support against the advancing Seleka with international support has taken the lead. rebellion created a Muslim threat, portraying the However, a newly elected government will have an northern group as set on an Islamising mission. opportunity in early 2016 to redress this balance. Non-Muslims, the anti-balaka militia foremost It will need to demonstrate its commitment among them, associated the Muslim community to peace in the CAR and earn the trust of the Analysis of conflict and peacebuilding in the Central African Republic • 5 citizens, especially the Muslim community, cycle of violence and create the calm needed and international partners. Only by working in to embark on the long process of political and partnership with civil society will it break the institutional reform. Introduction This study seeks to inform peacebuilding in the CAR 2014. The Sangaris mission paved the way for by explaining the factors that have led to the current the deployment of several peacekeeping forces situation and analysing peacebuilding initiatives in 2014. An African Union-led (AU) peacekeeping launched since the start of the crisis in 2013. The force, the International Support Mission to the analysis has informed the complementary policy Central African Republic (Mission internationale brief, Central African Republic: building the peace,1 de soutien à la Centrafrique sous conduite africaine, which outlines peacebuilding priorities for the CAR MISCA) was transformed in September 2014 into government, civil society and international partners. a full-scale UN peacekeeping mission, the United By using a participatory research methodology Nations Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization the study draws on the perceptions and insights of Mission in the Central African Republic (Mission Central Africans directly affected by the conflict and multidimensionnelle intégrée des Nations Unies recognises their agency as frontline peacebuilders. pour la stabilisation en République centrafricaine, MINUSCA). A European bridging mission (EUFOR- Background to the crisis CAR) was also deployed from April 2014 to March The current crisis began in December 2012 when 2015 in Bangui. a coalition of armed groups from the northeast Since then, calmer periods have alternated with called Seleka marched south towards the capital outbreaks of violence killing hundreds. At the time Bangui. It was stopped before it reached the city. of publication, legislative and presidential elections Negotiations hastily convened in Libreville under were being organised as one of the steps needed to the auspices of the Economic Community of Central establish a legitimate government. African States (ECCAS) led to the creation of a transitional government bringing together then Methodology President François Bozizé and Seleka leaders. The The study is based on weekly monitoring of the Libreville power sharing agreement was short- crisis since it began in December 2012, regular lived: on 24 March 2013, while President Bozizé visits to the capital and the provinces since was
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