The UN Human Rights Office (OHCHR) on Tuesday said it was concerned about a potential outbreak of fresh violence in the Central African Republic ahead of Sunday’s second round of parliamentary elections.
The unstable nation was plunged into a fresh crisis after a coalition of rebels attempted to violently boycott elections in December and then destabilize the administration of President Faustin Archange Touadera after he won reelection.
“We are very worried about the volatile situation in the Central African Republic (CAR) and the risk of renewed violence in the context of the second round of the legislative elections, due to take place next Sunday, 14 March,” the OHCHR said in a statement.
“We are extremely concerned by allegations of such human rights violations and abuses by national security forces and armed groups. In this context, the imposition of a night-time nationwide curfew from 7 January and the decision to extend the state of emergency, which began on 21 January, by six months from 5 February, have resulted in a fragile situation in which human rights may be further at risk.”
Threats of military action and sporadic fighting situation between the army and rebels have also prevented humanitarian organizations from going into various towns to support civilians.
The OHCHR called on authorities to ensure that civilians caught up in the conflict are protected and international laws are respected.
The OHCHR also called for thorough and independent investigations into allegations of human rights abuses by both security forces and armed groups and the perpetrators to be held to account as the best way to restore peace in the restive country.
The OHCHR said the UN mission in the country, MINUSCA, had documented about 185 cases of human rights violations and abuses from October to December last year, the majority of which were allegedly committed by the rebel groups.
“Accountability for past and recent human rights violations and abuses is the only way to break the cycle of violence in CAR and to bring peace and stability to the country, without which it will not be able to recover from its dire economic situation.
The Central African Republic has been unstable since gaining independence from France in 1960 and was plunged into further turmoil in 2013 when Muslim rebels from the Seleka umbrella group seized power in the majority-Christian country.
Violence has persisted in the country despite a peace deal being reached between the government and 14 rebel groups in early 2019 following weeks of talks in Sudan.
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