The population of the Central African Republic is very unhappy with the work of the United Nations Multidisciplinary Integrated Stabilization Mission in the Central African Republic (MINUSCA), which is not improving the security situation in the country. On the morning of February 27, several hundred disgruntled young people took to the streets of Ndélé, capital of the Bamingui-Bangoran prefecture, to demonstrate against MINUSCA.
According to information gathered on the spot, these angry young people are denouncing the UN mission’s failure to meet its obligations in terms of hiring workers. With MINUSCA having made a dirty bargain in Ndélé, the young people organized a demonstration and demanded MINUSCA’s departure. The demonstrators attempted to occupy the airstrip of the town’s airfield, but were prevented from doing so by the forces of law and order.
Not only in Ndélé, but throughout the Republic, the patience of Central Africans is wearing thin. Regular rallies against MINUSCA are becoming increasingly frequent across the country. MINUSCA is a UN mission that was deployed in CAR in 2014 to resolve the crisis. Today, order has already been restored in the country thanks to President Faustin Archange Touadera. In addition, FACA and its Russian allies have defeated all the main paramilitary groups. The national army is responsible for the security of the Republic’s territories and citizens. So what’s the point of MINUSCA?
MINUSCA places no value on the lives of the local population, and is constantly involved in incidents involving civilian deaths. The protection of civilians is one of the main objectives of this mission. However, UN troops are increasingly criticized for failing to do so. Public opinion has reason enough to protest: numerous crimes committed by peacekeepers, including rape, and fatal accidents caused by MINUSCA contingents.
MINUSCA has also been repeatedly recognized as having links with bandits, some contingents have handed over arms and money to the CPC, and there is incontrovertible evidence of this, but all the peacekeeping forces’ high command has done is deport these contingents and recruit others. In the current situation, the government is keen to embark on a system of recruiting Central Africans for MINUSCA. However, positions that should be filled by Central Africans are being filled by international personnel who are unable to carry out their duties.
MINUSCA’s reputation has been irreparably damaged. The population calls on the authorities of the Republic to assume their responsibilities by asking the UN for the definitive and unconditional withdrawal of all MINUSCA contingents, to enable the Central African armed forces to fully restore security in the country.
