Situation in Bangui: calm but tense, volatile and unpredictable (Gen. Ponties)
(BRUSSELS2) Back from Bangui, the head of the European military operation in the Rep. Central African Republic (EUFOR RCA), General Ph. Ponties, presented this Thursday (February 13) before the ambassadors of the Political and Security Committee (COPS), then before the press, an initial inventory of the situation on the spot and the role of the future operation.
Some return to normal...
The general spent three days in the Central African Republic. And the report he draws up is intended to be realistic, neither dramatic, nor too optimistic, very contrasting. The situation in Bangui is generally calm, tense, volatile, and frankly unpredictable”. And he details. The situation is " calmed down. As civil servants have returned to the office, businesses are reopening despite visible supply shortages. The streets are filled with busy people. (NB: which is a good sign). So there is a social life in the streets of Bangui »
... But big stress factors
At the same time, the situation is tense because " the Muslim populations, who feel threatened by the anti-balakas, try to go north”. The situation remains stretched » also because the « anti-Balakas combine settling of accounts, looting, theft, destruction of property. One of the major concerns of the transitional authorities is to try to put in place a position against impunity. »
Muslims flee
On the words of "ethnic cleansing" pronounced by Amnesty International, the general does not want to decide, preferring to leave this qualification to others. He concentrates on what he saw during his visit. " In a few days in Bangui, I will be careful not to draw general conclusions and definitive nationwide ". " I went through 2 districts, one essentially Muslim, the other mixed. The "Muslim" district was in the process of being emptied, the population trying to reach the North, crossing complete predominantly Christian neighborhoods, therefore under strong threat, or trying to reach M'Poko airport to be evacuated by Chadian planes. I crossed a mixed neighborhood which, in fact, is no longer mixed because the Muslim part has been emptied of these inhabitants. And therefore the only remaining populations in this district are predominantly Christian. »
Precarious situation in the camp around the airport: a major challenge for Europeans
In the camp for displaced people near the airport, the situation is difficult to say the least. Between 70 and 100.000 people live in " conditions extremely precarious ". In terms of hygiene, this is particularly critical. There is a " only latrine per 1200 people ". And the authorities are deeply concerned about this situation which could turn into a health disaster with the onset of the rainy season ". " the primer of a return of displaced persons will therefore constitute a major challenge” for the participants in the EUFOR RCA operation, " in its action to restore security " and a " humanitarian challenge » for NGOs and international organizations. " Humanitarian actors are ready to mobilize in coordination with EUFOR RCA " he added.
(Nicolas Gros-Verheyde)
To be continued - for members of the B2 Club (access by subscription): the result of force generation... with a few surprises
