The UN Security Council yesterday (30 January) maintained an arms embargo on the Central African Republic and added incitement to hatred as well as attacks on aid workers as criteria for sanctions.
The council unanimously adopted a French-drafted resolution that would pave the way to targeted sanctions against those fomenting anti-Muslim or anti-Christian violence in the strife-torn country.
UN Security Council Renews CAR Arms Embargo, Threatens More Sanctions – The U.N. Security Council on Tuesday renewed an arms embargo against the Central African Republic for another year and added criteria that could lead to new sanctions. The French-… https://t.co/2O13FVrRCe
— Vincent Makori (@VOAVinceMakori) January 31, 2018
Resurgent armed groups in the Central African Republic (CAR) have resorted to hate speech to stoke tensions, prompting UN Secretary-General António Guterres to warn of a risk of ethnic cleansing.
The council condemned incitement to violence on an ethnic or religious basis and decided that any individual or entity that commits such acts or supports them could face sanctions.
Ça sera pareil pour les bourreaux en #Centrafrique bloc #seleka anti#balaka #3R #UPC #Impunitézéro #Brisonslapeur #Justice @hrw_fr @RJDH_RCA https://t.co/S9aj5PaX09
— zarambaud mamadou (@ZarambaudM) December 22, 2017
French Ambassador Francois Delattre told the council that these “acts of incitement are a scourge for CAR and are at the root of violence that has resulted in too many victims, among civilians and among the blue helmets.”
“There will be no lasting peace in CAR if these acts of incitement continue and the council will shoulder its responsibilities,” Delattre said.
https://t.co/gao4v5eTuo @UNICEF
The ethnic conflict between the Anti-Balaka and the Seleka is rampant. When human rights abuses are ignored or not reported on, many more lives are lost that would of otherwise been saved. #CAR #HumanRights #Africa #UNICEF #ChildrenUnderAttack
— Christopher Sebastian (@cdeansebastian) December 20, 2017
A UN panel of experts recommended in its report in December that hate speech be added as a sanctions criteria to shut down appeals for violence.
Since the council set up a sanctions regime in 2013, 11 individuals including former president Francois Bozize and two entities have been hit by a global travel ban and an assets freeze.
Last year, the council added attacks on peacekeepers, recruiting child soldiers and sexual violence as criteria for sanctions.
The resolution adopted Tuesday added attacks against aid workers as grounds for sanctions after at least 13 relief staff were killed in CAR last year, making it one of the most dangerous countries for humanitarian operations.
An arms embargo put in place in 2013 when the country exploded into violence with the overthrow of Bozize was rolled over to January 2019.
The measure however allows for supplies of arms and other military equipment to CAR’s security forces if these are approved by the UN sanctions committee.
Russia last month received the green light from the committee to deliver light arms to units trained by the European Union.
Russian weapons and Russian military trainers arriving in the Central African Republic, adding a new wrinkle to the crisis. #CARcrisis https://t.co/yfWXzZL1Kd
— joanne mariner (@jgmariner) January 30, 2018
More than one in four Central Africans have fled their homes in the conflict or crossed borders as refugees and 2.5 million people are in need of food aid.
Don't mess with us! These refugee friends from, Central African Republic now live in Lolo refugee settlement, Cameroon. Around 12,000 refugees live in Lolo, with most arriving in 2014. Via @RefugeesCmr pic.twitter.com/AWG72Er2mN
— UN Refugee Agency (@Refugees) January 31, 2018