Nov 09, 2015 Hundreds of people recently marched through the capital of the Central African Republic in a campaign to rearm the country’s army.
In December 2013, the U.N. Security Council imposed an embargo on the army after it was accused of taking part in attacks by mainly Christian anti-balaka militia. However, the police and gendarmerie were still allowed to carry arms.
The marchers, which included members of the transitional council backing interim President Catherine Samba-Panza, appealed to the United Nations to restore the army’s weapons.
While addressing the marchers, Alexandre-Ferdinand Nguedet, president of the CNT transition committee said:
“Today it is up to this government and also the international community to integrate our defense and security forces within a week,”
Bruno Gbiegba, a member of the committee said:
“Since the government was not able to play its role, through these actions the national assembly is asking the government to fulfill its responsibility and reinstate the defense and security forces in order to protect the Central African population,”
Over 90 people have been killed in the capital, since late September, in attacks by militia groups. The unrest has led to the delay in the presidential and parliamentary elections.
Angie Maxime Kazagui said:
“Enough is enough. We needed to get involved this time, more than before, in order to rearm and reinstate FACA to bring peace back to our country,”