The Central African Republic, gifted with virgin rainforests and rich in gold, diamonds and uranium, now faces the danger of losing its luster. Since gaining its independence from France in 1960, it has metamorphosed into one of the most tumultuous nations in Africa as a result of political instability and a collapsing health service.
General Francois Bozize led an army of insurgents last year that took the capital, Bangui, toppling elected President Ange-Felix Patasse in March 2003. Today, transitional institutions have been established and elections are envisioned for January 2005. Still, serious financial difficulties confront Central African Republic, where important progress has been made towards restoring constitutional order. Peace risks being compromised or even overturned. International support is critical to stabilizing the situation.
However, in the political struggle for power that ensued a mix of foreign-armed militias and regular forces have created mayhem in areas outside the city, according to a report by Ramiro Lopes da Silva, Special Envoy of the United Nations to the Central African Republic. This has prompted tens of thousands of refugees to flee into neighbouring Chad. The Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) registered some 42,000 Central African refugees in Chad during the period 2002-2003. The report also states that the present political détente is having a limited impact on the day-to-day lives of Central Africans, particularly those living in rural areas. This is a consequence of the extremely slow return of State administration and services, but particularly as a direct consequence of increasing activity by growing numbers of armed bandits.
The Central African Republic is among the world’s 174 poorest countries, with 95 per cent of its population living on less than $2 a day. The problem is compounded by the lack of monetary support needed to stabilize the transition and enable economic development in the country. So far, the United Nations has collected just $700,000 of the $16.8 million it asked for in November 2003. Part of the reason for such a low level of response, the report notes, was due to the fact that the State is not perceived as “strategically important”, as it stands isolated both by being landlocked and having only two diplomatic missions. “The ingredients exist for a major humanitarian disaster to occur in the Central African Republic”, Mr. Lopes da Silva said in his report. The country today is an authentic “culture medium” for epidemics, such as malaria, cholera, measles and meningitis, in addition to the growing number of people being affected by HIV/AIDS. According to the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), immunization coverage for measles was 37 per cent in 2002, and plummeted even lower as a result of eight epidemic outbreaks in 2003. Some $2 million are required to fund the projects of the World Health Organization and UNICEF, which include restarting an expanded immunization programme and revitalizing the health care system for women and children.
The agriculture sector in the country is also among the worst hit by the political-military coup of 2002-2003. The first coup occurred in October when farmers were finishing their harvest. The violent incidents spread to the rural areas north of Bangui, the most populated and agriculturally rich regions, disrupting the harvest and resulting in a second poor agriculture season, the report notes.
Logistical and financial support to UN security forces and the national army is insufficient to restore security control across the country. According to the report, “there is a need to keep the outside world informed of the evolution of the situation in the Central African Republic”. —Namrita Talwar |
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