CAR Joint oral statement at the 33rd HRC

The Central African Republic joint statement made at the 33rd session of the Human Rights Council in September 2016 together with Jubilee Campaign.

Agenda Item 10: The Situation in the Central African Republic

Speaker: Claire Denman

Organisation: Jubilee Campaign

Thank you Mr President.

Jubilee Campaign together with Christian Solidarity Worldwide welcomes the Independent Expert’s report and her work in highlighting human rights development in the CAR over the last 12 months.

While the CAR has returned to democratic rule with relatively few incidents of violence, the security situation remains problematic.

The situation outside of the capital remains volatile, with the Seleka militia controlling significant parts of the north and the anti-Balaka militias, the south-west. On 16 September there were reports of an anti-Balaka attack on a Seleka stronghold in Kaga Bandoro, 350km north of Bangui. Ten people were reportedly killed in the fighting – the majority of whom were civilians.1 The Seleka moved from house to house, looting and damaging property. The premises of humanitarian organisations were destroyed along with one Bible school in the area, forcing students to flee. The attack led to the mass displacement of villagers and sparked violence in other parts of the country.

Read the full statement (pdf).