Anti-balaka explained

Anti-balaka
Active:2013–present
Headquarters:Bossangoa[1] (until 2021)
N'Djamena, Chad (since 2021)[2]
Partof:Coalition of Patriots for Change (since 2020)
Opponents:Séléka and splinter groups (until 2020)
Battles:Central African Republic Civil War (2012–present)

The Anti-balaka (anti-machete) is an alliance of militia groups based in the Central African Republic in the early 21st century said by the Guardian to be composed primarily of Christians, but to include some Muslims.[3] However, some church leaders have contested the claimed exclusively Christian character of such groups.[4] The Tony Blair Faith Foundation and journalist Andrew Katz have noted that animists also participate in Anti-balaka groups.[5] [6]

This militia formed in the Central African Republic after the rise to power of Michel Djotodia in 2013.[7] Amnesty International reported in 2015 that some members of anti-balaka groups have forcibly converted Muslims to Christianity.[8] Anti-balaka leaders have also been present at torture session of people accused of being witches in public ceremonies, and Anti-balaka have been accused of extorting money with witchcraft accusation, according to an internal UN report.[9]

Terminology

Though "anti-balaka" is often translated as "anti-machette", a different origin is also claimed:

UN Congolese peace-keepers' murder and torture of Anti-balaka

According to Human Rights Watch Congolese peackeeping forces operating under the auspices of the UN, murdered a number of Anti-balaka, including a mass murder of 12 people, and tortured others.[10]

History

Some commentators have said that village militias formed in the 1990s to protect against highwaymen were a precursor to the Antibalaka.[7] Unable to provide security throughout the remote areas of the country, President François Bozizé organized, self-protection groups in 2009 to combat crime on the village level; these took the name Antibalaka.[5]

In March 2013, President Bozizé (a Christian) was overthrown by a coup during the Central African Republic Civil War by a mostly Muslim rebel coalition known as Séléka. The leader of the Séléka, Michel Djotodia, became the first Muslim president of the country.[11] With the disbanding of the army by Djotodia, many army members joined the militia, boosting their numbers and helping train them.[5]

Djotodia announced the dissolution of the Séléka in September 2013,[12] but most of the militias refused to disband.[13] The Séléka and the anti-balaka engaged in a cycle of increasing violence.[13] [14]

As many Christians had more settled lifestyles and many Muslims were nomadic, competing claims to the land were another dimension of the tensions.[15] In November 2013, the UN warned that the country was at risk of spiraling into genocide,[16] and was "descending into complete chaos".[17] France described the country as "...on the verge of genocide".[18] On 2 December 2013, anti-balaka militiamen are suspected to have killed 12 people, including children, and wounded 30 others in an attack on the mostly-Muslim Fula in Boali, according to the government.[19] This was amidst the Central African Republic conflict under the Djotodia administration.Early 2014 marked a turning point; hardened by war and massacres, the anti-balaka committed multiple atrocities.[6] In December 2013, UNICEF reported that in sectarian violence in Bangui, at least two children were beheaded and one of them was mutilated.[20]

2014

In 2014, Amnesty International reported several massacres committed by anti-balaka militias against Muslim civilians, forcing thousands of Muslims to flee the country.[21] On 13 January more than 100 people were killed by Anti-balaka in Bossemptélé massacre.[22]

In 2014, the corpse of Camille Lepage, a missing French photojournalist, was found by French soldiers in a truck used by Anti-Balaka members.[23]

On 24 June 100 Anti-balaka fighters attacked Bambari. 46 people were killed and 28 wounded.[24]

2017

On 9 May 2017 Anti-balaka attacked UPC forces in Alindao before withdrawing to Mingala.[25] On 13 May Anti-balaka attacked Bangassou killing more than 115 people including one peacekeeper.[26] On 18 May heavy clashes erupted between Anti-balaka and ex-Seleka in Bria resulting in 26 deaths.[27]

2018

On 31 October 2018 clashes broke out between anti-Balaka and ex-Séléka fighters in Batangafo resulting in at least 15 deaths.[28]

2019

In 2019, an Anti-balaka leader in Satema killed a 14-year-old girl in a ritualistic way to increase profit from mines.[29]

2020

2021

Since 2021 large number of former Anti-balaka fighters were recruited by Wagner Group into so-called Black Russians. They were responsible for numerous war crimes, including 2021 Boyo killings.[35]

See also

Notes and References

  1. Web site: How to prevent a return to violence in the Central African Republic. October 2020. 2020-12-18. 2020-11-24. https://web.archive.org/web/20201124040001/https://www.c-r.org/news-and-insight/how-prevent-return-violence-central-african-republic. live.
  2. https://www.rfi.fr/fr/afrique/20211106-françois-bozizé-et-d-autres-chefs-rebelles-centrafricains-se-trouvent-à-ndjamena François Bozizé et d'autres chefs rebelles centrafricains se trouvent à Ndjamena
  3. Web site: Christian militias take bloody revenge on Muslims in Central African Republic . Guardian . 10 March 2014 . 29 January 2018 . 2 May 2019 . https://web.archive.org/web/20190502061544/https://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/mar/10/central-african-republic-christian-militias-revenge . live .
  4. Web site: There are no Christian militias killing Muslims in the Central African Republic . Aid to the Church in Need . 26 September 2016 . 7 May 2019 . https://web.archive.org/web/20190507060622/http://www.members4.boardhost.com/acnaus/msg/1392602320.html . dead .
  5. Web site: Emily Mellgard . What is the Antibalaka? . tonyblairfaithfoundation . 26 September 2016 . https://web.archive.org/web/20160927203334/http://tonyblairfaithfoundation.org/religion-geopolitics/commentaries/backgrounder/what-antibalaka . 27 September 2016 . dead .
  6. News: 'A Question of Humanity': Witness to the Turning Point In Central African Republic. May 29, 2014. Time. Andrew Katz. June 4, 2014. September 20, 2018. https://web.archive.org/web/20180920233642/http://time.com/42131/anti-balaka-central-african-republic/. live.
  7. http://en.apa.az/xeber_cafrica_militia_is_an_enemy_of_peace__f_206912.html C.Africa militia is an enemy of peace: French commander
  8. https://www.amnesty.org.uk/press-releases/central-african-republic-unprotected-muslims-forced-abandon-religion Central African Republic: Unprotected Muslims forced to abandon religion
  9. News: Witch burning rebels stoke Central African Republic violence. Esslemont. Tom. U.S.. 2018-04-11. en-US. 2019-02-04. https://web.archive.org/web/20190204074444/https://www.reuters.com/article/us-centralafrica-witchcraft/witch-burning-rebels-stoke-central-african-republic-violence-idUSKBN0TF03920151126. live.
  10. https://www.hrw.org/news/2016/06/07/central-african-republic-murder-peacekeepers
  11. News: Religious tensions rise in C.Africa after coup. AFP. December 4, 2013. March 31, 2013. February 27, 2014. https://web.archive.org/web/20140227195348/http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5jfAp3fJ1ouxd_gpogscNQPKN-Cww?docId=CNG.8bc9199938545b57ad5b571a24ae95eb.121. dead.
  12. News: CAR's Djotodia dissolves Seleka rebel group. AFP. 5 December 2013. 13 September 2013. 3 September 2014. https://web.archive.org/web/20140903013528/http://www.france24.com/en/20130913-central-african-republic-djotodia-dissolves-seleka-rebel-group/. live.
  13. News: Unspeakable horrors in a country on the verge of genocide. AFP. 5 December 2013. 22 November 2013. 2 December 2016. https://web.archive.org/web/20161202011436/https://www.theguardian.com/world/2013/nov/22/central-african-republic-verge-of-genocide. live.
  14. News: CAR's death toll much higher than thought, says Amnesty. BBC News. 19 December 2013. 19 December 2013. 19 December 2013. https://web.archive.org/web/20131219065537/http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-25441511. live.
  15. News: 'We Live and Die Here Like Animals'. Foreign Policy. 25 November 2013. 13 November 2013. 2 December 2014. https://web.archive.org/web/20141202215406/http://www.foreignpolicy.com/articles/2013/11/13/we_live_and_die_here_like_animals_central_african_republic_muslim_christian_violence. live.
  16. News: UN warning over Central African Republic genocide risk. BBC News. 4 December 2013. 4 November 2013. 16 March 2018. https://web.archive.org/web/20180316214955/http://www.bbc.com/news/av/world-africa-24800682/un-warning-over-central-african-republic-genocide-risk. live.
  17. News: BBC News - Central African Republic 'descending into chaos' - UN. BBC News. 5 December 2013. 26 November 2013. 5 December 2013. https://web.archive.org/web/20131205212529/http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-25095471. live.
  18. News: France says Central African Republic on verge of genocide. Reuters. 4 December 2013. 21 November 2013. 23 November 2013. https://web.archive.org/web/20131123121217/http://uk.reuters.com/article/2013/11/21/uk-centralafrica-france-idUKBRE9AK0WU20131121. live.
  19. News: Central African Republic militia 'killed' children. BBC News. 5 December 2013. 4 December 2013.
  20. Mark Tran & agencies, Children 'beheaded and mutilated' in Central African Republic, says Unicef, The Guardian (December 30, 2013).
  21. News: Christian threats force Muslim convoy to turn back in CAR exodus. The Guardian. 17 February 2014. 14 February 2014. 2 February 2017. https://web.archive.org/web/20170202135452/https://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/feb/14/muslim-convoy-central-african-republic-exodus. live.
  22. Web site: Central African Republic: Ethnic cleansing and sectarian killings. 12 February 2014. Amnesty International. 27 August 2021. 16 April 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20210416105806/https://s3-eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/alfrescotemporary/AI_CAR+report_Feb2014.pdf. live.
  23. Web site: French photojournalist Camille Lepage killed in Central African Republic. May 13, 2014. the Guardian. Feb 16, 2021.
  24. https://undocs.org/pdf?symbol=en/S/2014/562 Report of the Secretary-General on the situation in the Central African Republic
  25. Web site: Central African Republic. Operational Update. May 2017. 2021-08-27. 2021-04-19. https://web.archive.org/web/20210419212436/https://reliefweb.int/sites/reliefweb.int/files/resources/UNHCR%20Central%20African%20Republic%20Operational%20Update%20-%201-31%20May%202017.pdf. live.
  26. Web site: Red Cross: 115 bodies found in CAR's Bangassou. 17 May 2017.
  27. Web site: CAR: Clashes break out in Bria (northeast) May 18-19 . 2021-08-27 . 2021-04-15 . https://web.archive.org/web/20210415114603/https://www.garda.com/crisis24/news-alerts/61706/car-clashes-break-out-in-bria-northeast-may-18-19 . live .
  28. Web site: Summary of internal review on the October 31st events in Batangafo, Central African Republic. February 2019. 2021-08-27. 2020-03-24. https://web.archive.org/web/20200324164518/https://arhp.msf.es/sites/default/files/MSF-Report-Unprotected-Batangafo_EN.pdf. dead.
  29. https://undocs.org/pdf?symbol=en/S/2019/930 Letter dated 6 December 2019 from the Panel of Experts on the Central African Republic extended pursuant to resolution 2454 (2019) addressed to the President of the Security Council
  30. Web site: RCA : vive tension à Grimari, un général Anti-Balaka tué par les FACA. 3 August 2020. 27 August 2021. 18 September 2020. https://web.archive.org/web/20200918163433/https://corbeaunews-centrafrique.com/rca-vive-tension-a-grimari-un-general-anti-balaka-tue-par-les-faca/. live.
  31. Web site: Centrafrique : Deux factions des antibalaka font couler des sangs à Batangafo. 25 October 2020. 27 August 2021. 5 December 2020. https://web.archive.org/web/20201205225109/https://lepotentielcentrafricain.com/centrafrique-deux-factions-des-antibalaka-font-couler-des-sangs-a-batangafo/. live.
  32. Web site: Centrafrique : 7 morts et une centaine de blessés, un bilan provisoire des violences au nord du pays. 27 October 2020. 27 August 2021. 30 October 2020. https://web.archive.org/web/20201030113752/http://news.abangui.com/h/73465.html. live.
  33. https://letsunami.net/centrafrique-declaration-de-la-coalition-des-patriotes-pour-le-changement/ Centrafrique : Déclaration de la Coalition des Patriotes pour le Changement
  34. https://oubanguimedias.com/2021/01/09/centrafrique-resume-dactualite-de-la-semaine-en-10-points/ Centrafrique : Résumé d’actualité de la semaine en 10 points
  35. https://mondafrique.com/a-la-une/lincroyable-constellation-des-groupes-armes-en-centrafrique/ L’incroyable constellation des groupes armés en Centrafrique

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