Central African Republic elects first female leader
The new president faces the challenge of halting sectarian violence and bringing stability to the nation.
JOHANNESBURG, South Africa — Lawmakers in the Central African Republic on Monday elected Catherine Samba-Panza as the nation’s first female president, giving the interim leader the daunting task of halting sectarian killings, stabilizing the country and ushering in elections.
Samba-Panza, a French-educated businesswoman who has been serving as mayor of the capital, Bangui, emerged ahead of seven other candidates, including the sons of two former presidents, after a speech pledging to reconcile the divided country, restore security and rebuild the collapsed state.
The political change, coupled with pledges Monday from the European Union to send 1,000 additional soldiers and nearly $500 million in aid, offered the country its best hope in months of overcoming the chaos and violence that have prevailed since rebels ousted President Francois Bozize last March.
Samba-Panza’s election follows the resignation of former rebel leader Michel Djotodia as interim president 10 days ago. As head of the largely Muslim Seleka rebels, he seized power to become the first Muslim president in a country whose population is 85% Christian. He disbanded the Seleka rebels but failed to stop looting, killings and sectarian violence between ex-Seleka forces and largely Christian militias and vigilantes known as anti- balaka forces.
Samba-Panza, a Christian, was appointed by Djotodia as Bangui mayor last year.
Peter Bouckaert, director of emergencies at Human Rights Watch, said Samba-Panza’s election was “a step in the right direction,” calling her a courageous voice for reconciliation and peace. He called for those who have committed crimes against humanity to be held accountable, including leaders of the anti- balaka forces, many of whom are vigilantes outside any formal chain of command.
In comments on Twitter, Bouckaert said Samba-Panza’s first message should be to tell both sides to stop the killings and warn those who had committed atrocities that they would face justice.
This last weekend saw a new surge of violence, particularly in the country’s northwest, where dozens were killed, according to humanitarian agencies.
Amy Martin, head of the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs in Bangui, said by phone that the violence mainly involved anti- balaka fighters taking revenge on Muslims, whom they blame for the suffering they had endured at the hands of the Seleka rebels.
“This past weekend we have seen clashes which left many people dead, people displaced, or taking revenge,” Martin said.
About 1,000 people died in violence last month and more than 900,000 people — 20% of the 4.5 million population — have f led their homes, nearly half a million of them sheltering in the capital. Thousands are hiding in the forests in rural areas.
More than 4,000 African forces and 1,600 French troops are deployed in the Central African Republic but have been unable to protect sections of the population, particularly in volatile rural areas far from the capital. EU foreign ministers agreed Monday to send an additional 1,000 troops to help stabilize the country.
The EU also agreed at a separate meeting in Brussels to provide nearly $500 million to help ease pressing humanitarian needs, according to Kristalina Georgieva, an EU commissioner. “Central Africans are enduring a major humanitarian tragedy and their suffering is truly appalling,” she said in a statement.
U.N. Emergency Relief Coordinator Valerie Amos said the crisis was one of the world body’s most pressing emergencies, with agencies delivering help as fast as security conditions allow.
With thousands of farmers in hiding, unable to buy seeds or plant crops, fears are growing that the crisis could worsen in coming months. The World Food Program said Monday that it was running out of food to assist displaced people. Thirty-eight of its trucks are marooned at the Cameroonian border because of fighting in the Central African Republic. It was considering airlifting food into the country.
“The impact on food supplies to the capital and the rest of the country is disastrous. [World Food Program] cereal stocks are close to being exhausted,” the statement said.
The U.N. high commissioner for human rights, Navi Pillay, told a session of the U.N. Human Rights Council that Seleka rebels, anti- balaka forces and Muslim and Christian civilians had all committed atrocities. These included “targeted killings, shooting at displacement sites, summary executions, mutilation and enforced disappearances.”
She said there also were documented cases of sexual violence, including rape and sexual slavery, by both sides, but mostly by former Seleka rebels.
“The security situation remains highly volatile,” she said. “The humanitarian situation continues to be a major concern.”