U.N. leader vows nation in turmoil not forgotten

Ban visits Central African Republic and calls onworld to help.

bangui, central african republic » U.N. Secretary-General Ban Kimoon vowed Saturday that the world would not forget Central AfricanRepublic, as he visited the country wracked by sectarian violence that has left thousands dead and forced most of the nation’s Muslims to flee.

Ban’s visit — his first since the bloodshed erupted in December — came just before he goes on to Rwanda to mark the 20th anniversary of the genocide there. The U.N. chief has been among the most vocal of world leaders in calling on countries to prevent a similar tragedy in Central African Republic.

“The international community failed the people of Rwanda 20 years ago. And we are at risk of not doing enough for the people of the CAR today,” Ban told members of a transitional council tasked with preparing the country for elections by February 2015.

International aid groups have criticized the U.N. response to the crisis, though Ban himself has spoken forcefully about the need to protect civilians in Central African Republic, where at one point this year, Muslims were being killed by Christian mobs in the streets on a near-daily basis.

“There is a hole in the heart of Africa,” Ban said Saturday. “Every day, Iwake up thinking about your trials and troubles. Everywhere, I have called on leaders to step up their efforts,” he said. “Some say this is a forgotten crisis. I am here to help make sure the world does not forget.”

Forces from neighboring Chad, a predominantly Muslim country, have helped to evacuate tens of thousands of Muslims fleeing the violence in Central African Republic, but the U.N. estimates about 19,000 Muslims remained trapped in places too dangerous to leave them there.

African countries have contributed 6,000 peacekeepers to the effort inCentral African Republic. France has 2,000 troops in its former colony, though a European Union effort to send reinforcements has stalled.