CAR’s rival factions prepare for peace talks
Mainly Muslim coalition and Christian militias take tentative steps towards ending deadly inter-communal violence.
The two main factions in the Central African Republic’s conflict have taken a tentative step towards ending violence that has killed thousands and forced more than a million people to flee their homes.
The mainly Muslim ex-rebel Seleka coalition and the Christian militias known as anti-Balaka set up a joint committee of six members each on Thursday to prepare for peace talks that will be overseen by the conflict-resolution group Pareto.
The committee represents a second step after the two sides held an initial meeting this month, according to Beni Kouyate, the vice-coordinator of Pareto.
Few concrete details of the talks have emerged but both sides told the Reuters news agency they were optimistic they could lead to something substantial.
“This initiative will lead us towards reconciliation, to peace. That’s what we all want in this country,” said Eric Massi, a senior Seleka official.
“We agreed on all the mediation principles that we want to lead us to peace. For our part, there’s no problem, but it’s up to the leaders of the Seleka to convince their leaders who are in Bambari to have faith in this process,” Sebastien Wenezoui, an assistant coordinator of the anti-Balaka, said.
The violence continued this week as more than 50 people were killed in two days of clashes in Bambari, 380km northeast of the capital Bangui.
An attack by mainly Christian militias on its outskirts of Bambari led to waves of reprisals by Muslim youths and fighting inside the town.
Seleka rebels seized the capital of the majority Christian nation last year, but they relinquished power under international pressure in January.
However, abuses committed by them prompted the rise of Christian militias responsible for revenge attacks that have driven most Muslims from Bangui and the country’s west.