Human rights expert accuses UN peacekeepers of violations in Central Africa Republic

BANGUI, Central African Republic (AP) — United Nations peacekeeping forces and Russian mercenaries are carrying out human rights violations in the Central African Republic, an independent investigator says.

Yao Agbetse, a human rights lawyer and independent expert, said the U.N. is concerned about serious human rights violations in the region, which involve not only the Central African armed forces and their Russian allies in the Wagner Group, but also members of MINUSCA, the U.N. peacekeeping mission in the Central African Republic.

“MINUSCA contingents are among the actors on the ground who sometimes commit violations. There have been reports of sexual abuse and exploitation by a number of contingents,” Agbetse told a news conference Thursday in Bangui, the capital.

He added: “Particularly where the Russian bilateral forces are concerned, there is consistent evidence of violations attributable to the Russians, and the authorities need to take steps to find appropriate solutions.”

Agbetse was speaking at the end of an official visit to the country to assess, monitor and compile a report on the human rights situation there. He will present his findings to the U.N. Human Rights Council in September.

Sexual exploitation and abuse is ‘unacceptable’

Florence Marchal, a spokesperson for the MINUSCA mission, which was set up in 2014, told The Associated Press on Friday that the U.N. was committed to rigorously investigating the allegations.

The U.N. mission “reaffirms that all forms of sexual exploitation and abuse are unacceptable, and that multi-faceted assistance to identified victims, while respecting their dignity, remains the mission’s priority,” she said. ”Every allegation received by MINUSCA is rigorously investigated, and when the facts are proven, exemplary sanctions are applied.”

Attempts to contact Russian mercenaries in the Central African Republic by phone for comment were not successful.

Fighting rebel groups

Central African Republic remains one of the world’s poorest countries despite its vast mineral wealth, including gold and diamonds. Rebel groups have often operated with impunity, thwarting mining exploration by foreign companies.

The country has been in conflict since 2013, when predominantly Muslim rebels seized power and forced then President François Bozizé from office. Six of the 14 armed groups that signed a 2019 peace deal later left the agreement. Locals and the government have credited Wagner forces with preventing rebels from taking control of Bangui in 2021.

The country is one of the first in which Russia-backed Wagner Group mercenaries established operations with the pledge of fighting rebel groups and restoring peace. Wagner forces have served as personal bodyguards for President Faustin Archange Touadera, helping him win a constitutional referendum in July 2023 that could extend his power indefinitely.

JEAN-FERNAND KOENA
Associated Press