While a high-risk presidential election is scheduled for December 2020, the specter of widespread violence once again looms over the Central African Republic. One of the country's main armed groups announced Friday evening that it was suspending its participation in the peace agreement it had signed on February 6, 2019 with the Central African government and 13 other rebel movements.
Replying by force
"The 3R (Reclamation and Rehabilitation) movement decides to suspend all participation in the implementing bodies" of the peace agreement, group leader Sidiki Abbas confirmed in a statement. He also asked the men of the 3Rs to "respond with the last force in the event of an attack on its bases" by government forces. However, the movement "reaffirms its irreversible commitment to the process of implementing" the peace agreement "if the threats, the provocations cease".
The situation started to tighten on Wednesday. That day, the United Nations Mission in the Central African Republic (Minusca) had warned Sidiki Abass "against his expansionist tendency in other parts of the region, in clear the violation of the Political Agreement for Peace and Reconciliation in the Central African Republic (APPR-RCA) ”.
A little respected agreement
But these reproaches are not new in a country beset by militia abuses and whose government controls only a small part of the territory. Already in May 2019, four months after the signing of the agreement, 46 civilians had been killed by 3R elements in Paoua, in the north-west of the country.
Four months later, Sidiki Abass, also known as Sidi Bi Soulemane, announced his resignation from his post of military adviser to the Central African government, which he held under the peace agreement. It remains to be seen now how the other parties will react and especially if the presidential can effectively be held freely in 6 months.
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