Central African Republic: civil society in Haut-Mbomou worried after the arrival of “Russian instructors”
Until then, Wagner's men had not established a foothold in this area populated by the Zandé community.
Life is more than hard for the displaced in Obo. © RFI/Carine Frenk
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The Central African government
recently confirmed the deployment
of “Russian instructors
”
to support the army in Obo, in Haut-Mbomou, a very isolated region in the southeast of the country. Until then, Wagner's men had not established a foothold in this area where for a year, a self-defense group from the Zandé community (Azandé Ani Kpi Gbé, or AAKG) has been carrying out actions against the Zandé rebels. UPC.
Civilians pay the consequences of the insecurity maintained by this rivalry. Minusca has just decided to strengthen its presence in Obo. Wagner could, for his part, train Azandé Ani Kpi Gbé's men to act as their auxiliaries.
A risk, according to this member of local civil society from the Zandé community but who does not wish his name to be made public, of seeing the abuses documented in other regions of the country reach Haut-Mbomou, and be added to the distress of the populations.
If we say that they are supporting the Faca, so much the better, but how should this be done? The Faca have been in Haut-Mbomou for a long time, and there are abuses taking place, but the Azandés Ani Kpi Gbé were set up to respond to a need for which the government did not respond. not able to cope [...] Wagner arrives, uses young people to extract minerals in the Central African Republic. But in return, what do they get? In mining areas, people are treated like slaves, women are raped, community leaders are constantly threatened. Nobody talks about it and it is not today in Haut-Mbomou, which is cut off from the world, that we will be able to do anything about it.
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Arrival of the Russians in Obo: a member of the Zandé community expresses his fears
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