AFRICA/CENTRAL AFRICA - Instability and tension on the eve of the vote: Christmas in uncertainty

Wednesday, 23 December 2020 christmas   violence   politics   human rights   elections   missionaries  

Bangui (Agenzia Fides) - In the Central African Republic tension and instability are increasing. The approach of presidential elections, scheduled for Sunday 27 December, has created tensions between the majority, led by President Faustin-Archange Touadéra, and the opposition. However, it mainly led certain rebel groups - which control nearly two thirds of the national territory - to unite within the "Coalition of Patriots for Change and to march on Bangui, the capital, an advance for the moment blocked thanks to the deployment of UN peacekeepers.
"The coalition of armed groups, some of which are rivals and with different interests, seems to have found common ground to pursue their goals. Some may seize the opportunity to negotiate, thanks to a new balance of powers while others may have more belligerent intentions", writes local news site Corbeaunews.
Sources of the United Nations Mission in the country (MINUSCA) have confirmed the merger between the Patriotic Movement for Central Africa (MPC), the 3R group and anti-Balaka militiamen, while other sources also mention among the allies the Popular Front for the Renaissance of the Central African Republic (FPRC) and the Unit for Peace in the Central African Republic (UPC).
"The situation is highly unstable - explains Fr. Aurelio Gazzera, Carmelite missionary in Baoro to Agenzia Fides -. It seems that the UN contingent has managed to block the attempted march on the capital, but we do not know how the situation will evolve in the coming days. There are too many variables that come into play in this crisis. The majority asks the vote not to be postponed while the opposition asks for a postponement: what will be the solution adopted? At the moment there is a lot of uncertainty".
Meanwhile, people fear that tensions may be repeated and, with them, violence, looting and destruction may return. "There is terror among civilians - continues Father Gazzera -. The past seven years have been terrible for Central Africa and people do not want to relive this state of constant devastation and fear. Here the authorities have already fled to safer areas. The population feels abandoned".
The local economy is also in danger of being swept away. "The main road through which goods arrive from abroad has been blocked - continues the missionary -. The risk is that there is a lack of essential goods and that prices rise and become unsustainable for ordinary people".
Father Aurelio does not leave the mission. Indeed, he has continued and will continue his activities. "In our mission - he observes - there is a mechanics school for young people and adults. I asked them to come to class and continue studying. Even in difficult times, we must take our responsibilities and carry them out".
Meanwhile, Christmas is approaching. "How are we going to celebrate the Nativity? I had planned to celebrate Mass in some remote villages of my mission, I do not know if they will allow me to do so. It saddens me not to be close to the communities. I would like to make them feel all the warmth of Jesus' birth. They need it, we all need it", concludes the missionary. (EC) (Agenzia Fides, 23/12/2020)


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