Muslims march against French in Central African Republic
The Canadian Press - Tuesday, 24 December, 2013
BANGUI, Central African Republic - Dozens of Muslims marched down the
streets of Bangui on Tuesday to demand the departure of French troops,
who were deployed to Central African Republic this month to try to
pacify fighting, and have instead been accused of taking sides in the
nation's sectarian conflict.
The marchers, almost all of them young and male, began their
demonstration in the Kilometer 5 neighbourhood, a mostly Muslim
section of the capital which has been the scene of clashes with French
forces.
It marks a dangerous turning point for the more than 1,600 French
soldiers sent here, who were initially cheered by the population, who
ran out to greet the arriving troops, waving tree branches, and
holding up pieces of cardboard emblazoned with welcoming messages.
That was before French President Francois Hollande bluntly said that
the country's Muslim president needed to go, and before French forces
were accused of only disarming Muslim fighters and ignoring the
Christian militias who have infiltrated the city, organizing attacks
on mosques, and on neighbourhoods like Kilometer 5, where a majority
of Muslims live.
On Tuesday the crowds making their way down the deserted city streets
were holding signs that said: "We say No to France!" and "Hollande =
Liar." Other signs had a hand drawn map of this nation located at the
heart of Africa, but showed it split into two, with a Muslim homeland
penciled in in the country's north.
Central African Republic slipped into chaos following a coup in March,
which was led by a Muslim rebel group. They overran the capital and
installed a Muslim president, while the nation's Christian leader was
forced to flee with his family. The country is 85 per cent Christian,
and when the Muslim rebels began attacking Christian villages, first
to steal their belongings and cattle, a sectarian divide emerged.
Pillaging turned to killing, and by the time French forces arrived
earlier this month, at least 500 people had been killed in communal
violence, including mob lynchings, their bodies so numerous community
leaders had to dig enormous holes for their mass graves.
The French have stepped up patrols and are working to debunk
perceptions that they are biased in this war. French Foreign Ministry
spokesman Vincent Floreani on Tuesday reacted to accusations that the
French force, known as Sangaris, had targeted Muslims.
"Since their deployment Dec. 5, the soldiers of the Sangaris operation
are operating according to three principles: impartiality, firmness,
and controlled use of force," he said. "They are demonstrating this
daily, in contributing to the disarming of all armed groups, without
distinction, and in intervening between groups to avoid violence and
abuses."
A young woman, Edith Benguere, a Christian, ran into the march by
accident when she went to the bank to withdraw money. Frightened, she
hid and watched, and saw how the demonstrators were acting
aggressively against the French forces, positioned along the route.
"Armoured personnel carriers had taken positions in different parts of
town. But the soldiers would simply backtrack whenever the
demonstrators came near them, to avoid conflict," she said. "One of
the demonstrators was screaming at the top of his lungs: 'We are
ready! We have grenades ... We are ready for whatever comes today,
even if we need to die,'" she said.
Due to growing insecurity in the capital, religious leaders sent out a
communique stating that the birth of Christ will be celebrated at 3
p.m. rather than during the usual midnight mass.
International medical charity Doctors without Borders said that the
momentary calm that prevailed after the initial arrival of French
forces appears to have been shattered. In the past four days, the
hospital they run in Bangui has treated 190 wounded people.
"In the days leading up to Dec. 20, we had seen fewer cases overall,
and in particular a reduction in gunshot wounds," said Jessie Gaffric,
project co-ordinator at the hospital in an email to reporters. "Then,
suddenly on Dec. 20, we saw 49 gunshot wounds, and now continue to
receive around 15 a day."
In a sign of spiking tension, witnesses confirmed that three Chadian
civilians, attempting to flee the Central African Republic, were
attacked inside their car and murdered. The Chadians, who are majority
Muslim, are seen as particularly implicated in the conflict because a
Chadian contingent of African Union peacekeepers is accused of having
opened fire on Christian residents of Bangui.
"We have lost three of our compatriots and 10 others are wounded,"
said Adam Badica, a member of an organization working to repatriate
Chadians from the Central African Republic. He said their car was
attacked on Tuesday afternoon by a Christian militia in the Fou
neighbourhood.
An Associated Press journalist at the scene saw one of the bodies, his
chest cut open. Belongings and glass were scattered across the street.
___
Callimachi reported from Dakar, Senegal. Associated Press photographer
Rebecca Blackwell in Bangui, Central African Republic, and reporter
Angela Charlton in Paris contributed to this report.
26 comments

What?!?! Muslims murdering people for Allah? What would you expect
from a religion who has a murderer, thief and rapist as their prophet.
He forbids his image from being shown because it probably was on a
wanted poster back then. Islam is the religion of hatred like no other
before it.
Posthumus, Tuesday, 24 December, 2013

Perhaps the French should march demanding that the muslims leave
France it's only fair.
Brian Evans, Tuesday, 24 December, 2013

Do all Muslims in the Middle East and Africa like to kill?
Seedaview, 20 hrs ago

The French should arm the Christian Militias and allow them to deal
with these Muslim Terrorists. This one simple act will bring peace and
stability to the CAR very quickly.
Bobby B, 6 hrs ago

All Zombies must be killed world wide, this plague on Mankind must be
stopped before it brings the world to the 7th century.
Jack, Tuesday, 24 December, 2013
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