[RwandaLibre] U.S. Urges End to Central Africa Clashes as Mass Grave Found

U.S. Urges End to Central Africa Clashes as Mass Grave Found

Bloomberg - 17 hours ago
Photographer: Jin Lee/Bloomberg

UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon is "appalled" by the continuing
violence, according to...
Read More

U.S. Secretary of State
John Kerry called for an immediate end to violence in the
Central African Republic
, where clashes this week left "dozens" of people dead including six
African Union peace-keepers.

A mass grave containing at least 20 bodies was discovered yesterday in
the capital, Bangui, Kerry said in a statement e-mailed by the State
Department today. The bodies of 44 people were found in the streets of
the city yesterday after clashes on Dec. 24 and Dec. 25, Romaric
Bekourou, a spokesman for the Red Cross, said by phone. Sixty people
were injured, he said.

"The U.S. calls on the CAR transitional authorities to immediately end
the violence, end the use of torture, and investigate and prosecute
all those implicated in grave human-rights abuses," Kerry said.

Central African Republic has descended into lawlessness since March,
when an alliance of rebel groups known as Seleka overthrew former
President Francois Bozize. At least 1,000 people have died in the
conflict, according to Amnesty International. The violence has forced
710,000 people to flee their homes and another 75,000 have gone into
exile, according to the United Nations Refugee Agency.

Central African Republic is the world's 12th-biggest producer of rough
diamonds by volume, according to the

U.S. Geological Survey

. The gems, along with timber exports, are the largest source of
foreign exchange for the $3.6 billion economy. The country also
produces oil and has deposits of uranium, the USGS says on its
website.

Palace Attacked

Suspected self defense militias, known as anti-Balakas, attacked the
presidential palace in Bangui last night, Guy Simplice Kodegue,
spokesman for President Michel Djotodia, said in a phone interview.
Gunfire erupted at about 9 p.m. local time and continued for about 30
minutes, he said.

"Fierce fighting took place around the palace, but the attackers were
repelled by the presidential guard," Kodegue said. "All is quiet at
the moment."

An African Union-led International Support Mission to the Central
African Republic, known as Misca, is deploying 3,600 multinational
troops in the country, while

France, the nation's former colonial ruler, has sent 1,600 soldiers to
help stabilize the country.

Unidentified gunmen attacked a Chadian contingent of Misca who were on
patrol on Christmas Day, killing six of them and wounding five more,
the

African Union said in a statement on its website.

The discovery of the mass grave yesterday comes after 30 bodies were
found behind Bangui's main water complex on Dec. 24. State Prosecutor
Ghislain Gresenguet announced on national radio yesterday that an
investigation has been opened into the deaths.

UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon is "appalled" by the continuing
violence, according to a statement e-mailed by his spokesman today. A
UN national staff member was killed in the country on Dec. 24, he
said, without providing further details.

To contact the reporter on this story: Crispin Dembassa Kette in Bangui at:
cdembassa@bloomberg.net

To contact the editor responsible for this story: Antony Sguazzin at
asguazzin@bloomberg.net

http://www.google.ca/gwt/x?gl=CA&hl=en-CA&u=http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2013-12-27/u-s-demands-end-to-central-african-violence-as-mass-grave-found.html&q=central+africa+violence+us+kerry


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