Developments in Central African Republic

The information below is based on the 2009 report of the Secretary General to the Security Council (A/63/785-S/2009/158) issued on 26 March 2009. More information is available in the report.

Reports indicate that Armeé populaire pour la restauration de la République et de la démocratie (APRD), Union des forces démocratiques pour le rassemblement (UFDR), Forces démocratiques populaires de Centrafrique (FDPC), and Mouvement des libérateurs centrafricains pour la justice (MLCJ) recruit and use children. Self-defence militias are also found to be recruiting children into their ranks, particularly in the Ouham-Pénde region. There are concerns that these militias have in some cases been supported by the Government of the Central African Republic and that they have been used as auxiliaries by the Forces armées centrafricaines (FACA). Although not a systematic practice, there are also reports of some elements of FACA and the Presidential Guard committing other grave violations against children, including killing, maiming, and attacks on schools.

In February and March 2008, attacks by the Lord's Resistance Army (LRA) on villages in the Obo area, in south-eastern Central African Republic, led to the abduction of approximately 55 children (40 boys and 15 girls). The majority of the children abducted were under 15 years of age. According to the testimonies of some children who were abducted and later released by LRA, the children were being used as soldiers and for auxiliary tasks, and some of the girls were used as sexual slaves.

Incidence of rape and sexual violence against children by armed elements is of grave concern including by UFDR. Cases of rape and sexual violence and of abduction, killing and maiming of children have also been attributed to the zaraguinas, who are from the Central African Republic, the Sudan, Chad, Cameroon, Mali and Uganda, and on occasion are made up of elements from the Central African Republic rebel groups or from the Chadian and the Central African Republic armed forces.

Patterns of displacement are unique in the Central African Republic, and can be distinguished in two categories. In the first case, persons leave their villages in an organized manner and stay in the bush for a few days. Such "preventive" displacement or coping strategy is usually provoked by rumours of movements of armed forces and groups or zaraguinas. In the second case, displacement is a reaction to unexpected attacks on villages by armed forces and groups or zaraguinas, and populations typically have no time to organize their escape and leave without any basic necessities. They may hide in the bush, move from one village to the other, or end up in the internally displaced persons camp of Kabo (central north). In this unpredictable context, children are particularly vulnerable, given the possibility of being left behind or suffering grave violations such as abduction and recruitment, killing, maiming, or sexual violence.

Parties responsible for recruitment and use of children

  1. Armée populaire pour la restauration de la République et de la démocratie (APRD). Status: Dialogue has been initiated by the United Nations to translate commitments into an action plan. During the visit of the Special Representative to the Central African Republic in May 2008, the leader of APRD, Laurent Djim Wei, committed to prepare a list and release all children in his armed group as soon as proper arrangements are made for their protection and reintegration into communities. On 20 October 2008, APRD handed over to UNICEF and partners a list of 105 children to be released.
  2. Forces démocratiques pour la rassemblement (UFDR):  this party has also been responsible for committing rape and other grave sexual violence against children in the reporting period. Status: Dialogue has been initiated by the United Nations to translate commitments into an action plan. In June 2007 a tripartite agreement was signed between the Government of the Central African Republic, UFDR and UNICEF, in which the UFDR agreed to separate and release all children associated with its armed group; and facilitate their reintegration
  3. Forces démocratiques populaire de Centrafrique (FDPC)
  4. Lord's Resistance Army (LRA): this party has also been responsible for abductions and committing rape and other grave sexual violence against children in the reporting period.
  5. Mouvement des libérateurs centrafricains pour la justice (MLCJ)
  6. Self-defence militias supported by the Government of Central African Republic. Status: No Action plan. On 13 December 2008, UNICEF met with the Minister of Defence to request for access to these militias. Following his agreement, UNICEF and partners met with the militia leader of the Ouham-Pendé prefecture, who has agreed to work collaboratively to release children within its ranks.

Press Releases by the Special Representative: