The July 23, 2014 Brazzaville Accord is yet another attempt to reunite CAR’s polarised ethnic nationalities.
The Central African Republic, CAR’s Transitional President, Catherine Samba-Panza, on August 5, 2014, demanded and obtained the resignation of Prime Minister André Nzapayéké and his government. The move was prompted by the July 23, 2014 ceasefire deal that was signed in Brazzaville, Congo, between the country’s rival militias, anti-Balaka and Séléka.
The replacement of André Nzapayéké and his team is therefore intended to usher in a more broad-based, consensual government in order to ensure the smooth conclusion of the transition process by February 2015.
Never-ending Peace Deals
CAR has in recent years seen a series of peace deals that never succeeded in ending its recurrent conflicts. Michel Djotodia’s UFDR militia in April 2007 reached a peace deal in the northern town of Birao with former President François Bozizé to end years of fighting. The following year, Jean-Jacques Demafouth and his People’s Army for the Restoration of Democracy, APRD, rebels signed another accord with Bozizé on May 10, 2008 in Libreville, Gabon, to end his insurgency.
But all this did not stop further uprisings against François Bozizé. The Séléka coalition of rebels launched their insurgency against him in December 2012, complaining that the 2007 armistice was not faithfully implemented by government. Though another agreement was brokered in Libreville in January 2013 between Séléka and Bozizé’s government, it only slowed down fighting, rather than end it. François Bozizé was finally overthrown on March 24, 2013, after Séléka overran the capital, Bangui.
However, Séléka’s nine-month reign was no better. The largely Moslem fighters unleashed unprecedented mayhem on the hapless population, prompting a band of Christian militiamen - the anti-Balaka - to storm the capital in December 2013. Days of bloodletting left nearly 1,000 people dead and thousands displaced. Djotodia and his Prime Minister, Barrister Nicolas Tiangaye, were forced by sub-regional leaders meeting in the Chadian capital, N’Djamena, to resign on January 10, 2014. They were accused of failing to move the transition process forward.
The former Mayor of Bangui, Catherine Samba-Panza, was elected new Transitional President by the Interim Parliament on January 20, 2014, beating seven other candidates. Among them were two women and two sons of former Presidents.
Quest For Consensus Government
All eyes are now on President Samba-Panza to see who she will choose as PM after consulting with various stakeholders last week. The choice is undoubtedly expected to be someone close to Séléka in order to assuage their feeling of loss after the resignation of Michel Djotodia. Moreover, some factions within Séléka have on several occasions threatened to partition the country along Christian and Moslem lines.
Séléka Split, Risk To Peace
Soon after the July 23, 2014 ceasefire agreement in Brazzaville between Séléka and anti-Balaka militias, part of the leadership of the former ruling rebels denounced the deal. Séléka military chief, Joseph Zoundeiko, argued that the agreement was concluded without proper input from the military wing of the former alliance.
Ever since, there has been more confusion in rebel ranks. The Second-in-Command, General Nourredine Adam, on July 26, 2014, announced the suspension of Second Vice President, Mohamed Moussa Dhaffane and Mahamat Taib Yacoub, Third Vice President, for allegedly disobeying orders. With the polarisation in Séléka, observers warn that it is difficult to see how all the factions will accept the new PM, Mahamat Kamoun and the unity government he is expected to form.
Moreover, both anti-Balaka and Séléka are militias with loose command structures. Getting all their men to cease fighting and accept a Disarmament, Demobilisation and Reintegration, DDR programme, promises to be a herculean task. As a result, the Central African Republic appears set for a slow, but difficult road to peace and reconciliation.
