The Union for Peace in the Central African Republic (UPC) is against partition tendencies.

The cracks within the former Seleka rebel movement have been further deepened as some of its top officials have dumped the movement and created the Union for Peace in the Central African Republic (UPC), an all-embracing political party that stands against the partition of the country and propagates the return to peace and security, Captain Ahmad Nedjad spokesman of the UPC announced on October 26. The party was created on Saturday, October 25 in Bambari, Seleka’s stronghold during a general assembly meeting, reports say.

In the announcement creating the party, Captain Ahmad Nedjad specified that its political wing (coordination) is headed by Habil Awal and the military wing by General Ali Djarass. He reportedly said that the party was opened to everyone including armed groups who wanted peace and security in the country. The new party is against the partition of the country being propagated by some Seleka fighters.

The creation of UPC marks the peak of divergent positions in Seleka’s political stands considering that the third personality in the armed movement, Mohamed Moussa Dhaffane proposed the partition of the country during the national reconciliation forum last July in Brazzaville, Congo. The creation of the UPC that sets out to work for peace and reconciliation, gives some glimmers of hope in the country hardest hit by the fighting between the Muslim dominated Seleka and Christian dominated Anti-balaka armed rebel movements, as well as attacks perpetrated by gunmen on UN peacekeepers and the local population.