Officials in the Central African Republic report that over the past month, at least 300 rebels have surrendered their weapons in a joint operation by UN peacekeepers and government troops. Although around 5,000 fighters have disarmed in the past decade, peace remains elusive in the troubled nation.
The rebels who disarmed since June 10 are affiliated with the Coalition des Patriotes pour le Changement (CPC), a network of six rebel groups formed in 2020 to disrupt the country’s presidential and legislative elections.
Government spokesperson Balalou Maxime praised the approximately 250 CPC rebels for surrendering after military engagement and warned other rebels hiding in the bush that they face death if they do not follow suit.
Additionally, this week, MINUSCA reported that 44 fighters from another rebel group, the UPC, also laid down their arms in Mboki, southeastern CAR. Many weapons were seized, but further details were not provided.
Central African Republic officials state that the current operation to disarm armed groups and encourage fighter surrender is aimed at creating a more peaceful environment before the local elections scheduled for October. These elections will be the country’s first local elections since 1988.
Despite at least 5,000 rebels disarming over the past 11 years, fighting persists. The UN reports that some rebels return to armed groups due to poverty and hardship.
Halidou Halale, president of the Cattle Ranchers Union in the Central African Republic, highlighted that rebels who are cattle ranchers often surrender their weapons in exchange for cattle or goats to support their livelihoods. He noted that rebels either refuse to surrender or rejoin armed groups due to hunger.
Rights groups, including Human Rights Watch, frequently report that rebel and armed groups in the country commit war crimes such as targeting civilians, committing sexual violence, and destroying property.
In 2019, the government and 14 armed groups signed a peace agreement brokered by the African Union and UN. However, the deal failed to end the violence as six of the groups did not adhere to the terms due to disputes over power-sharing and amnesty.
The Central African Republic has faced ongoing violence and instability since 2013, when a rebel group ousted then-President Francois Bozize.
