The Origin,Causes And Impacts Of The 2013 Political Crisis In Central African Republic

Civilians in Central African Republic(CAR)continue to face an imminent risk of mass atrocity crime,as fighting amongst armed groups continues in almost every region outside the capital Bangui.Since May 2016 attacks by armed groups,including in areas previously unaffected by large-scale fighting,have resulted in hundreds of people killed and ten thousand displaced.The current political crisis in CAR has its origin in the overthrow of President Francois Bozize on 24 March 2013 by the mainly Muslim Seleka rebel alliance.Abuse by Seleka led to the formation of Anti-Balaka group.The current escalation of violence is not only rooted in the divisions between Muslim and Christian communities,but is fueled by economic interests and shifting alliances between various predatory armed groups.The UN peacekeeping mission in CAR(MISCA)and the UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights during May 2017 found that both Anti-Balaka and Seleka forces might have committed war crime and crimes against humanity between 2013 and 2016.Sexual violence against the civilian population has been used as a tactic by both Seleka and Anti-Balaka since early 2013.