Central African Republic: thousands of Christians displaced, hundreds killed

Harrowing reports have come through over the weekend from missionaries in the Central African Republic where there have been violent clashes between Seleka Moslem rebels and Anti Balaka militias in Bangui, capital of the Central African Republic. French troops and those of the African Mission in Central Africa (MISCA) have now started to control the streets, Fides reports.

Two Carmelite missionaries working in the country gave eyewitness reports. Fr Frederico Trinchero, who works at the Carmel mission in Bangui. Fr Frederico said that on Friday, 6 December: "Around 6am shots were heard in the neighbourhoods. The inhabitants of the district arrived at the mission of the Carmel: about 2,000 people. Luckily there is only one wounded person. Many children. In the church there are more than 350 people. The others are in the houses and in the courtyard between the church and the refectory. Now we are trying to give these people something to eat. But it will be difficult because we cannot go out to do some shopping".

Fr Aurelio Gazzera who works in Bouzoum in the north-west of the country, reports that on 5 December, "it was a relatively calm day until 7 pm, when there were a few shots in the city. Therefore at 7.30pm approximately 300-400 people went to the mission to spend the night in the parish, where they feel safe". On the morning of 6 December, continues the missionary "everyone returned to their house and we did lessons in schools, but there were half of the students".

Fr Aurelio said he looked for the Imam, but did not find him and saw several "Muslims and Fulani with machetes and knives ready to defend themselves from a possible revenge on behalf of the Anti-Balaka. The local population, seeing the armed Muslims, are even more afraid".

Fr Anicet Assingambi of the parish of St Carlo of Lwanga, in the north of Bangui, the capital said tens of thousands of people are seeking shelter in Bangui's church buildings and church compounds throughout the country.

"There are five thousand people hiding in our parish buildings. A woman told me she/d seen her brother gunned down. All men are shot at if they go outside. There is a young man dead on the street outside, but it's too dangerous to go outside to remove his body".

"We have nothing to give them", said Fr Assingambi. "Their homes have been looted. They're mourning their dead. When they arrived in the church, the children were crying. We sang hymns and said prayers and that has helped calm people down. We have never seen anything as bad as this before. We're at the mercy of God, please pray for us".

In Bossangoa in the north of the country, Caritas fears for the safety of more than 40,000 people camped out in the Catholic mission compound and 1,600 people who are hiding in a school. On 6 December, a rocket landed in the mission miraculously not killing anyone. The Catholic Church in Central African Republic is calling for an immediate cease-fire and for humanitarian aid to be allowed in.

Mgr Juan Josa Aguirre Munos, Bishop of Bangassou was in Banjui when the fighting began. He said: "Early in the morning I was at the airport in Bangui when all of a sudden hell broke out. Repeated shots were heard… A family in the neighbourhood welcomed me into their home. I stayed there for eight hours while the fighting raged. At four in the afternoon the Archbishop of Bangui, Mgr Dieudonna Nzapalainga, came to pick me up with an escort of soldiers from the African Mission in Central Africa (MISCA), and led me to the Archbishopric".

"Several Muslim shops were looted. Seleka (who are mostly Muslims, ed) are killing young Christians in all districts. We counted at least a hundred bodies in the streets. Every parish in the capital is welcoming up to 2000-3000 people. We are looking for food for these people but insecurity makes everything more difficult to obtain".

The Bishop adds that the "men of Seleka fear the arrival of the French and they are trying to cause chaos". The French army, however, has begun to patrol the streets of the capital with the use of helicopters and with the help of the military of MISCA.

In a note sent to Fides by Caritas Internationalis, the Archbishop of Bangui, Mgr Dieudonna Nzapalainga, said he was "deeply concerned about the crisis in the Central African Republic. The situation is chaotic in Bangui. Many people have been killed". Mgr Nzapalainga has launched an appeal for "an immediate end to the fighting. Women and children have taken refuge in churches. They have nothing to eat and drink, we give them what we can", added the Archbishop. At least 300 people are confirmed dead.

Channel Four News reported on Sunday night: "Tens of thousands of Christian families - 35,000 says the Red Cross – are flung all around the airport perimeter in makeshift camps amidst the hangars of light leisure aircraft. The playthings of the rich have become surreal shelters for people terrified into destitution. They think if they leave they'll be butchered by the Seleka Moslem militia. Tonight the French military commander here in Bangui said his priority is to disarm Seleka - let's see if the thousands at the airport believe that tomorrow and go home."

Source: Fides/Caritas/Channel Four News