Attacks on humanitarian workers in Central African Republic stem from poor governance giving rise to grievances: Expert

By Aurore Bonny

DOUALA, Cameroon (AA) - Conflict in the Central African Republic (CAR), like most in the African region, is the product of poor political governance that gives rise to grievances that cause groups to rebel against the state, an international security advisor told Anadolu Agency on Friday.

"The other element is a combination of factors that favor the mobilization of different private actors against the central state. It is not a matter of having a reason to rebel, but of having the means to do so. For this reason, when the State is weakened as is the case of the Central African Republic and surrounded by unstable countries, it is easy to mobilize rebels and resources of weapons and other logistical materials," Juste Codjo, former chief of staff of the Beninese army and research professor at the Department of Security Studies at New Jersey City University in the US, said in an email to the Turkish news agency.

His comments come as humanitarian workers are being increasingly targeted in the CAR amid insecurity resulting from the ongoing crisis.

More than 180 NGOs and UN agencies are operating in the CAR with more than 12,000 local and international aid workers.

One worker was killed and 16 injured in 69 incidents from January to May, according to the UN.

The world body “strongly condemned” the upsurge in attacks on humanitarian organizations on Wednesday and reported the need to sometimes suspend operations so that teams can be sheltered.

"In most cases, staff have been attacked and their personal belongings taken away," Denise Brown, the UN Humanitarian Coordinator for CAR, said in a statement.

That statement came days after an attack killed a local Doctors Without Borders employee Saturday in Moyenne-Sido, 500 kilometers (311 miles) northwest of the capital, Bangui, near the Chadian border.

The UN estimates that with "at least one incident per day" recorded in 2021 that the CAR is "one of the most difficult countries in the world for humanitarian workers" while 3.1 million people need humanitarian assistance and protection this year, representing 63% of the population.

Civilians remain the primary victims of the conflict in the CAR, according to Brown.

- Poor governance and attractive mining resources​​​​​​​

"This situation requires reflection and in-depth solutions. The Central African conflict has been going on for 9 years and continues even if the situation seems less critical than in the past. To understand why the conflict persists one must keep in mind that when internal conflicts start they are usually more complicated and difficult to control. It is sometimes easier to prevent than to cure," said Codjo.

The international security advisor also noted strategic mineral resources that the country has attracts local and international actors ready to finance those who have grievances and are ready to confront the state or finance the state against rebels.

"All with the objective of exploiting mineral resources. The Central African, Congolese and Malian cases fall somewhat into this type of conflict. These profiteers like these conflicts and make them difficult to resolve," said the former peacekeeper.

He believes that the resolution to the Central African Republic conflict requires many sacrifices, political reconciliation at the national level, mobilization of the Central African people around this process, internal political will and establishment of a new political model that can guarantee a better regulation of politics in the future and a better system of control of public action.

The policy must be effective and inclusive, he said.

“This is not only the case in the Central African Republic but also in most African systems where insecurity linked to conflicts exposes the populations as well as those who come to their aid,” he added.