He UN peacekeeping mission to the Central African Republic (CAR) is partially to blame for the existing security vacuum, which is being exploited by rebels, Mahamat Kamoun, a presidential candidate, told Sputnik in an interview ahead of the Sunday's general election
MOSCOW (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 25th December, 2020) The UN peacekeeping mission to the Central African Republic (CAR) is partially to blame for the existing security vacuum, which is being exploited by rebels, Mahamat Kamoun, a presidential candidate, told Sputnik in an interview ahead of the Sunday's general election.
MINUSCA was established in 2014 to end civilian killings by rival Christian and Muslim-majority militias following the 2013 coup. The 14,000-strong force had to step in earlier this month to push armed groups back from the capital and major cities still held by the government.
"The responsibility for the current security situation in the country is common, it's not only on the government, but also on the MINUSCA," Kamoun said.
He urged the car government and MINUSCA to stop playing the blame game, and focus on restoring security in the war-torn country, after the latest attempt at a lasting peace in February 2019 failed to end violence and civilian deaths.
Kamoun, who led the CAR government from 2014-2016, said the concept of the Sudan-brokered pact was welcomed by the authorities in Bangui and the coalition of 14 militias but was respected by neither.
"Two years later, we must have the courage to admit that the application of this agreement did not bring the results we were counting on. The deal did not allow the central African government to regain control over certain parts of the territory," Kamoun said.
The balance of power in CAR is still tilted toward various militia groups, who hold two-thirds of the country's territory. Kamoun said the government had to haggle with rebels to even allow this Sunday's general election to happen in parts of CAR under their control.
