Human Rights in Central African Republic

Human Rights Concerns

While efforts have been made to end the armed conflict in the Central African Republic (CAR), civilians in the northern part of the country and displaced Central Africans in neighboring Chad remain in a precarious humanitarian situation. Persistent human rights violations continue as civilians are caught between uncontrolled armed groups and armed bandits known as Zaraguinas.

The government's regular Central African Armed Forces (FACA) have been ineffective in protecting civilians from these armed groups and human rights violations committed by members of the CAR armed forces have remained uninvestigated. Ongoing violence in neighboring Sudan and Chad has put additional strains on CAR's security situation. In addition to the conflict in the northern part of CAR, the militant Lord's Resistance Army (LRA) from Uganda has been operating in the south-eastern region of CAR in an attempt to escape Ugandan army patrols which have been deployed in CAR, southern Sudan, and northern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). The LRA has committed numerous human rights abuses against civilians in the region.

Amnesty International is concerned about the ongoing instability in the north and south-east including the kidnapping of children, sexual violence against women, the use of child soldiers, extrajudicial executions, lack of humanitarian access, and ongoing impunity for perpetrators of human rights abuses.