Brussels, 28/03/2014 (Agence Europe) - With the EU lagging behind in deploying its military mission EUFOR CAR, which was initially supposed to be launched in Bangui on 17 March, Catherine Ashton, High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, expressed her alarm, on Thursday 27 March, at the flare-up of violence which has left some 20 people dead in the capital of the Central African Republic since 22 March. Condemning the escalation of the violence, the high representative described attacks on MISCA (African-led International Support Mission to the Central African Republic) and the French operation Sangaris as “unacceptable” and called on the transitional authorities to protect civilians.
“The combined action of the African force MISCA and the French operation Sangaris is essential to contain the tension and to restore public order as soon as possible”, Ashton stressed, reiterating the EU's full support to the efforts being made by these forces to stabilise CAR.
She added: “The violence must stop and all civilians must be protected. The transitional authorities of the Central African Republic must be supported in their fight against impunity and in their efforts to promote dialogue and meditation activities. I strongly condemn the targeted killings of civilians on the basis of religion and ethnicity”.
The high representative said that she was “particularly alarmed by the vulnerability of minorities who are increasingly victims of retaliation” and expressed concern at the threat of this situation to the process of political transition, the territorial integrity of the country and the stability of the Central African region. The UN accuses anti-balaka militia of carrying out these attacks and committing abuses. (AN)