Amnesty International Report 2006 - Central African Republic

Hundreds of women who were raped in late 2002 and early 2003 by combatants remained without redress, although the government asked the International Criminal Court (ICC) to investigate allegations of war crimes committed during the period. Members of the security forces suspected of being responsible for human rights violations enjoyed impunity. Journalists who published information unfavourable to the government received death threats. Thousands of civilians fled to Chad to escape human rights abuses during clashes between armed gangs and government forces.

Background

Although most of the country was politically stable, insecurity persisted in the north. Repeated clashes between armed gangs and members of the security forces caused more than 10,000 civilians to flee to southern Chad. Armed gangs were reported to have looted property and food from the local population and to have raped women. In October, members of a peacekeeping force backed by the Economic and Monetary Community of Central Africa (Communauté économique et monétaire d'Afrique centrale, CEMAC) were deployed in the north-eastern province of Haute Kotto to restore security in the region. The mandate of the CEMAC peacekeepers was extended for six months in June, and they were still deployed in the country at the end of 2005.

In January, President François Bozizé signed a decree promoting himself from the rank of Major General to that of General. His promotion had been recommended by the 2003 National Dialogue.

In January, seven opposition presidential candidates and their supporters called for the dissolution of the Transitional Constitutional Court, which in December 2004 had disqualified them from standing. Following mediation by Gabonese President Omar Bongo, the candidates were reinstated. However, exiled former President Ange-Félix Patassé was still banned from standing on the grounds that he was under investigation for atrocities committed before he was overthrown in March 2003.

After elections on 13 March, there was no outright winner among the presidential candidates. On 16 March President Bozizé dismissed the Vice-President, Abel Goumba, who had stood as a presidential candidate. President Bozizé defeated former Prime Minister Martin Ziguélé in the second round on 8 May. In June Prime Minister Célestin-Leroy Gaombalet resigned and was replaced by Elie Dote. On 24 June the Central African Republic was readmitted to the African Union's Peace and Security Council, from which it had been suspended after the overthrow of President Ange-Félix Patassé.

Impunity

The judiciary failed to investigate the rape of hundreds of women and other human rights abuses which occurred during the armed conflict in late 2002 and early 2003, as well as those that took place after President Bozizé took power in March 2003. However, in January the government formally requested the ICC to investigate and prosecute war crimes and other human rights abuses which occurred in the country during the armed conflict. The ICC had not started investigations by the end of 2005.

Five soldiers sentenced to five years' imprisonment after being convicted of raping a woman in custody were reported to have been freed by early 2005, without completing their sentence or having their conviction reviewed by a court. A government minister claimed to be unaware of the release of the soldiers, but no action was known to have been taken to re-arrest them.

Reports of unlawful killings, mainly by members of the presidential guard, remained uninvestigated.

  • In January, Jules-Aimé Gaboua was killed by members of the presidential guard in Bangui. No action was known to have been taken to identify the perpetrators and bring them to justice.
  • A military officer accused of several unlawful killings and arrested in September 2004 was freed without charge or trial at the start of 2005. He reportedly attempted to kill an employee of the US Embassy in January. He was believed to have remained at large throughout 2005, despite written protests by local human rights activists.

Freedom of expression

Although there were no further arrests of journalists following the press law passed in 2004, several independent media journalists were threatened with death after they reported electoral malpractices, including intimidation of voters by members of the security forces.

  • After the second round of presidential elections in May, Zéphirin Kaya and Patrick Akibata of Ndeke Luka radio station were reportedly threatened with death by President Bozizé's supporters and members of his presidential guard. Similar threats were reportedly made against Alexis Maka Gbossokotto, editor of Le Citoyen newspaper.

Continued detention of a government opponent

Virtually all government opponents still held at the end of 2004 were released during 2005. However, Simon Kulumba, who had been briefly released due to ill-health, was re-arrested and remained in custody without trial. He had been arrested in 2003 and accused of colluding with former President Patassé to embezzle funds from the sale of fuel donated by Libya. Those freed included General Ferdinand Bomba Yeke, former President Ange-Félix Patassé's head of security, who was released in October after being pardoned by President Bozizé. General Bomba Yeke had been in custody without charge or trial since November 2003.

AI country visits

AI delegates visited the Central African Republic in April to gather information about the human rights situation, particularly the progress of investigations into violence against women during the armed conflict.

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