UN: Political leaders in CAR use religion to stoke violence
(Vatican Radio) The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Navi Pillay, is warning
that “religious differences were being manipulated by political leaders” in the Central
African Republic to incite violence. But religious leaders are working to ease these
tensions and provide refuge for people displaced by the violence.
Pillay says
a UN human rights monitoring team in the Central African Republic has documented recent
killings and attacks, rapes and vandalism motivated by religious difference.
She
says the infiltration of militia groups from neighbouring countries is making the
situation increasingly difficult to control.
Ravina Shamdasani, a spokesperson
for the UN Human Rights office, says the UN is urging all sides to resolve the situation
through dialogue.
“Too often in history we have seen the political manipulation
of religious and ethnic differences result in horrific violations and long-term damage
to the social fabric of a country,” she said. “I urge leaders at both national and
local levels in the Central African Republic to stop stoking violence on the basis
of religion.”
The sectarian violence between the mainly Muslim Seleka fighters
and rival Christian groups has driven hundreds of thousands of people from their homes.
The latest outbreak of violence on Friday, after days of relative calm, left one peacekeeper
and nearly 40 civilians dead.
About 1,600 French troops, backed by African
forces, are trying to secure the nation after fears of mass atrocities and genocide
spurred an international response.
Shamdasani said the religious tensions do
not pervade the entire country. Religious leaders, churches and faithful have taken
initiatives to ease tensions.
“We have seen young Muslims take it upon themselves
to protect churches, and churches are serving as safe havens for internally displaced
people, regardless of their religious backgrounds,” she said. “Such developments are
extremely encouraging and I call on all religious and community leaders to redouble
their efforts to ensure that entire communities are not vilified in the dangerous
cycle of violence and reprisals that we have been witnessing.”
A novena for
peace for the Central African Republic, initiated by Aid to the Church in Need, ended
on Monday.