Central Africa Republic Seleka leaders call for national unity

BANGUI 

Leaders of Central Africa's Seleka militia, currently concentrated in capital Bangui and some other provinces, urged their fellow Central Africans on Wednesday to unite in order to overcome the country's ongoing crisis.

Asserting the Central African Republic in "indivisible," the militia leaders declared in a statement that Central Africans needed to work together to iron out their differences with a view to rebuilding their war-torn country.

"This country awaits reconstruction by our own hands in order to retain its position among the nations," they said.

They added that the Seleka militia "has chosen peace" and "abstains from responding to respond to daily provocations and attacks on its members."

The militia leaders also pledged to continue to disarm militia members across the country.

They called on international peacekeepers currently deployed in the country to continue their efforts to maintain stability, expedite the disarmament of militant groups, and reintegrate former Seleka fighters into the country's political and economic life.

A mineral-rich, landlocked country, CAR descended into anarchy one year ago when Seleka rebels – said to be mostly Muslim – ousted Christian President Francois Bozize, who had come to power in a 2003 coup.

Since last December, thousands have been killed in sectarian bloodletting throughout the country.

According to the UN refugee agency, around 173,000 people have become internally displaced since December while 37,000 others have fled to neighboring countries.

Over 30,000 resorted to the Democratic Republic of Congo, while Chad received 5,600 and Cameroon provided refuge to around 1,000, the agency's figures showed.

By Sylvestre Krock

englishnews@aa.com.tr