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OHCHR / CAR
STORY: OHCHR / CAR
TRT: 2:49
SOURCE: UNTV CH
RESTRICTIONS: NONE
LANGUAGE: ENGLISH / NATS
DATELINE: 09 MARCH 2021, GENEVA, SWITZERLAND
09 MARCH 2021, GENEVA, SWITZERLAND
1. Wide shot, Palais des Nations exterior
2. Wide shot, press room
3. SOUNDBITE (English) Ravina Shamdasani, Spokesperson, Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR):
“We are very worried about the volatile situation in the Central African Republic (CAR) and the risk of renewed violence in the context of the second round of the legislative elections, which is due to take place on Sunday.”
4. Med shot, journalist
5. SOUNDBITE (English) Ravina Shamdasani, Spokesperson, Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR):
“The Human Rights Division of MINUSCA (the UN Mission in CAR) documented 185 incidents of human rights violations and abuses. Armed groups, in particular the CPC that I referred to earlier, were responsible for more than 86 per cent of them. They killed and abducted civilians, fired live ammunition to intimidate the population, attacked UN peacekeepers - killing seven in December and January – and they burned down polling stations, and destroyed election materials.”
6. Med shot, journalist
7. SOUNDBITE (English) Ravina Shamdasani, Spokesperson, Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR):
“The post-electoral period has also been characterized by counter-offensives and retaliatory actions against the armed groups by CAR defence and security forces and their allies, in the course of which human rights violations and abuses have been committed. State agents and their allies have reportedly arbitrarily killed civilians, as well as tortured, ill-treated and arbitrarily arrested people. In addition, they are alleged to have looted and confiscated supplies belonging to humanitarian organizations as well. We are extremely concerned by allegations of such human rights violations and abuses by national security forces and armed groups. In this context, the imposition of a night-time nationwide curfew from 7 January and the decision to extend the state of emergency, which began on 21 January, have resulted in a fragile situation in which human rights may be further at risk.”
8. Wide shot, journalist
9. SOUNDBITE (English) Ravina Shamdasani, Spokesperson, Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR):
“We remind the authorities that security forces must protect civilians, prevent violence and act in conformity with international human rights law and international humanitarian law. Any allegations of violations must be thoroughly, impartially, and effectively investigated, and those responsible must be held accountable. Victims and their families have the right to justice, truth and reparations. All the allegations of human rights abuses committed by armed groups must be also independently and effectively investigated and the alleged perpetrators prosecuted. Accountability for past and recent human rights violations and abuses is the only way to break the cycle of violence in CAR and to bring peace and stability to the country, without which it will not be able to recover from its dire economic situation.”
10. Wide shot, press room
The UN human rights office (OHCHR) was “very worried about the volatile situation in the Central African Republic (CAR) and the risk of renewed violence in the context of the second round of the legislative elections, which is due to take place on Sunday,” according to a spokesperson.
OHCHR said the electoral process in December, which included the first round of the parliamentary vote and the presidential election, was marked by violence linked primarily with a new coalition of armed groups, known as the CPC (Coalition des Patriotes pour le Changement), who opposed the holding of elections and launched a violent boycott of the process. As a result, there has been a steep increase in documented human rights violations and abuses before, during, and after the elections, including in the enforcement of a state of emergency and curfew.
Speaking to reporters in Geneva today (09 Mar), OHCHR spokesperson Ravina Shamdasani said the Human Rights Division of the peacekeeping mission in the country (MINUSCA) documented “185 incidents of human rights violations and abuses” between October and December 2020. She said armed groups, in particular the CPC, “were responsible for more than 86 per cent of them. They killed and abducted civilians, fired live ammunition to intimidate the population, attacked UN peacekeepers - killing seven in December and January – and they burned down polling stations, and destroyed election materials.”
Shamdasani said, “The post-electoral period has also been characterized by counter-offensives and retaliatory actions against the armed groups by CAR defence and security forces and their allies, in the course of which human rights violations and abuses have been committed. State agents and their allies have reportedly arbitrarily killed civilians, as well as tortured, ill-treated and arbitrarily arrested people. In addition, they are alleged to have looted and confiscated supplies belonging to humanitarian organizations as well. We are extremely concerned by allegations of such human rights violations and abuses by national security forces and armed groups. In this context, the imposition of a night-time nationwide curfew from 7 January and the decision to extend the state of emergency, which began on 21 January, have resulted in a fragile situation in which human rights may be further at risk.”
The OHCHR spokesperson reminded authorities that “security forces must protect civilians, prevent violence and act in conformity with international human rights law and international humanitarian law.” She said, “Any allegations of violations must be thoroughly, impartially, and effectively investigated, and those responsible must be held accountable. Victims and their families have the right to justice, truth and reparations.”
Shamdasani stressed that all the allegations of human rights abuses committed by armed groups must be also independently and effectively investigated and the alleged perpetrators prosecuted. She said, “Accountability for past and recent human rights violations and abuses is the only way to break the cycle of violence in CAR and to bring peace and stability to the country, without which it will not be able to recover from its dire economic situation.”
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