Central African Republic: 'Ethnic Cleansing' of Muslims

BBC: International peacekeepers have failed to prevent the ethnic cleansing of Muslims in the Central African Republic, a human rights group says.

Militia attacks have led to a "Muslim exodus of historic proportions", according to a report by Amnesty International.

Aid groups have warned of a food crisis, as many of the shops and wholesalers were run by Muslims.

The UN's World Food Programme has started a month-long aid airlift.

The roads are too dangerous to transport food without a military escort, WFP spokesman Alexis Masciarelli told the BBC.

This is why the UN agency is taking the more expensive option of flying food in from neighbouring Cameroon. » | Wednesday, February 12, 2014

BBC: 'I'll be last Muslim in CAR': A government minister in the Central African Republic, Gaston Makouzemba, has warned there is a risk of a genocide as communities fight each other on religious and ethnic lines. All communities have been affected by the violence and now many Muslims are fleeing the country, afraid for their lives. One imam in the capital Bangui shared his fears with the BBC's Newsday programme: » | Monday, February 10, 2014

Violence Could Force Out CAR's Muslim Population – HRW

BBC: Religious violence in the Central African Republic could force its entire Muslim population to flee, a senior human rights worker has told BBC News.

Human Rights Watch emergency director Peter Bouckaert said this could affect the economy, as Muslims control the livestock market and other businesses.

Violence between the Christian majority and Muslims has torn the country apart since a coup last year.

Mr Bouckaert said at least nine people died this weekend in the capital city.

He said he had personally witnessed a Muslim being hacked to death in the capital, Bangui, in retaliation for the reported killing of six people by Muslim fighters.

The French news agency AFP said there was some dispute over the religion of the victim.

Tens of thousands of Muslims have already fled the to neighbouring Cameroon and Chad.

The CAR, one of Africa's poorest nations, has been in chaos for more than a year since Muslim Seleka rebels seized power.

Coup leader Michel Djotodia, who became the CAR's first Muslim leader, resigned as interim president last month as part of a regional peace process.

However, violence, largely perpetrated by either Christian anti-Balaka militias or Seleka members, has continued despite interventions by thousands of peacekeepers from the African Union and the former colonial power, France. » | Sunday, February 09, 2014