Faith leaders try to quell desire for vengeance

The Catholic Church in the Central African Republic is calling for an immediate ceasefire between armed groups which have brought lawlessness to the country since March, and for more humanitarian aid for the estimated 10 per cent of the 4.6 million population who have fled their homes, writes Ellen Teague. “Many Christians say they want revenge, but Christians must be inhabited by the spirit of God and they must not kill,” Archbishop Dieudonné Nzapalainga of Bangui said last Sunday.

Last week, amidst a worsening cycle of confrontation between Christians and Muslims in the country, he joined other faith leaders at a public meeting of reconciliation in Bangui, and helped distribute food to 10,000 homeless people in the capital, alongside an imam.

Hundreds have been killed in violence since early December. Sectarian tension has mounted over the nine months since a March coup by Muslim Seleka rebels. They have terrorised Christian communities, who have themselves formed self-defence groups.