More than 40 people were killed and dozens wounded in Central African Republic last week in a sectarian attack on a Catholic mission sheltering 20,000 displaced people.
Among the victims were the Vicar General of the Diocese of Alindao, Fr Blaise Mada, and Fr Celestine Ngoumbango, whose charred body was found amongst the torched ruins of the Sacred Heart Cathedral in Alindao and its adjoining compound. Many displaced people were burned alive when their tents were set on fire. Thousands of others are once again homeless.
The attack on 15 November was in apparent retaliation for the killing of a Muslim the previous day by a Christian militia. The area sees regular sectarian conflict. Recent fighting has killed two UN soldiers and an aid worker. Some of the UN’s 12,500 peacekeepers in CAR were nearby but did not intervene. “Everyone was left to their own devices,” reported Fr Mathieu Bondodo, Vicar General of the Archdiocese of Bangui. “The rebels had time to do whatever they wanted”. Bishop Cyr-Nestor Yapaupa of Alindao (inset) had warned the UN of threats, but church property was not defended. Fr Bondobo promised that the Church would continue to fulfil its mission despite the dangers.
During Angelus prayers last Sunday, Pope Francis said: “I learned with sadness the news of the massacre in a camp for the displaced in the Central African Republic, where two priests were also killed”. He prayed “for all violence to end in this beloved country”, which he visited three years ago.
The Central African Republic has struggled to recover from a 2013 civil war that erupted when President François Bozize, a Christian, was overthrown by mainly Muslim Seleka rebels.
Alindao lies in the heart of a region where armed groups clash for control of resources, including diamonds, gold and livestock. In September, the UN warned of a “disastrous” humanitarian situation in the region, which it said was under the control of armed groups.
The UN Secretary-General, António Guterres, warned last Saturday that attacks against defenceless civilians and UN “blue helmets” may amount to war crimes.