Full-text resources of CEJSH and other databases are now available in the new Library of Science.
Visit https://bibliotekanauki.pl

PL EN


2016 | 42 | 33-51

Article title

Central African Republic: portrait of a collapsed state after the last rebellion

Selected contents from this journal

Title variants

Languages of publication

EN

Abstracts

EN
Central African Republic (CAR) is one of the poorest and most unstable countries in the world and has occupied the top place in all possible rankings of failed states, instability, poverty, corruption etc. for many years. However, although the CAR has experienced almost constant instability for the last few decades it was only in recent years that it has received the media attention which was unseen before. Such an unusual interest has resulted from two successive internal conflicts: first, in 2012 the anti‑ government rebellion drawing together the alliance of rebel militia factions, the Séléka, and a year later the insurrection of the opposing Anti‑Balaka forces. The article is an attempt to analyse the causes of the instability of the CAR and the current political and security situation in the country, taking into account, among other things, the results of the fieldwork conducted by the author in the Central African Republic, as well as his long‑time research on the phenomenon of dysfunctional states.

Contributors

  • Jagiellonian University in Kraków, Poland

References

  • 2013 Administrative Decision on Central African Republic, Kimberley Process Documents, at <http://www.kimberleyprocess.com/en/2013‑administrative‑decision‑central‑african‑republic‑0>.
  • Abdoulkarim D., ‘Central African Republic: “We’re Thought of as Foreign because We’re Muslims”‘, The Guardian, 16 May 2015, at <http://www.theguardian.com/global‑development/2015/feb/16/central‑african‑republic‑muslim‑christian‑militias>.
  • The account of missionary priest Mirosław Gucwa, Bouar, Central African Republic, 27 November 2013.
  • The account of Polish secular missionary in Central Africa Republic, Izabela Cywa, January 2016.
  • Amnesty International, Central African Republic: Time for Accountability, July 2014.
  • Balcerowicz B., Siły zbrojne w państwie i stosunkach międzynarodowych, Warszawa 2006.
  • Brylonek M., ‘PKW w Czadzie i Republice Środkowoafrykańskiej’, Przegląd Logistyczny, No. 4 (2008).
  • Campbell K., Central African Republic, Chad, and Sudan: Triangle of Instability?, Center for
  • Conflict Analysis and Prevention, United States Institute of Peace, December 2006, at <http://www.usip.org/publications/central‑african‑republic‑chad‑and‑sudan‑triangle‑instability>.
  • ‘Central Africa Republic: André Kolingba (1937‑2010)’, Africa Research Bulletin: Political,Social and Cultural Series, Vol. 47, No. 2 (2010), at <http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.1467‑825X.2010.03128.x>.
  • Central Africa: Lord’s Resistance Army Exploits State Weakness, 2011, http://www.rightsmonitoring.org/2011/02/central‑africa‑lords‑resistance‑army‑exploits‑state‑weakness/
  • ‘Central African Republic Referendum Clears Way for Elections’, France 24, 22 December 2015, at <http://www.france24.com/en/20151222‑central‑african‑referendum‑elections‑unrest>.
  • Central African Republic, Country profile of human development indicators, http://hdrstats.undp.org/en/countries/profiles/CAF.html
  • Central Intelligence Agency, The World Factbook, Central African Republic, at <https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the‑world‑factbook/geos/ct.html>.
  • Cywa I., ‘Czy nastąpi podział Republiki Środkowoafrykańskiej’, Afryka, No. 41 (2015).
  • Debos M., ‘Fluid Loyalties in a Regional Crisis: Chadian “Ex‑Liberators” in the Central African Republic’, African Affairs, Vol. 107 (2008), at <http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/afraf/adn004>.
  • Dembassa‑Kette C., ‘Central African Republic Postpones Key Elections for Three Days’, Reuters, 24 December 2015, at <http://www.reuters.com/article/us‑centralafrica‑election‑idUSKBN0U718820151224>.
  • Doctors Without Borders, CAR: No Hope of Returning Home, 27 January 2016, at <http://www.doctorswithoutborders.org/article/car‑no‑hope‑returning‑home>.
  • Engelbert P., ‘The Central African Republic: Recent History’ in I. Frame (ed.), Africa South ofthe Sahara 2008, London 2008 (Regional Surveys of the World).
  • ‘Ex‑prime Ministers in Two‑horse Race for Central African Republic Presidency’, The Guardian, 7 January 2016, at <http://www.theguardian.com/world/2016/jan/07/ex‑prime‑ministers‑in‑two‑horse‑race‑for‑central‑african‑republic‑presidency>.
  • The Fund for Peace, Failed States Index 2005‑2015, http://ffp.statesindex.org/rankings
  • Global Finance, Country Report 2015: The Central African Republic, at <http://www.gfmag.com/gdp‑data‑country‑reports/302‑the‑central‑african‑republic‑gdp‑country‑report.html#axzz1VBOmyEyA>.
  • Global Witness Report, Blood Timber: How Europe Helped Fund War in Central African Republic, July 2015, at <https://www.globalwitness.org/en/campaigns/forests/bloodtimber/>.
  • Howden D., ‘International Justice and Congo “Warlord” on Trial’, The Independent, 23 November 2010, at <http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/europe/international‑justice‑and‑congo‑warlord‑on‑trial‑2141135. html>.
  • Human Rights Watch, Central African Republic: Rape by Peacekeepers, 4 February 2016, at <https:// www.hrw.org/news/2016/02/04/central‑african‑republic‑rape‑peacekeepers>.
  • Human Rights Watch, Vol. 19, No. 13(A): State of Anarchy. Rebellion and Abuses against Civilians (September 2007).
  • International Criminal Court, ICC Trial Chamber III declares Jean‑Pierre Bemba Gombo guilty of war crimes and crimes against humanity, Press release, 21 March 2016, at <https://www.icc‑cpi.int/en_menus/icc/press%20and%20media/press%20releases/Pages/pr1200.aspx>.
  • International Criminal Court, Situation in the Central African Republic in the Case of the Prosecutor v. Jean‑Pierre Bemba Gombo, at <http://www.icc‑cpi.int/iccdocs/doc/doc699541.pdf>.
  • International Crisis Group, Central African Republic: The Roots of Violence, Africa Report no. 230, Brussels 2015, at <http://www.crisisgroup.org/~/media/Files/africa/central‑africa/central‑african‑republic/230‑central‑african‑republic‑the‑roots‑of‑violence.pdf>.
  • Interview with the apostolic nuncio in Central African Republic, Archbishop Jude Thaddeus Okolo, 18 August 2010.
  • Interviews and observations during author’s visit to the Children Village SOS in Bouar, Central African Republic, 29 July 2010.
  • Jaulmes A., ‘La France envoie 400 soldats supplémentaires en Centrafrique’, Le Figaro, 14 February 2014, at <http://www.lefigaro.fr/international/2014/02/14/01003‑20140214ARTFIG00377‑la‑france‑envoie‑des‑renforts‑en‑centrafrique.php>.
  • Kępczyński A., ‘Wyzwania logistyczne operacji w Czadzie i Republice Środkowoafrykańskiej’, Przegląd Logistyczny, No. 4 (2008).
  • ‘Kłopoty polskiego podróżnika, nie dał łapówki’, Gazeta Wyborcza, 5 August 2011, at <http://wiadomosci.onet.pl/regionalne/poznan/klopoty‑polskiego‑podroznika‑nie‑dal‑lapowki,1,4813576,region‑wiadomosc.html>.
  • Kolingba D.N., Patassé S., Bokassa J.‑S., ‘Central African Republic Election Delayed over Logistical Concerns’, The Guardian, 24 December 2015, at <http://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/dec/24/central‑african‑republic‑election‑delayed‑december‑30>.
  • ‘Lord’s Resistance Army Killed Hundreds in Congo Massacre’, Reuters, 27 March 2010, at <http://www.reuters.com/article/2010/03/27/us‑congo‑democratic‑massacre‑idUSTRE62Q1PZ20100327>.
  • Mehler A., ‘Central African Republic’ in D. Nohlen, M. Krennerich, B. Thibaut (eds.), Elections in Africa: A Data Handbook, Oxford 1999.
  • Ministére de la Défense, Opération Sangaris, 10 December 2013, at <http://www.defense.gouv.fr/operations/centrafrique/dossier‑de‑presentation‑de‑l‑operation‑sangaris/operation‑sangaris2>.
  • Münkler H., Wojny naszych czasów, trans. by K. Matuszek, Kraków 2004.
  • Nkurunziza J.D., ‘The Development of African Landlocked Countries’ in E. Aryeetey et al. (eds.), The Oxford Companion to the Economics of Africa, Oxford 2014.
  • ‘No Winner Emerges in First Round of Central African Election‘, Reuters, 7 January 2016, at <http://www.reuters.com/article/us‑centralafrica‑election‑idUSKBN0UL25M20160107>.
  • Queyranne G., Peace in Central African Republic? Last Rebels Sign Deal to End Conflict, Centre for African Development and Security, 2011, http://cads‑cdsa.org/2011/07/peace‑in‑central‑african‑republic‑last‑rebels‑sign‑deal‑to‑end‑conflict/
  • The report of Polish secular missionary Izabela Cywa, based on the interviews with Central African politicians conducted in the autumn 2015.
  • Sherwood H., Margaux B., ‘Pope Francis Promises to be “Apostle of Hope” on Central African Republic Visit’, The Guardian, 29 November 2015, at <http://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/nov/29/pope‑francis‑arrives‑central‑african‑republic‑historic‑war‑zone‑visit>.
  • SOS Children’s Villages International, Children at Risk. The World’s most vulnerable children: who they are, where they live, and what puts them at risk, November 2015, at <http://www.sos‑childrensvillages.org/getmedia/384bc38a‑62aa‑4c2a‑9563‑a5ecc61b6a77/SOS‑Child‑at‑risk‑report‑web.pdf>.
  • ‘Timber Companies Paid CAR Armed Groups Millions, Claims Report’, The Guardian, 15 July 2015, at <http://www.theguardian.com/global‑development/2015/jul/15/central‑african‑republic‑timber‑trade‑paid‑millions‑armed‑groups>.
  • Tonino P., Nyabenda F., Islam en Centrafrique, Afrique Espoir, at <http://afriquespoir.org/?q=node/469>.
  • ‘Touadera Hopes to Heal Rifts after Winning CAR Presidential Poll’, Euronews, 21 February 2016, at <http://nr.news‑republic.com/Web/ArticleWeb.aspx?regionid=31&articleid=58458865>.
  • Transparency International, Corruption Perceptions Index 2010‑2015, at <http://www.transparency.org/policy_research/surveys_indices/cpi>.
  • U.S. Department of State, Bureau of African Affairs, Background note: Central African Republic, at <http://www.state.gov/r/pa/ei/bgn/4007.htm>.
  • ‘UN Finds More Cases of Child Abuse by European Troops in CAR’, The Guardian, 29 January 2016, at <http://www.theguardian.com/world/2016/jan/29/un‑finds‑more‑cases‑of‑child‑abuse‑by‑european‑troops‑in‑car>.
  • ‘UN Receives New Allegations of Rape by Minusca Peacekeepers in CAR’, The Guardian, 19 August 2015, at <http://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/aug/19/un‑receives‑new‑allegations‑of‑by‑minusca‑peacekeepers‑in‑car>.
  • UN, MINUSCA Facts and Figures, at <http://www.un.org/en/peacekeeping/missions/minusca/facts.shtml>.
  • UNDP, Country profile of human development indicators: Central African Republic, at <http:/hdr.undp.org/en/countries/profiles/CAF>.
  • UNDP, Human Development Report 2015, at <http://hdr.undp.org/sites/default/files/2015_human_development_report.pdf>.
  • UNHCR, 2015 UNHCR country operations profile: Central African Republic, at <http://www.unhcr.org/pages/49e45c156.html>.
  • UN‑OHRLLS, Least Developed Countries, http://www.unohrlls.org/en/ldc/related/62/ Walk Free Foundation, Global Slavery Index 2014, http://d3mj66ag90b5fy.cloudfront.net/wp‑content/uploads/2014/11/Global_Slavery_Index_2014_final_lowres.pdf
  • Weyns Y. et al., Mapping Conflict Motives: The Central African Republic, International Peace Information Service, Antwerp 2014, at <http://reliefweb.int/sites/reliefweb.int/files/resources/ 20141124_CAR.pdf>.
  • Wieczorek R., Listy z serca Afryki, Kraków 2007.
  • Ambassador, director: Mads Brügger, Denmark 2011, distribution: Against Gravity.

Document Type

Publication order reference

YADDA identifier

bwmeta1.element.desklight-83d453af-f2bf-40da-883e-20c2dbd30d1b
JavaScript is turned off in your web browser. Turn it on to take full advantage of this site, then refresh the page.