ConflictBarometer_2016

SUB-SAHARAN AFRICA
Human Rights groups suggesting systematic physical abuses
committed by SNR and Imbonerakure members. Armed opposition
groups frequently conducted grenade attacks. Furthermore,
up to 30 mass graves were discovered, which the
government linked to opposition forces' killing of CNDD-FDD
supporters, while other reports suggested government involvement.
Since the start of the conflict in April 2015, when
Nkurunziza had announced to change the constitution in order
to serve a third term as president, the death toll reached
up to 1,000, while approx. 300,000 refugees fled into neighboring
Rwanda, Tanzania, Uganda and DRC. Moreover, hundreds
have been reported missing.
In total, violence left about 100 people dead this year.
On January 3, the FNL's youth league president William
Nimubona was found dead in Kinama village, Bubanze
Province [→ Burundi, DR Congo (FNL)]. Ten days later, five police
officers were killed by grenade attacks in Mutakura, Bujumbura
Mairie Province. On January 25, seven were killed
in clashes between RED-Tabara and government forces. On
February 5, during an attack on apolice station in Cibitoke
City, four Imbonerakure members were killed by FOREBU
members. The following day, both FOREBU and RED-Tabara
claimed responsibility for two grenade attacks in Cibitoke
City, Cibitoke Province. On February 29, a mass grave in Mutakura
was shown to journalists. The police publicly accused
opposition forces of having killed Nkurunziza supporters.
In the first half of March, several clashes and grenade attacks
took place in Bujumbura city, Bujumbura Mairie, killing three
and injuring at least 17, including both government officials
and civilians. In response to the attacks, SNR arrested 35 suspects.
In April, several persons from both the government and
opposition were allegedly killed by the respective other.
On April 11, a MSD activist was strangled in Kayanza Province.
Two weeks later, another was found dead in Gitega Province.
The same day, a FRODEBU activist was assassinated in
Kirundo Province. On April 20, an army official and his driver
were killed by gunmen in Kinama. Five days later, military adviser
General Athanase Kararuza was killed in Bujumbura. The
same day, the ICC announced apreliminary investigation of
the conflict. During protests in Muramvya on June 4 over the
arrest of eleven pupils for defacing a Nkurunziza photograph,
police shot two dead. On July 13, two assailants shot Hafsi
Mossi, CNDD-FDD member and Burundian representative of
the East African Legislative Assembly (EALA), dead in Bujumbura.
On October 12, a government official and two others
were killed in a bar in Matana, Bururi. On November 29, Willy
Nyamwite, senior advisor to the president, survived an assassination
attempt in Bujumbura city, whilst his bodyguard was
killed.
Throughout the year, UN and AU pressed for solutions, with
the UNSC repeatedly calling for UN presence to monitor the
crisis. On August 3, however, the government rejected a
UN mission. On February 1, FOREBU and RED-Tabara called
upon all Burundians to join the ''armed resistance'' in order to
protest the AU's decision not to endorse the deployment of a
peace mission suggested by the AUPSC. The African heads of
state decided not to deploy the mission as it would need the
approval of President Nkurunziza. On February 13, thousands
of CNDD-FDD supporters in seven provinces protested the
possible deployment of AU troops, as well as alleged Rwandan
involvement in Burundian politics [→ Rwanda–Burundi].
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Between March 16 and 18, the government released 859 detainees,
as part of an agreement with the UN. On October 11,
the government barred three UN investigators from entering
the country, after they published a report in September stating
that thousands had been tortured, sexually abused or disappeared.
The next day, parliament voted to withdraw from
their ICC-membership, with the president signing the official
decree on October 19. mam
CENTRAL AFRICAN REPUBLIC (ANTI-BALAKA –
EX-SÉLÉKA)
Intensity: 4 | Change: | Start: 2012
Conflict parties:
Conflict items:
Anti-Balaka vs. ex-Séléka
national power, resources
The war over national power and resources between ex-
Séléka and Fulani militias, on the one hand, and Anti-Balaka
groups, on the other hand, de-escalated to alimited war for
the first time since 2012.
Séléka militias, an alliance consisting of predominantly Muslim
armed groups, mainly the Popular Front for the Rebirth
of Central Africa (FPRC), the Union for Peace in Central Africa
(UPC), and Patriotic Rally for the Rebirth of the Central African
Republic (RPRC), had been created in 2012 aiming to overthrow
then-president François Bozizé. In December 2012,
Séléka, led by Michel Djotodia, had seized major towns and
took Bangui, CAR's capital, in March 2013. Subsequently,
Djotodia declared himself president and officially dissolved
the Séléka rebel group in September 2013. However, many
fighters remained active as ex-Séléka. Many members of the
former Armed Forces (FACA) had joined the the newly formed
and predominantly Christian Anti-Balaka militia to counter
Séléka activities. In January 2014, Djotodia resigned, making
space for independent Catherine Samba-Panza as interim
president. Nevertheless, violence between the two groups
continued.
Throughout the year, at least 310 people were killed and
tens of thousands displaced. Especially from January to May,
violence decreased significantly, before escalating again in
October and November. Apart from fighting between and
within the groups, attacks against civilians, MINUSCA peacekeepers
and humanitarian workers continued.
The second round of the presidential elections took place on
February 14. Faustin Archange Touadera, former prime minister
under the Bozizé administration, was elected President
with nearly 63 percent of the vote. On May 15, the last round
of the delayed legislative elections was held. In January,
the constitutional court had ruled the results of the election
form 30/12/15 as invalid due to irregularities. Touadera announced
his new cabinet in April, including six of Bozize's
former ministers as well as members of the Muslim minority.