US urges CAR rebels to cease hostilities

From Lalit K Jha
Washington, Jan 1 (PTI) Expressing deep concerned about the deteriorating security situation in the Central African Republic (CAR), the United States has called on the rebel alliance to cease hostilities and movements towards the capital.

"We also call on the rebels to ensure the safety of the civilian population," the State Department spokesperson Victoria Nuland, said in a statement yesterday.

"We urgently call on the CAR government to ensure that its security forces respect the human rights of the Central African people and foreign populations within the CAR," she said.

"We are particularly concerned by allegations of arrests and disappearances of hundreds of individuals who are members of ethnic groups with ties to the Slka rebel alliance.

Those guilty of violations and crimes under international law must be held to account," Nuland said.

The United States, she said, remains concerned about stability of the region and encourages all parties in the CAR to participate in the dialogue convoked by the Economic Community of Central African States (CEEAC in French).

"We urge the parties to seek a political resolution to this crisis that is comprehensive, inclusive, and consistent with the CAR constitution and the 2008 Global Peace Agreement," Nuland said.

The US has already suspended the operations of its Embassy in Bengui, Capital of Central African Republic and its officials including the Ambassador have left the country.

The US statement came after the rebels rejected the peace offer and were advancing towards the Capital.

Fearing fighting, residents have started fleeing the Capital.

"Rebels rejected an offer from the country''s president, Franois Boziz.

It was brokered by the African Union and proposed forming a government of national unity.

But the rebels balked, saying that previous agreements with the president had been made and quickly broken," The New York Times reported.