Grandstand. On March 24, 2013, an alliance of rebel groups known as Séléka took control of Bangui, the capital of the Central African Republic. It had by then already taken control of most of the country’s provinces and overthrown President François Bozizé.

The Seleka (meaning “alliance” in Sango, the main language of the country) said they wanted to liberate the country and bring peace, security and development to the people. It has not happened. Within days, its fighters unleashed waves of violence on those they saw as supporters of François Bozizé, killing civilians in Bangui and across the country. They destroyed many neighborhoods and villages, pillaged wherever they could and raped women and young girls.

The Central African Republic was unstable before the arrival of the Seleka, partly due to Mr. Bozizé’s legacy of corruption, nepotism and neglect. The Seleka, however, upset a country already in great difficulty.

Militias, known as the anti-balaka, began to mount counterattacks against the Seleka. These groups composed of Christians and animists regularly targeted Muslim civilians, whom they associated with the Seleka. The humanitarian situation deteriorated rapidly and hundreds of thousands of people fled the country, while others were internally displaced. Many of those who fled were Muslims and sought refuge in neighboring countries or in dozens of enclaves scattered across western Central African Republic. The Seleka fractured and new armed groups emerged.

Justice instead of amnesty

The destruction caused by the Seleka gave rise to inclusive negotiations on a future solution. The 2015 national consultations, held within the framework of the Bangui National Forum, brought together more than 800 representatives of community organizations, non-governmental organizations, political parties and armed groups from across the country.

One theme emerged during the discussions: justice rather than amnesty. Forum participants made it clear that no amnesty would be tolerated for those responsible for international crimes and their accomplices. They recognized that the absence of justice in the Central African Republic since 2003 was one of the main causes of the successive crises.

Ten years after the Seleka took power, the Central African Republic is still unstable and facing a new security and humanitarian crisis. In 2020, the Coalition of Patriots for Change (CPC), bringing together former Séléka and anti-balaka members led by François Bozizé, attacked Bangui. Government forces, aided by Russian fighters and Rwandan soldiers, repelled the attack but failed to stabilize the country. The CPC retreated to its bases and to neighboring countries, without ceasing its attacks. A UN peacekeeping mission, set up in late 2014, is working to maintain some semblance of peace.

The violence continues unabated. The use of Wagner Group forces, linked to Russia and responsible for abuses against civilians, including killings, unlawful detentions and torture, bears similarities to the dark days of March 2013.

Creation of the Special Criminal Court

Progress has nevertheless been made in the judicial sphere. Many thought them unimaginable. In 2014, following a referral by the Central African government, the Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court (ICC) opened an investigation – her second (the first concerned serious crimes committed in 2002 and 2003) – into the crimes allegedly committed since 2012. Since 2018, the Court has brought to trial three anti-balaka leaders and one Seleka leader.

In August 2022, in a landmark decision, the Court issued an arrest warrant for Nouredinne Adam, the alleged number two of the Seleka. The Court accuses him of having committed war crimes and crimes against humanity, including acts of torture. Cooperation is essential to obtain his arrest. The ICC recently announced the closure of its investigation.

To deal with other serious cases, a novel approach has been taken, with the creation of the Special Criminal Court (CPS), a new court located in Bangui to try, with international personnel and support, war crimes. and crimes against humanity alongside the ICC. The SCC concluded an important trial and, although it has its own challenges, it remains an effective tool to hold groups responsible for serious crimes to account, given that the ICC will not initiate no new charges.

A crisis that remains acute

In ten years, the Central African Republic has embarked on the path of authoritarianism. President Touadéra and his party are pushing for a constitutional revision that would allow him to run for a third term. Government officials and their supporters have threatened and harassed political opponents, journalists and civil society actors who contest the revision.

The President of the Constitutional Court, who deemed this revision illegal, was dismissed from her post. To keep the promises of the Bangui Forum, the democratic space – where respect for freedom of expression and association is guaranteed – must be restored. And the government must ensure that its commitment to justice is matched by the political will to arrest suspected criminals currently in positions of responsibility.

The crisis in the Central African Republic remains acute. Many Seleka leaders defy justice: some are ministers, others continue to carry out attacks. Impunity has led to the creation of other armed groups and fueled violence against civilians. Government repression and abuses by Russian mercenaries are aggravating the crisis. It will be partly possible to end the cycles of violence by tackling impunity. The next ten years will be difficult, but the next generation of leaders should heed the calls made by the Bangui Forum.