Stop violence, says Pope

 

“I am following the situation in the Central African Republic (CAR) with great attention,” Pope Francis I said in his first reference to a specific conflict since his inauguration to the papacy last week.

“I appeal for an immediate stop to violence and pillaging, and for a political solution to the crisis to be found as soon as possible to bring peace,” he told thousands of people gathered in the sun-washed St Peter’s Square for his first general audience.

Meanwhile, the SA National Defence Force (SANDF) yesterday rejected reports that CAR troops attacked and killed its soldiers.
“The SANDF would like to distance itself from such allegations and reports at this stage,” spokesperson Brigadier-General Xolani Mabanga said.
The Times Live newspaper reported yesterday that mutinous government forces in revolt against CAR President Francois Bozize shot dead the first South African soldiers, and not rebels.

It said detailed reports emerged on Tuesday about how CAR government soldiers carried out and carefully planned attacks on South African troops, who, for the past six years, had been training and equipping their counterparts.
President Jacob Zuma announced the 13 deaths on Monday.

The soldiers, all part of the One Parachute Battalion, were killed over the weekend.
Apart from those killed, 27 SANDF members were wounded when more than 200 South African soldiers fought rebels.

During media briefings held on Monday there were conflicting reports on the exact size of the rebel force. President Zuma said there were 1 000, while SANDF chief General Solly Shoke said there were 3 000 rebels.

President Zuma also said the South African government had not decided to withdraw the army from the CAR.
When asked yesterday about troop movement or withdrawal, Mabanga said: “Nothing has changed. The situation (in the CAR) remains calm.”

The soldiers’ bodies arrived in South Africa on Tuesday evening.
In another development, DA parliamentary leader Lindiwe Mazibuko said yesterday President Zuma must tell MPs why SANDF soldiers were deployed in the CAR.
“I have written to President Jacob Zuma to request that he calls both houses of Parliament to a joint sitting as a matter of urgency, so that he can provide a detailed briefing on the events currently unfolding in the CAR,” she said in a statement.

A key question was why South African soldiers needed to lose their lives to defend the now ousted CAR President Francois Bozize.
“The fact that 13 soldiers were killed and 27 were wounded in what was described as a ‘high tempo, high intensity battle’ in the CAR, is reason enough for the president to brief the members of both houses of Parliament,” Mazibuko said.

It was particularly worrying that the troops were deployed in the CAR in the first place.
Bozize had come to power through a military coup a decade ago. His cabinet was filled by close family members, and his leadership was plagued by corruption, nepotism and authoritarianism.

Further, his security forces stood accused of torture and stifling free speech.
Mazibuko charged: “The CAR remains one of the most corrupt states in the world, with one of the lowest ratings for good governance. The key question that needs to be asked is: why did South Africa need to lose lives to defend this president?”

She also said claimed that the decision to deploy troops was linked more to Zuma’s own close relationship with Bozize than the best interests of South Africa, or the continent.
Mazibuko said President Zuma also needed to make clear whether he authorised the deployment of troops in that country, against the advice of Defence Minister Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula and her military chiefs.

“(And) why the defence force was deployed in the middle of what amounted to a civil war, with so little military support (there were no helicopter gunships to provide air support . . . or transport aircraft to evacuate SANDF soldiers from the CAR).”

She said the president should also provide details of the exact circumstances in which 13 SANDF members were killed.
“It is unacceptable that elected Members of Parliament are left to speculate about what happened in the CAR, or what action will be taken by the SANDF in the near future.
“As commander-in-chief of the SA National Defence Force, it is essential that President Zuma shows leadership and urgently briefs Parliament on all of these critical details,” Mazibuko said. — Sapa.