Arch of Triumph – Crisis in Central Africa

Abstract

The present essay examines the current crisis of the Central African Republic (CAR) as an illustration of a failed francophone state that exhibited all the possible external and internal problems that a former French colony has. The initial conflict between the government and Seleka, a coalition of rebel groups, took leadership of a country, which was bound to spiral into genocide and absolute chaos. The increasing violence stemmed from reprisal attacks on civilians for the most part, carried out by Seleka’s predominantly Muslim fighters and Christian militias called “Anti-Balaka”. The CAR has suffered chronic instability since gaining independence from France in 1960. François Bozizé, the latest in a succession of military rulers, seized power in 2003 but never gained a firm hold on the state, following a well-trodden path of misrule which eventually provoked armed rebellion.
The article focuses on the historical dimensions and bilateral aspects of the crisis, emphasizing the role and the responsibility of the French
government in its current geopolitical status. Even if order can be restored, the bigger longterm task will be building the foundations of
a functioning, accountable state, which will help the CAR escape its cycle of crisis and collapse. This complex challenge will require international assistance far beyond the levels committed so far.