Central African Republic: Ceasefire follows fighting over diamonds and displacement
| Publisher | Norwegian Refugee Council/Internal Displacement Monitoring Centre (NRC/IDMC) |
| Publication Date | 21 October 2011 |
| Cite as | Norwegian Refugee Council/Internal Displacement Monitoring Centre (NRC/IDMC), Central African Republic: Ceasefire follows fighting over diamonds and displacement, 21 October 2011, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/4ea147dd2.html [accessed 24 May 2023] |
| Disclaimer | This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States. |
On 9 October, the Convention of Patriots for Justice and Peace (CPJP) and the Union of Democratic Forces for Unity (UFDR) signed a ceasefire agreement, ending weeks of violence in the diamond mining town of Bria in the Central African Republic (CAR). According to a report published last year by the International Crisis Group, the diamond trade is fuelling the armed conflict between rival ethnic groups the CPJP is dominated by the Goula and the UFDR by the Rounga. In September, the latest clashes between the two rebel groups led to the displacement of 15,000 people.
After withdrawing from Bria, both groups have asked the international community for humanitarian aid for displaced civilians. While the UFDR signed a comprehensive peace agreement with the government of CAR in 2008, the CPJP only agreed to a ceasefire in June 2011 and has yet to sign the comprehensive peace agreement. The government has also asked the international community for urgent action to help consolidate peace and prevent fighting following the withdrawal of a UN peacekeeping mission (MINURCAT) in December 2010.
