Central African Republic: Upon close examination, the death toll of the conflict in the West has reached nearly 100

French Translation of the Week

Between Sunday the 8th and Monday the 9th of September, the forces of the new Central African Republic regime and the supporters of the former president François Bozizé were involved in the deaths of nearly 100 people during clashes, the presidency announced after an official count on Wednesday. Of course, this assessment is not considered definitive.

Les combats qui ont opposé, dimanche 8 et lundi 9 septembre, les forces du nouveau régime centrafricain et des partisans de l'ancien président François Bozizé ont fait près de 100 morts, a annoncé la présidence dans un nouveau décompte, établi mercredi. Un bilan qui n'est pas considéré comme définitif.

This article has been translated from French. Click here to read the original version on Jeune Afrique.

The assessment of the conflicts on September 8 and 9 between the supporters of former head of state, François Bozizé, and the new authorities of the Central African Republic was closely reviewed on Wednesday. "Ultimately, considering everything that has happened in the Bossangoa and Bouca (West) regions, we estimate the current death toll to be close to 100 in addition to about 50 injured," declared Guy-Simplice Kodégué, the president's spokesperson, on the national radio, indicating that the figure is not "definite." The previous count on Monday reported that only about 60 were dead.

The humanitarian organization Doctors without Borders (MSF) stated that they had taken care of 26 people – including eight women and six children – who were injured by machetes or guns in the Bouca region alone. The NGO stated in a report that it has yet to determine the number of people killed and houses burned, accusing the two fighting parties of having deliberately committed these atrocities against the population.

Bozizé: Will he return or is it just his dream?

These conflicts between the armed supporters of General Bozizé and the new forces led by the interim President Michel Djotodia fueled rumors about the potential return of the deposed president, whose supporters were in control of several villages westof the country which is Bozizé's chiefdom. Lévy Yakété, the spokesperson of the head of state who was knocked out on March 24, confirmed on Tuesday at the AFP that these killings had been directed by the soldiers of the former army of the Central African Republic (Faca). "It's the beginning of the mission designed to restore President Bozizé to power."

But experts remain skeptical of these claims. According to Roland Marchal, a researcher at the French National Center for Scientific Research, the recent killings broke out "in a very specific region of the country," the region from which the ousted president originated. It's about the "animosity between the Séléka and Bozizé's tribe who have put in place their own defense groups, which are undoubtedly linked to various armed groups and Bozizé's old accomplices," adds Thierry Vircoulon, an expert in Central African affairs at the International Crisis Group (ICG).

"The conditions of the establishment of this armed movement aren't entirely thought through," argues Roland Marchal, who puts their lack of funding first as a consideration. "No one in the region wants to see Bozizé return," he assures. Faca, who fled without fighting before the Séléka attack in December 2012, "have never fought, either to defend Bozizé or to defend Ange- Félix Patassé," his predecessor that he ousted in 2003. Marchal concludes that "just like empty threats at bars about 'beating the mickey out of someone' versus the reality of the action, there is a line that they will not cross."

Article translated by Allie Stauss, Staff Intern for the Program on Leadership and Building State Capacity at the Wilson Center.

Photo attributed to Free Grunge Textures on Flickr Commons.