For many years, the people of the Central African Republic have endured civil war as rebel groups fought against the ruling government. To further complicate the situation, two major factions in the conflict are the predominantly Muslim Séléka group and a primarily Christian group known as the anti-balaka militias. Both of these rival groups are strongly influenced by animism and ongoing tribal conflicts, but the troubles include tensions between Islam and Christianity.
The Central African Republic, with 76 percent of its population representing the Christian majority, remains divided with the north, which is largely under the control of foreign-backed local and foreign Islamic militants. Unfortunately, Christians residing in towns and villages within rebel-held territory are experiencing terrible insecurity. Hundreds of thousands of them are displaced and the "front line" is perpetually volatile.
On September 16th, an Islamic militia swept through the mostly Christian village of Ndomete, killing 19 residents and wounding dozens of others. The government has labelled it a "massacre." The next day clashes erupted in nearby Kaga-Bandoro, claiming at least five more lives. United Nations' peacekeepers were deployed to the area and are now trying to maintain "peace." May the Lord intervene in this forgotten yet continuing conflict, bringing about true peace, justice and liberty.
Ask God to mightily intervene in Central African Republic, giving all who are working for peace and reconciliation (including President Touadera and the country's church leaders) the wisdom, strength, courage and authority to mitigate this troubling situation. Pray that the Lord will rise up on behalf of CAR's many innocent civilians so that opposing foreign militants will be driven out of their land and the borders secured. May the hearts of those belonging to the Muslim minority -- many of whom also long for an end to the senseless violence and chaos that has only resulted in trouble, displacement and poverty -- be open to the Gospel so that many in this nation can experience His healing, peace, and unity in spirit.
A prominent religious leader, who has received global acclaim for his efforts to end conflict, narrowly escaped an assassination attempt by militant Muslims who later killed two other people, destroyed property, and stole possessions during their attack of a predominantly Christian district. On the morning of Saturday, September 26th, in the capital city of Bangui, angry Muslims from an area that's considered a stronghold for Séléka rebels and an unofficial "no-go zone" for non-Muslims, headed into the Christian district in search of Rev. Nicolas Guerekoyame-Gbangou, the president of CAR's Evangelical Alliance.
Rev. Nicolas reports what took place that morning at his home, which is located within the Elim Church compound: "The assailants asked for 'Pastor Nicolas, who is pro-peace....'" After being informed about the reverend's absence, they ordered his family to leave the property. "One of the assailants brandished a knife and threatened to kill my older son but another assailant prevented him from doing it," he reports of the horrible ordeal. The mob then looted and burned the reverend's home and other buildings within the compound, firing shots sporadically at bystanders. "Unfortunately, they killed two people before leaving the compound," he continues. "The victims, who had their throats cut, were displaced people who had sought refuge within our compound." Since this brutal incident, the church leader's family has found refuge in an undisclosed location.
The violence on September 26th is believed to be the worst the capital has faced this year. Early that afternoon, anti-balaka (anti-machete) militants retaliated against the Séléka rebels, resulting in more brutal injuries and deaths within the district. Witnesses report that people were slaughtered or shot at close range; corpses littered the streets or were thrown into wells. Homes and places of worship were ransacked and burned. The violence continued late into the night, in spite of curfews set by authorities. Weapon detonations and gunshots could still be heard the following day. Concerned by the violence, President Samba-Panza left the UN General Assembly to return to CAR. According to a UN report, at least 40 people died in the clashes and about 30,000 have fled since Saturday. The violence has also caused the CAR president to cancel the October elections.
Throughout this volatile time in the Central African Republic, we ask the Lord to strengthen and protect Rev. Nicolas and his family, as well as the numerous other believers who are at risk within this troubled country. In addition, pray for the ministry of God's Spirit to be upon the families and friends who've lost loved ones in the recent attacks, bringing each of them needed comfort, peace, and the strength to carry on. May those who have fled the area in search of safety follow God's guidance, being mindful to give Him thanks as He meets their daily needs. We also ask the Lord to ultimately calm the violence by touching the hearts of the militants and leading them to repentance and salvation.
On January 28th, a pastor and his son were shot and killed within their church compound in the capital city of Bangui by members of a rebel group. The rebels, former members of the disbanded "Seleka" group, shouted "Allahu Akbar" before shooting Rev. Pierre-Severin Kongbo, 52, and his eldest son, Dieubeni. Two weeks before the men were killed, the rebels had come to their home, asking for the pastor. His wife informed them that he was not at home and then gave in to the rebels' demand for all the money in the house. Rev. Pierre-Severin is survived by his wife and their five other children.
As rebel groups and soldiers ravage the country of Central African Republic (CAR), the international community fears the possibility of religious genocide. The rebels, known as "Seleka" (meaning "Alliance"), have been pillaging villages, raping women, conscripting children as soldiers, and brutally murdering innocent victims in recent months. Sources estimate that approximately 10 percent of the population has been displaced.
The innocent people of this country need our prayers. Photo: Flickr / hdptcar
Christians in the Central African Republic are being targeted by Islamist militants who violently seized control of the country on March 24th. Although many have been killed or seriously wounded in the violence, others are being tied up, beaten and forced to hand over money to save their lives.
A pastor reports that this "reign of terror" is being conducted against Christians by the Seleka rebels. The church leader further explains that the rebels have a hit list of pastors and other Christian workers, and that places of worship are being attacked. Christian property is also being looted. As a result of the persecution, many Christians have fled to the countryside and are too fearful to return to their homes. More than 200,000 people are internally displaced, while 49,000 refugees have been registered in neighbouring countries.
On May 10th, Human Rights Watch released a report citing "grave violations" committed by the Seleka rebels against civilians, including pillage, summary executions, rape and torture. The organization also made reference to an attack on a funeral procession on the Ngaragba Bridge in Bangui on April 13th. As Seleka forces opened fire on the grieving crowd, a church leader was killed as he appealed for peace. An eyewitness vividly recalls the horrific event: "[The pastor] walked toward the Seleka elements on their pick-up, raising a Bible in his hand and calling to stop shooting.... [He] was shot dead by two Seleka fighters."
The crisis in the Central African Republic has largely slipped under the radar of the world's media, and the predominantly Christian population there feels abandoned by the international community.
Thankfully, God is aware of this serious situation, and He is calling us to intercede on behalf of the people in the Central African Republic. May all who have been victimized by the brutal attacks receive His healing, peace and comfort. Let us also pray for the perpetrators, who themselves are being wrongly influenced by 'the enemy of our souls'...the one ultimately seeking to destroy all of God's creation. May they come to realize the serious consequences of their actions if they don't repent and turn from their wicked ways.
Bangui, capital of the Central African Republic, in 2012 Photo: Kalyan3 / Flickr
A three-month rebel uprising made its way to the capital city of the Central African Republic on March 24th, resulting in the exile of the country's president and the ransacking and destruction of numerous Christian homes and churches. The heavily armed rebels also attacked Bangui's main detention centre, causing its imprisoned criminals to escape and be on the loose. Adding to the horror of the situation, communication systems are down, and water and power supplies have been suspended...plunging the city into darkness. As fear continues to grip the capital, looting remains rampant.
The revolution began when several rebel groups, discontented with the government of President Francois Bozizé, joined forces in December under the banner of Séléka. Within weeks, the rebels had seized much of the north, northeast and central regions of this impoverished French-speaking African nation. Since the Séléka militants' destructive rampage across the country, it's become evident that they are aggressively targeting the Christian population.
According to Msgr. Juan José Aguirre Muños, Bishop of Bangassou, "They respected only mosques and Muslim traders, to whom they gave our goods to sell." Sources in Bambari added that the militants attacked a Baptist church, burning its benches as firewood. "Their presence is fuelling serious tension between local Christians and Muslims," states Father Leo Tibenda, a Catholic priest who has been called to missionary service in Africa.
May our Almighty God, during this difficult time of political/religious uprising, provide protection over the many innocent and vulnerable inhabitants of the Central African Republic. While petitioning in prayer that He would bring a swift end to the country's conflict, let us also ask for His strength to be granted to the persecuted, comfort to those living in fear, and peace to those being tormented.
