written by Staff
Wednesday May 8, 2013
A group of 17 gunmen entered an animal park in the Central African Republic, threatening "one of the biggest massacres of elephants" in the region, conservationist body WWF said Tuesday.
It said the 17 had on Monday entered the Dzanga-Ndoki national park and were heading for Dzanga Bai, known locally as "elephant village".
The poachers threatened to bring about "one of the biggest massacres of elephants in the region since poachers killed at least 300 elephants for their ivory in Bouba N'Djidda national park in north Cameroon in February 2012, WWF said in a statement sent to AFP in Yaounde.
Dzanga Bai was described as a big clearing where 50 to 200 elephants go each day "to drink mineral salts present in the sands".
"Unless rapid and decisive measures are taken it seems very likely that the poachers will take advantage of the country's chaos and instability to shoot elephants living in this unique site," said Jim Leape, general director of WWF International.
The rebel Seleka coalition toppled the regime of Francois Bozize in March but has yet to establish order in the country whose army is in a shambles.
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Yahoo news
written by AP staff
Wednesday May 8, 2013
DAKAR, Senegal — The WWF said in a statement that suspected poachers belonging to the Seleka rebel group have entered one of Africa's most unique elephant habitats in the Central African Republic, and park guards saw them shooting in the direction of elephants.
According to the WWF, a group of 17 armed men who presented themselves as belonging to Central African Republic's transitional government, which is led by the Seleka rebels, entered the Dzanga-Ndoki National Park on Monday and headed for Dzanga Bai, known locally as the "village of elephants," a clearing where up to 200 elephants congregate every day.
Researchers in the park said they heard shots coming from the Bai. Also on Monday, two park guards saw the armed men inside the viewing tower shooting in the direction of the elephants.
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Central African Republic conflict (2012–present) CAR government appeals: On 27 December Bozizé asked the international community for assistance, specifically France and the United States, during a speech in the capital Bangui. French President Francois Hollande rejected the appeal, saying that French troops would only be used to protect French nationals in the CAR, and not to defend Bozizé's government. Reports indicated that the U.S. military was preparing plans to evacuate "several hundred" American citizens, as well as other nationals.
A conflict in the Central African Republic started in December 2012, between the Government of the Central African Republic (CAR) and rebels, many of whom were previously involved in the Central African Republic Bush War. The rebels accused the government of president François Bozizé of failing to abide by peace agreements signed since 2007.
Rebel forces known as Séléka CPSK-CPJP-UFDR (Séléka means "union" in the Sango language) captured many major towns in the central and eastern regions of the country. The alliance comprises two major groups based in north-eastern CAR, the Union of Democratic Forces for Unity (UFDR) and the Convention of Patriots for Justice and Peace (CPJP), as well as the lesser known Patriotic Convention for Saving the Country (CPSK). Two other groups announced their support to the coalition as well, the FDPC as well as the Chadian group FPR, both of which are based in northern CAR. With the exception of the FPR and the CPSK, all factions were signatory to peace agreements and a disarmament process.
Chad, Gabon, Cameroon, Angola, South Africa and Republic of Congo sent troops to help the Bozizé government hold back a potential rebel advance on the capital, Bangui.
On 11 January 2013, a ceasefire agreement was signed in Libreville, Gabon. The rebels dropped their demand for President François Bozizé to resign, but he had to appoint a new prime minister from the opposition party by 18 January 2013. On 13 January, Bozizé signed a decree that removed Prime Minister Faustin-Archange Touadéra from power, as part of the agreement with the rebel coalition. On 17 January, Nicolas Tiangaye was appointed Prime Minister.
On 23 January 2013, the ceasefire was broken, with the government blaming Seleka for breaking the ceasefire and Seleka blaming the government for allegedly failing to honor the terms of the power-sharing agreement. By 21 March, the rebels had advanced to Bouca, 300 km from the capital Bangui. On 22 March, the fighting reached the town of Damara, 75 km from the capital, with conflicting reports as to which side was in control of the town. Rebels overtook the checkpoint at Damara and advanced toward Bangui, but were stopped with an aerial assault from an attack helicopter. The next day, however, the rebels entered Bangui, heading for the Presidential Palace. On 24 March, François Bozizé fled the country after rebels took the presidential palace. Rebel leader Michel Djotodia declared himself president later the same day. [source: wikipedia]
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Worldwide Conflicts
On April 18th 2013 a group called FLISM (Front for the Liberation and Independence of the Sangha-Mbaéré), made up from Bantu and Pygmy, made a statement (see below) in Central African media in which it declares that it has been created to stand up against “foreign” occupation of the Sangha-Mbaéré region, which is located in south-western Central African Republic (bordering Cameroon and Democratic Republic of Congo, DRC), and will fight for the creation of the Republic of Sangha-Mbaéré. They’ve taken up arms to expel the “foreign invaders” and do not want to live under Muslim rule. In the same statement FLISM announced that it will “destroy Seleka” (Coalition). The group states it will start it’s operations with the liberation of Nola (the capital of the prefecture), Bayanga and Lidjombo and other villages in the Sangha-Mbaéré area. The statement was made from Lidjombo, so it is likely FLISM has it’s headquarters in that village.
In a second announcement (see below), dated April 24th 2013, the group declared war on the Seleka Coalition, which they call “Sudanian and Chadian Islamist poachers, killing all animals in the area”. They announce that they’ve already liberated Lidjombo, Tomori and Adoumandjali and are heading for Bayanga. FLISM has also called for the people of Sangha-Mbaéré to join the fight and protect the region from foreign militias.
At this moment little is known about this group, but when there is more information available, this profile will be updated.
The Sangha-Mbaéré prefecture is located in south western Central African Republic and neighbours the prefectures of Haute-Sangha and Lobaye and borders the countries of Cameroon and the Democratic Republic of Congo. The river Sangha cuts the prefecture in half and runs through Nola, the capital of the prefecture, which is located in the centre of the region and next to the RN10 highway (Yokadouma (CMR) – Berbérati (CAR)). Most of Sangha-Mbaéré is covered by jungle woods.
Translation of both statements:
Communiqué No. 01
FLISM – Creating the Front for the Liberation and Independence of the Sangha Mbaéré (FLISM)
We Bantu and Pygmy populations who live in the Prefecture Sangha Mbaéré, now a prefecture of the Central African Republic in the south west of this fictional country, met and we decided to create the Front for the Liberation and independence of the Sangha Mbaéré (FLISM) because our people do not want to live in poverty, but wants to live free.
We Bantus and Pygmies from Sangha Mbaéré, created the Front for the Liberation and Independence of the Sangha Mbaéré (FLISM), because we do not want to live in the Central African Dictatorship.
We were victims of many Central African dictatorships, eg Gbaya dictatorship or the dictatorship of Yakoma, which now wants to impose foreign criminals Roungas, Goulas Arabs and Muslims. But we, the people of the Sangha Mbaéré, we do not want to be Muslims, we want to live free, we will create our country, we will create the Republic of Sangha Mbaéré.
In this region of Africa we only listen to the people with arms. We will take up arms and go to war against foreign invaders to liberate the people of the Sangha Mbaéré.
In the war of national liberation of Mbaéré Sangha, the Front for the Liberation and Independence of the Sangha Mbaéré (FLISM) will take Nola, Bayanga, Lidjombo and other villages in the Sangha Mbaéré.
We are ready to die to defend and liberate our country against foreign invaders.
The Front for the Liberation and Independence of the Sangha Mbaéré (FLISM) will destroy Seleka.
Vive la Sangha Mbaéré. Long live the Front for the Liberation and Independence of the Sangha Mbaéré (FLISM).
Written statement by the spokesman of the Front for the Liberation and Independence of the Sangha Mbaéré (FLISM)
April 18, 2013 at Lidjombo
Communiqué No. 02
The Front for the Liberation and Independence of the Sangha Mbaéré (FLISM) started the war against Islamist Seleka
Sudanese and Chadian Seleka Islamist poachers slaughter all animals near Bayanga. The Front for the Liberation and Independence of the Sangha Mbaéré (FLISM) can not accept that our country is destroyed by Muslim barbarians like Roungas, Goulas, Arabs and their Zaghawa brothers.
Bantus and Pygmies of the Sangha Mbaéré began the fight against the wild Seleka.
The Front for the Liberation and Independence of the Sangha Mbaéré (FLISM) already controls Lidjombo, Tomori and Adoumandjali and we started walking towards Bayanga Nola and villages.
The Seleka will be destroyed and the Sangha Mbaéré soon released. To help us appeal to people of all the villages that form of self-defense in the same style as the people of Kivu in the DRC have formed the Mai-Mai militia to protect against invasion militias foreigners.
The victory of the Front for the Liberation and Independence of the Sangha Mbaéré (FLISM) is coming soon and the Sangha Mbaéré released.
The Spokesman FLISM to Lidjombo Wednesday, April 24, 2013
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