The Anti-balaka is an alliance of militia groups based in the Central African Republic said to be composed primarily of Christians.[2] However, some Church leaders have contested the exclusively Christian character of such groups[3] and the Tony Blair Faith Foundation has also pointed out the presence of animists in Anti-balaka groups[4] as has journalist Andrew Katz.[5] They formed in the Central African Republic after the rise to power of Michel Djotodia in 2013.[6] Amnesty International reported in 2015 that some members of anti-balaka groups have forcibly converted Muslims to Christianity.[7] Anti-balaka groups have also kidnapped, burnt and buried alive women accused of being 'witches' in public ceremonies.[8]

Terminology [ edit ]

Though "anti-balaka" is often translated as "antimachete", its origin is explained:

[It is] from the language of the young illiterates, who formed Seleka's armed opposition, and who chased the Muslim 'anti-balles à ti laka' (anti ti laka bullets). The term 'laka' in the street language of the Central African Republic means an AK-47. The anti-balakas are therefore the bearers of grigris meant to stop Kalashnikov bullets.[9]

History [ edit ]

It is argued that village militias formed in the 1990s to protect from highwaymen was a precursor to the Antibalaka.[6] Unable to provide security throughout the remote areas of the country, President François Bozizé organized, to combat crime on the village level, self-protection groups in 2009 that took the name Antibalaka.[4]

In March 2013, President Bozizé (a Christian) was overthrown in the Central African Republic Civil War by a mostly-Muslim rebel coalition known as Séléka. The leader of the Séléka, Michel Djotodia, then became the first Muslim president of the country.[10] With the disbanding of the army by Djotodia, many army members joined the group, boosting their numbers and helping train them.[4]

Djotodia announced the dissolution of the Séléka in September 2013,[11] but most of the militias refused to disband.[12] The Séléka and the anti-balaka engaged in a cycle of increasing violence.[12][13]

As many Christians had more settled lifestyles and many Muslims were nomadic, claims to the land were yet another dimension of the tensions.[14] In November 2013, the UN warned the country was at risk of spiraling into genocide,[15] was "descending into complete chaos".[16] France described the country as "... on the verge of genocide".[17] On 2 December 2013, anti-balaka militiamen are suspected to have killed 12 people, including children, and wounded 30 others in an attack on the mostly-Muslim Fula in Boali, according to the government.[18] This was amidst the Central African Republic conflict under the Djotodia administration.

Early 2014 marked a turning point; hardened by war and massacres, the anti-balaka committed multiple atrocities.[5] In December 2013, UNICEF reported that in sectarian violence in Bangui, at least two children were beheaded and one of them was mutilated.[19] In 2014, Amnesty International reported several massacres committed by anti-balaka against Muslim civilians, forcing thousands of Muslims to flee the country.[20]

In 2014, the corpse of a missing French photojournalist, Camille Lepage, was found by French soldiers in a truck used by Anti-Balaka members.[21]

See also [ edit ]