OIC Condemns Violence Against Muslims In CAR

Tehran, Feb 23, IRNA – The Organization of the Islamic Cooperation (OIC) has strongly condemned mounting violence against and massacre of Muslims in the Central African Republic (CAR). During a meeting of the OIC Executive Committee held in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia on February 20, the 57-member body called on the international community to help restore order in the Central African Republic amid raging sectarian violence. At least 2,000 people have been killed and some 700,000 displaced since December as Christian militias, calling themselves anti-Balaka, waged a campaign against Muslims. Fighting started when the Muslims seized power a year ago in the majority Christian state. Participants of the meeting urged the world to act fast and support the new authorities in stabilizing the country because of the implications of the crisis on the peace, security and stability of the wider region and beyond. They expressed concern over the genocidal and ethnic cleansing campaign against Muslims in the republic. According to reports, the capital, Bangui, has been emptied of its Muslim population with only a quarter remaining in refugee camps. In addition, thousands of Muslims in other provinces of CAR have fled in mass to Chad, Cameron, Mali, Senegal, Niger, Nigeria and Sudan. The Executive Committee at its emergency meeting on Thursday at OIC Headquarters in Jeddah decided to urgently dispatch a high-level mission led by Guinean Foreign Minister Lounceny Fall, chair of the Council of Foreign Ministers, to visit Bangui “to explore, express solidarity and communicate with the authorities in CAR and contribute to the rapprochement dialogue.” It also decided to appoint a special representative to lead the efforts toward resolving the crisis and building peace in the country. The OIC member states urged all to move as fast as possible to alleviate the humanitarian disaster befalling the country and the region. The OIC will make effort to communicate with the new authorities in CAR towards giving priority to efforts and measures that would enhance dialogue and sustainable national reconciliation. Participants of the Executive Meeting also welcomed the United Nations Security Council resolution that mandated the European Union to deploy troops and the decision by France to raise its troop level to 2,000. Meanwhile, Iranˈs Representative to the Executive Meeting Hamid Reza Dehqani referred to Muslims massacre in the CAR as a terrorist act and an open violation of human and international rights. Dehqani called for immediate action to save Muslims and voiced Tehranˈs readiness to join a fact-finding group or contact team to follow up the ongoing situation in the Central African Republic./end