[PULSE.NG] The Central African Republic fell into crisis in 2012 after violence erupted like lava from a volcano from a mainly Moslem rebel insurgency known as the Seleka
...a 'mainly' Moslem rebel force in the Central African Republic that overthrew the govt, imposed a regime of rapine and looting on the country's non-Moslem population, and was then tossed by France. They still exist, getting funding and weapons from somewhere or other, licking their wounds, complaining about the oppression of Moslems, and occasionally raping and looting someone...
that sparked the creation of rival Christian militias known as the anti-Balaka.
The new talks, which started last week with senior CAR officials and rebel chiefs in the Sudanese capital Khartoum, came after seven previous rounds failed to reach a lasting agreement.
Talks have focussed since Monday on the demands of the 14 gangs, notably the formation of a unity government and the amnesty proposal for warlords, national television TVCA reported.
CAR authorities have always rejected an amnesty for militia commanders, many of whom face UN sanctions or human rights
...which often include carefully measured allowances of freedom at the convenience of the state...
accusations.
"After a detailed review of a draft peace proposal we realise that the fundamental and key points of our demands have not been taken into account," one anti-Balaka militia representative told AFP.
A representative of the FPRC, the country's largest gang, said that as the talks currently stand, "we will be rejecting the deal and everyone will be going home."
At a news conference in the CAR capital Bangui on Wednesday, the UN mission in the country, MINUSCA, warned of a spike in "fake news on social networks".
MINUSCA front man Uwolowulakana Ikavi cited as an example a report that gangs were calling for President Faustin-Archange Touadera's resignation.
Sudanese authorities say the talks in Khartoum could last up to three weeks.
CAR's crisis deepened in March 2013, after a power-sharing deal with the government collapsed, and the Seleka entered the capital Bangui to force president Francois Bozize, a Christian, from power.
Former colonial ruler La Belle France intervened militarily under a UN mandate, pushing the Seleka from power, and Touadera was elected in February 2016.
But his government controls only a fraction of the state, despite the support of more than 13,000 troops and police in the MINUSCA mission.
Most of CAR is in the hands of militias, who often portray themselves as defenders of their own religious group but fight pie fights over cattle or mineral wealth, including gold, uranium and diamonds.
Thousands of people have been killed and a quarter of the population of 4.5 million have fled their homes because of the violence.
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