Rebels in Central African Republic continue to hunt and kill Christian pastors and leaders in the church, who are forced to hide to escape violence, preventing them from ministering to their congregations. Fulani migrants have invaded the towns of Mbres, killing Christians and burning down homes and churches, according to a recent Open Doors report. Christians in Ndassima have been forced into slavery under Muslim Fulani lordship.
Many refugee camps providing shelter for persecuted Christians face shortages of food, drinking water, shelter and other basic necessities. The chief of the camp at Kaga Bandoro told Open Doors that as refugees continue to arrive at the camps, food rations are spread thin as they are distributed every three months but last for only one month.
Nearly 20% of the population-- 900,000 people-- are currently displaced, according to the International Rescue Committee.
Central African Republic remained featured in the headlines of world news as Seleka rebels took over the capital city in March of 2013 and drove out President Francois Bozize from power. The country erupted with instability as religious and ethnic groups were targeted, persecuted, and driven out of their homes, adding to the instability the country had been facing since its independence from France in 1960.
Seleka rebels, though not explicitly driven by religious motives, are disproportionately Muslim. The rebels are responsible for the violence that has been targeted at Christians, such as the destruction of Christian owned buildings and the rapes, robberies, and murders. In response, Anti-Balaka groups formed to protect communities from Seleka. However, the conflict was further complicated as Anti-Balaka groups, who describe themselves as Christians, sought revenge on the ‘Muslim’ rebel groups, creating a sequence of hostility between the two groups.
French troops and the UN intervened in 2014 and a peace agreement was signed by warring rebel groups and the Central African Republic government. Though news coverage on CAR has dwindled, persecution and violence is still prevalent throughout the country, according to Open Doors, a non-profit organization that serves persecuted Christians in over 60 different countries.
CAR is currently #17 on Open Doors’ World Watch List of countries experiencing Christian persecution.
