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16/06/2014

Opinion document: The Central African Republic: The invention of a religious conflict

The present crisis that began in 2012 in Central African Republic (CAR), triggered by Seleka rebellion and perpetuated by the Antibalaka militia, is often presented in the mass media as an interfaith conflict instead of a political power struggle included in the regional background of Chad and Darfur conflict. This theory ignores that, in CAR, religion and, more broadly, national identity, have been manipulated by elites behind these two armed groups to further political and economic goals, basically to attain or maintain power, to take control over natural resources and to achieve personal gain. This manipulation has been possible due to the failure of State in CAR.

Author: Trinidad Deiros

 

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