Central African Republic: Catholic bishop protects Muslims from anti-Balaka attack

According to BBC News reporting on 31 August 2017, Catholic Bishop Juan Jose Aguirre Munoz is providing assistance and protection for 2000 Muslims who have taken refuge in the compound of the church seminary in Bangassou since fighting broke out between the anti-Balaka and Seleka militias. Both groups have reportedly attacked property belonging to the church. As reported by Reuters on 8 September 2017, the UN has warned that the "possibility of another armed conflict is likely, if foreign armed actors, along with local armed groups, are not effectively dismantled and suppressed". Yonas Dembele, persecution analyst at World Watch Research, comments: "The security situation in the Central African Republic is deteriorating fast and as the UN has warned, a major conflict seems to be more and more likely. In this context, the Church is once again being targeted for persecution both by the supposedly "˜Christian" anti-Balaka group and the mainly Muslim Seleka militias. The brave and commendable act of Christian leaders like Bishop Munoz is likely to increase the risk of persecution as they thereby earn the enmity of those‚ militants who‚ would like to loot, injure and kill those who have found refuge under their protection."