Ex-CAR Militant Group Speaks About Cooperation With MINUSCA

A former member of the rebel group FPRC has testified against the United Nations Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission (MINUSCA) in the Central African Republic (CAR).

MINUSCA is a UN peacekeeping mission, which started on April 10, 2014, to protect Central Africa Republic.

Hissen Issa, a former militant who is currently in custody, has confessed to how MINUSCA cooperated with the militants.

Recall that Hissen surrendered under the DDRR program.

During interrogation in custody as monitored by a socio-political and international analyst, René Kassavugu, the suspect revealed that he was a member of the FPRC rebel group which he said protected their community.

According to him, he acted as a spokesman and Arabic to French translator to communicate with the community and other interested groups. He decided to leave them because he was tired of everything that was going on.

He said that the Moroccan MINUSCA contingent was cooperating with the UPC and FPRC armed groups, exchanging gold for ammunition.

He explained the details of the exchange. According to him, MINUSCA cooperated with the armed groups, giving them gold in exchange for ammunition, namely for 1 kilogram of gold MINUSCA gives them 5,000 rounds of ammunition, that is the price.

He also said that this exchange took place about two times a year. The place of exchange is on the border of the Upper Mbomu River in Zemio town, Hissene Issa also specified the time of the transaction as midnight to 1am.

He said MINUSCA sent out surveillance drones and then gave them information about Antibalaka positions.

The young man said he lived in this conflict at an early age, but has now begun to understand MINUSCA’s actions, that they are doing this for their own gain and they are equally indifferent to the lives of Central Africans of whatever religion they are.

Hissen Issa appealed to all those who are still in the struggle, saying: “My brothers who are out there, all I have seen, all I have learned is that they [MINUSCA] are acting in their own interest, manipulating us to continue the war. And they themselves are exploiting gold and diamonds, making profits, enriching themselves. And we, the Muslim youth, remain in this chaos, dying for nothing, unable to earn a living. Whereas we, the Muslims of the Central African Republic, we should live in peace and harmony”.