【和平誰保衛?】中非共和國首都 爆發宗教衝突

中非共和國12月初爆發嚴重宗教暴力衝突，

聯合國5日授權法國軍隊進入中非維和，

然而，這些西方國家卻不若以往， 援引簡稱R2P的「國家保護責任」原則為出兵理由；

R2P原則的爭議何在？國際干預又是否是衝突的唯一解？

多個位於中非共和國首都的穆斯林社區，20日遭基督教民兵部隊攻擊，中非的前殖民國法國因此向歐洲各國尋求協助，好平息這場已持續數個月的宗教暴力衝突。

今年3月，原為反政府軍的穆斯林武裝組織「塞勒卡聯盟」奪取政權；此後，這些組織成員發動一波掠奪、強暴及屠殺事件，促使名為「反塞勒卡」的基督教自衛民兵部隊展開報復行動。

70萬人無家可歸

這場衝突已令超過70萬人流離失所，有些人擔憂，衝突可能擴大成和1994年盧安達大屠殺事件一樣的規模。

在聯合國授權出兵保護平民後，法國已派遣了1,600名軍人到中非。這場衝突於12月初升溫時，班基有數百人遭殺害，儘管當時有非洲維和部隊駐守。

日前，這個坐落河畔的破敗首都看似恢復平靜，但PK5和法蒂瑪這兩個穆斯林社區在20日遭基督教民兵組織攻擊後，就掀起一波持續數小時的激烈槍戰。

法國總統歐蘭德在布魯塞爾一場高峰會中向歐盟成員國尋求幫助，好讓這個460萬人口的國家恢復秩序。他表示，歐盟外交和安全政策高級代表艾希頓將提出一些歐洲聯合行動的選項，並於1月底做成決定。他說，波蘭已派遣50名空軍駕駛一架C130運輸機前往當地，英國、德國、比利時、西班牙及荷蘭則提供後勤支援。

安排部隊參與特定任務

「我們並非要求部隊前來參與軍事行動。」歐蘭德說：「我們需要的是各位參與特定任務，例如保護機場，以及在安全、醫療及人道援助上提供協助。」

美國已承諾撥款1億美元（約新台幣30億元）資金支持非洲聯盟的維和任務，提供裝備、訓練及後勤支援。

不過，歐巴馬並未表示將派遣美國軍隊支援，也未針對聯合國可能執行的維和任務尋求大眾強力支持。

非洲聯盟維和部隊表示，他們目前已解除數千名賽勒卡組織成員的武裝，並將他們送回軍營。

法國國防部長勒德里安於20日表示，法國部隊將同時解除賽勒卡和反賽勒卡的武裝，公平對待雙方。

法國想擺脫在非洲的警察角色

根據聯合國5日通過的決議，法國預計在6個月內把維和責任轉交給非洲聯盟部隊。非洲聯盟的部隊則應在1月底前將部隊增加到6千名兵力。「我們甚至預期他們可增加到9千名兵力。」歐蘭德說。這幾個月來，歐蘭德不斷呼籲非洲各國自行處理國內危機，顯示出法國想擺脫在非洲大陸扮演的警察角色。

法國目前仍有近3千名軍人駐紮馬利，對抗與蓋達組織相關的武裝團體。（路透）

（圖說）一位法軍士兵正在中非首都班基巡邏，圖攝於2013年12月7日。（圖文／路透）

Christian militia （1） attacked Muslim neighbourhoods in the capital of the Central African Republic on Friday, as France appealed to European partners for assistance in quelling （2） months of religious violence in its former colony.

The seizure of power by Seleka rebels in March unleashed a wave of looting （3）, rapes and massacres by the Muslim gunmen, sparking reprisals （4） by Christian self-defence militia known as anti-balaka.

More than 700,000 people have been displaced by the conflict, leading some to fear atrocities on the scale of the 1994 genocide in Rwanda.

France has deployed 1,600 troops under a U.N. mandate to protect civilians, following an escalation of the violence in early December in which hundreds of people were killed in Bangui under the gaze of African peacekeepers （5）.

A semblance of calm had returned to the ramshackle riverside capital in recent days but fighting raged for several hours in the Muslim neighbourhoods of PK 5 and Fatima early on Friday following an assault by Christian militias.

At a summit in Brussels, France's President Francois Hollande appealed for help from European Union partners to restore order in the nation of 4.6 million people.

He said EU foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton would propose options for a joint European mission, to be decided in late January.

Poland had already sent 50 airmen to operate a C130 transport plane while Britain, Germany, Belgium, Spain and Holland were providing logistical support, he said.

"I am not asking that troops come to take part in military actions," Hollande said. "What we need is a presence for specific missions such as protecting the airport, helping security, medical and humanitarian assistance."

The United States has pledged up to $100 million to support the African Union peacekeeping mission with equipment, training, and logistical support.

President Barack Obama, however, has stopped short of offering to send U.S. troops or voicing strong public support for a possible U.N. peacekeeping mission.

The African Union peacekeeping force MISCA says it has disarmed several thousand Seleka fighters and returned them to barracks.

France's Defence Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian said on Friday that French forces were disarming both sides, anti-balaka and Seleka, indiscriminately.

Under the terms of a U.N. resolution passed on Dec. 5, France hopes to hand over responsibility to security to the MISCA force in six months. The African Union force is due to reach 6,000 troops by the end of January.

"We could even foresee that force going up to 9,000," said Hollande, who has repeatedly called on African nations in recent months to deal with their own crises as France seeks to shed its image as the continent's policeman.

Paris still has nearly 3,000 troops sent to Mali to fight al Qaeda-linked militants.（Reuters）

關鍵字詞1.militia（n.）民兵部隊2.quell（v.）鎮壓3.loot（n.）掠奪4.reprisal（n.）報復5.peacekeeper（n.）維和人員

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