Hatred between Christians and Muslims in Central African Republic has reached a “terrifying level”, the U.N.’s top human rights official said on March 20, warning that atrocities were being carried out with impunity. Navi Pillay, U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights, appealed to the international community to urgently provide troops for a proposed 12,000-strong U.N. peacekeeping mission to halt crimes which she said included acts of cannibalism and decapitation of children.
“The inter-communal hatred remains at a terrifying level, as evidenced by the extraordinarily vicious nature of the killings,” Pillay told a news conference. “There is … almost total impunity: no justice, no law and order apart from that provided by foreign troops.” Thousands have been killed since the ‘anti-Balaka’ Christian militia began killing last year which has driven tens of thousands of Muslims from Bangui, the south and west of the country.