Cardinal Dieudonnè Nzapalainga of Bangui, Central African Republic (map), reflected on the state of the nation over a decade after the beginning of a civil war launched by mostly Muslim Séléka rebels.
“During the worst period of the conflict, essentially 95% of the territory was controlled by the rebels, now it is the other way round,” he told the Fides news agency. “The rebels were very afraid of the mercenaries of the [Russian paramilitary] Wagner group. Since the government allowed the Russians into the country, violence has drastically decreased.”
“It is obvious that they are not here out of philanthropy, but to control the gold mines and diamonds; they exploit our mineral resources and have replaced the rebels in controlling the most strategic places,” he added.
While “we can finally say that the situation in our country has definitely improved,” the prelate lamented wartime setbacks in education and decried the avarice of a “small elite” in the impoverished nation.