People of strife-torn Central African Republic must not be forgotten: UN official

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UNITED NATIONS, Aug. 1 (Xinhua) -- A senior UN human rights official on Thursday urged the international community not to forget the people of the Central African Republic (CAR), where state institutions remain throughout the country "close to collapse."

UN Assistant Secretary-General for Human Rights Ivan Simonovic made the statement as he was winding up his four-day visit to the country, UN spokesman Martin Nesirky said at a daily news briefing here.

"Simonovic said at the end of a four-day visit to the Central African Republic on Thursday that state institutions throughout the country remain close to collapse," he said. "He urged the international community not to abandon the country."

"Simonovic also said that while the situation in (the capital) Bangui has slightly improved, the state simply does not exist outside of the capital and there is no rule of law," Nesirky said. "He also expressed his concern about the high rate of sexual violence in the country."

Violence erupted this past December in the CAR, which has been marked by decades of instability and fighting, when the Seleka rebel coalition launched a series of attacks.

A peace agreement was reached in January, but the rebels again seized Bangui in March, forcing President Francois Bozize to flee.

The recent fighting has further eroded even the most basic services in the country and exacerbated an already dire humanitarian situation that UN humanitarian officials have said affects the entire population of 4.6 million people, half of whom are children.

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