Pope Francis meets with catechists and teachers during his visit to Munyonyo, Uganda, Friday, Nov. 27, 2015. Pope Francis is in Africa for a six-day visit that is taking him to Kenya, Uganda and the Central African Republic. AP Photo
BANGUI, Central African Republic鈥擭o money, no food, no petrol. But there is fear. Plenty of it.
It is fear that haunts the dusty streets of PK5, a Muslim neighbourhood in Bangui, the Central African Republic (CAR) capital that Pope Francis plans to visit on Sunday and Monday.
Under siege from Christian militia鈥攌nown as 鈥渁nti-balaka鈥� fighters鈥攂acked by ex-army troops, residents of the city鈥檚 last Muslim district are cornered amid the burnt rubble and debris of war, hungry but too afraid to venture out.
鈥淣obody can leave PK5 and go on Boganda avenue without being stoned, kidnapped or killed by armed groups,鈥� said a young Muslim who gave her name as Aziza.
鈥淲e are all afraid.鈥�
The PK5 district, a maze of dirt-red roads and flimsy shacks, epitomizes the sectarian conflict tearing apart impoverished CAR.
If security permits, Francis is scheduled to visit its mosque on the last leg of his three-nation Africa tour, his first visit to the continent.
The district was the epicenter of an unprecedented wave of violence pitting majority Christians against minority Muslims that began in late 2013 and has continued since.
One of the poorest and most unstable countries in Africa, the country plunged into chaos after former president Francois Bozize was ousted in a coup in March 2013.
The mainly Muslim rebels behind the coup went on a bloody rampage that triggered the emergence of the equally dangerous anti-Balaka militia in mostly Christian communities.
At the height of the massacres, around one in five of CAR鈥檚 4.6 million people were displaced and half the population forced to live on humanitarian aid.
鈥淲e don鈥檛 have anything here: vegetables, water, electricity or health care,鈥� said local shopkeeper Ashta Babayero.
Residents said they had pleaded for help from UN peacekeepers in the MINUSCA force as well as from French forces there.
Cornered, unable to move
But Ahmat Moussa, also a shopkeeper, said international forces were refusing aid.
鈥淏efore, the MINUSCA patrols would escort those who wanted to leave, but it鈥檚 no longer the case.鈥�
鈥淲e can鈥檛 even go to the bank to take out money. Food is聽scarce and what can we do without money?鈥�
One man said that when his brother attempted to withdraw cash 鈥渢hey kidnapped, tortured and killed him, his body was horribly mutilated.鈥�
Political scientist Roland Marchal said soldiers from Bozize鈥檚 army, officially dismantled by international forces, were joining the anti-balaka militia.
鈥淭hey recently switched to the anti-balaka camp, this is not a good sign,鈥� Marchal said.
The CAR leg of the pontiff鈥檚 trip has been maintained despite warnings from French peacekeepers there that they cannot guarantee Francis鈥檚 security.
And Muslim leaders from PK5 have met with the archbishop of Bangui in an attempt to secure as best as possible the locations the pontiff plans to visit.
But the militias patrolling the outskirts of the district do not plan to let up their barricades.
鈥淭he residents of the PK5 kill, slaughter and maim men, women and children!鈥� said Herve Ngote, who lives in a nearby district.
鈥淲e will maintain this blockade until a solution is found, we will brave the armed Muslims in PK5 and MINUSCA,鈥� he said.
Vatican officials say a last-minute change of programme will only happen if Francis is made aware of a precise threat that could endanger the thousands of believers expected to come and see him, many of whom will be travelling long distances from neighbouring countries.
Aides say he is determined that the sombre context will not affect his plans, particularly in CAR.
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