France is contriving a plan to ring off Algeria in terms of security leeway

The French government’s recent decision to intervene again militarily in Central Africa with no prior consultations with the parties concerned casts serious doubts over the efficiency of such military operations and can have adverse repercussions on Algeria which is more concerned about the question of security and stability in the whole region, according to several political analysts.

“This could be the dreadful negative outcome of France’s move to open a new military front in the Central African Republic (CAR)  in the heart of three explosive regions including South Sudan, the Great Lakes and the Sahel with unpredictable consequences”, they warned.

The French government’s questionable  and rash decision to intervene in Central Africa, ostensibly geared to eliminating rebel and terrorist groups there, may well backfire and force the French troops to get bogged down in a damaging conflict which could spiral into neighbouring countries, they added.

In a briefing on Monday to the Security Council, the UN deputy secretary-general, Jan Eliasson, said the situation in CAR was deteriorating so fast that a UN peacekeeping force may soon be the only option.

“A country in the heart of Africa is descending into complete chaos before our eyes,” Eliasson said. “The situation requires prompt and decisive action.” He warned the country was becoming a breeding ground for extremists and armed groups and unprecedented sectarian violence between Muslims and Christians.

“If this situation is left to fester, it may develop into a religious and ethnic conflict with long-standing consequences, even a civil war that could spread into neighbouring countries.”

Jan Eliasson said virtually the entire population of 4.6 million people was “enduring suffering beyond imagination” and a third of its people were in dire need of food, protection, health care, water, sanitation and shelter.

With a long history of chaos and coups, the mineral-rich CAR has been in turmoil since a coalition of rebel groups, including hundreds of mercenaries from Chad and Sudan, joined forces in March to overthrow President François Bozize. The violence has increasingly pitted the mainly Muslim fighters of the Seleka rebels against Christian militias. Christians make up half the population and Muslims 15%.

Last week, the United Nations secretary general, Ban Ki-moon, presented the Security Council with options for supporting the African Union-led operation financially and logistically or transforming it into a UN peacekeeping operation. Ban said he would back a UN force with nearly 11,000 soldiers and police if the crisis degenerates.