Livestock farmers seek CEMAC help to free hostages

The federation of livestock farmers in the Central African Republic has sought the intervention of the Economic and Monetary Community of Central African States (CEMAC) troops in the country to free 10 hostages held by cattle raiders in the town of Boyali, 100 km north of the capital, Bangui, an official told IRIN on Wednesday. "They do not want CAR soldiers to intervene," Ousmane Shehou, an official of the Federation Nationale des Eleveurs Centrafricain (FNEC) in charge of the breeders’ cooperatives, said. He said the cattle raiders had been holding hostage the sons of the breeders since Tuesday in Boyali, where hundreds of livestock farmers from the north have sought refuge since October 2002 when fighting broke out between government and rebel troops. The October 2002 to March 2003 war between the rebels and government troops, mainly in the north, has contributed to an increase in armed robbery and cattle raids. Armed cattle raiders have been operating in remote areas inaccessible to CAR and CEMAC troops. "When the government sends troops there, they steal from the population and do nothing," Shehou said. He added that in September, the army carried out an operation to free hostages held by cattle raiders in Yaloke, 150 km north of Bangui, at the expense of cattle breeders who paid for their soldiers' food and transport. "If nothing is done urgently, there is a big risk that all cattle farmers might emigrate to neighbouring countries," Shehou said. He said that hundreds of cattle breeders were already in Cameroon and southern Chad and that others were on their way out of the country. The FNEC, which has about 15,000 members across the country, has informed the government about the risk that the country would face by depending on other countries to supply local meat markets. The war that ended on 15 March with Francois Bozize overthrowing President Ange-Felix Patasse affected cattle breeders who were mainly based in the north. They have been hesitant to return home as cattle raiders continue to roam the area. They have not received any aid yet from the government of from any other organisation.