Residents in the Central African Republic celebrated the resignation of their president, Michel Djotodia, as a potential turning point in the recent fighting in their country. Many hoped it would signal an end to the violence between Mr. Djotodia’s Muslim rebel group, Seleka, and the Christian militia groups who oppose it.
But as my colleague Adam Nossiter reported, pent-up anger over months of repression was still evident, and sporadic fighting and looting continued. There were also questions of what would happen in the two weeks until a new “transitional president†is chosen.
Video and social media footage highlighted the celebrations as well as the security struggles ahead. Alex Thomson from Channel 4, who has been working extensively from the Central African Republic, reported on the initial euphoria and then the outward signs of some of the unrest that flared in the wake of the resignation.
Tristan Redman, a producer for Al Jazeera English, also highlighted the mix of celebration and uncertainty that reigned in the streets, as did his colleague Barnaby Phillips.
In New York, the United Nations secretary general, Ban Ki-moon, said in a news conference that the African-led mission there needed to be strengthened to prevent violence from spreading,
“I urge all political actors in the country to work urgently to restore security and law and order, and to address the root causes of the persisting instability,†he said.
Mr. Ban also said humanitarian needs were escalating. Aid groups have been reporting that the violence has made it hard to meet the needs of the hundreds of thousands of people who have been displaced during the conflict.
Follow Christine Hauser on Twitter @christineNYT.
