Dozens of ex-soldiers who retired last year took to the streets of the capital Bangui to demand the immediate payment of 11 months of unpaid salaries and the enforcement of accompanying measures.
The veterans blocked several districts of Bangui, causing traffic disruptions in the capital, particularly in the south-west.
The former soldiers, for whom this was not their first strike, refused to attend a meeting attended by Prime Minister Simplice Mathieu Sarandji, representatives of the US and its military training mission as well as the European Union (EU).
Stressing that there was no mention of “accompaniments” for former soldiers, Prime Minister Sarandji declared that the payment of the arrears was made thanks to the financial support of the United States through the European Union.
In the same vein, Major Aaron Testa, military representative of the US Embassy in CAR, made it clear that the two countries have signed an agreement that does not include accompaniments for retired military personnel but only the payment of balance arrears.
The Prime Minister points fingers at the protesters accusing them of reluctance to enter into talks with him or the relevant ministry but with only President Faustin Archange Touadéra.
According to Simplice Mathieu Sarandji, the protesters demand CFAF 35 million to be paid to each retired general, CFAF30 million to each senior officer, CFAF25 million to each officer and CFAF20 million to each non-commissioned officer.
The reconstruction of CAR’s army, launched in 2016 by the international community, resulted in the retirement of 800 personnel of the FACA in 2018.