Polish priest kidnapped amid Central African Republic conflict

A Polish priest who has worked in Central African Republic (CAR) since 2009 was kidnapped Oct. 12 by a splinter rebel group that wants to exchange him for their jailed leader.

According to World Watch Monitor (WWM), a rebel group known as the Democratic Front of the Central African People (FDPC) took Father Mateusz Dziedzic hostage. FDPC is a “splinter group” of Seleka rebels that formed in 2006 and is known for kidnapping people, including children, for ransom, according to Polskie Radio, Poland’s leading news outlet.

At about 9 p.m. on a Sunday evening, a group of armed men broke into the parish compound and took the priest and his assistant hostage, Father Mirek Gucwa, the vicar general of the Diocese of Bouar, told WWM.

Emily Fuentes, the director of communications for Open Doors USA, said the kidnapping may give the group more than leverage for a prisoner swap: “Often groups like these will kidnap Westerners as it brings more global attention to their demands.”

Father Aurelio Gazzera, bishop of Bozoum, who has worked to bring peace and develop inter-religious mediation in CAR took a similar view.

“The rebels have kidnapped dozen of civilians, CAR and Cameroon nationals, a few weeks ago but no one had moved,” Gazzera said, according to WWM. “They thought perhaps that by kidnapping a European priest, they will attract more attention.”

The rebels are demanding a prisoner exchange for Abdolaye Miskine, who has been in prison in the bordering country of Cameroon since September 2013, according to Agence France Presse (AFP). Cameroonian officials were concerned he might use their country as a base.

Miskine and the FDPC joined the Seleka rebel coalition last year to force out CAR President Francois Bozize. The Muslim coalition succeeded, deposing Bozize in March 2013. But Miskine’s group broke rank a month later, citing “differences in points of view,” and were driven to northeast CAR by Seleka militants, AFP reported.

According to Polskie Radio, Poland’s Foreign Ministry said the priest was being “treated well,” but also said “speculation might adversely influence a positive solution to the case.” The Foreign Ministry also called for “media discretion and prudence.”

Because the largely Muslim Seleka coalition often targeted Christians—killing, pillaging, and burning churches—a resistance militia called anti-Balakas formed to fight back. But that group also attacked many civilians, especially Muslims. Conflict has continued even after the Seleka allegedly dissolved in 2013. That has not stopped extremist Muslims from attacking churches.

Many media outlets identify the anti-Balakas as Christians and labeled the conflict an inter-religious war. But Christian leaders, including a group of bishops in CAR, issued a statement disputing the religious affiliation of either group.

UN peacekeepers moved into CAR in September. But Christian groups complained the full deployment of 12,000 had not arrived yet. BosNewsLife said Dziedzic’s kidnapping came after a week of violence in Bangui that cost at least 12 lives, including two peacekeepers. Anti-Balaka members responded to the attacks by demanding the resignation of CAR’s transitional president, Catherine Samba-Panza.