A/HRC/26/53 regarding the action needed to strengthen the capacity to respond to human rights violations and breaches of international humanitarian law in the Central African Republic. 9. The Independent Expert thanks the Government of the Central African Republic and, in particular, the transitional Head of State, Ms. Catherine Samba-Panza, for her helpfulness and her cooperation. She also thanks all those persons in the Central African Republic and elsewhere, including the members of the diplomatic corps and the commanders of the Sangaris and MISCA international forces, who provided her with information relevant to her mandate. She wishes to thank in particular the United Nations specialized agencies, MISCA, BINUCA/the United Nations Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in the Central African Republic (MINUSCA) and their human rights sections for their constant support. II. Overall situation A. Political and security situation 10. Several interlocutors have claimed that the Central African Republic bears the scars of coups d’état, mutinies and recurrent poor governance that have led to insecurity, political instability and potential repercussions on peace and stability in the subregion. They all agree that the political, socioeconomic and structural crises that have plagued the Central African Republic for decades have as their main causes: nepotism, corruption, disparities between the regions, social inequalities, weak rule of law, injustice and poverty. Under previous regimes, in particular that of Mr. François Bozizé, human rights violations are said to have been committed with complete impunity. 11. Since gaining independence, the Central African Republic has never experienced stable and sustainable political governance. The Central African State exists only in the capital, Bangui; the hinterland has always been, and remains, fertile ground for the proliferation of weapons and armed groups of all kinds. The authority of the State and the functioning of the public institutions, including the judicial bodies, have never effectively extended to the entire country. The Central African Republic has, therefore, always been a fragile entity and the current crisis, which began with the coup d’état of 24 March 2013,1 is merely the overt manifestation of successive tensions that for so long have not been appropriately addressed. 12. The inability of the ex-Seleka coalition, the new ruling power, to protect the population from the worst excesses of rogue elements from within its own ranks, as well as the numerous human rights violations attributed to those elements, led to the formation of self-defence militias, the anti-Balaka (anti-machete in the Sango language), in order to protect the population. However, the anti-Balaka allegedly turned out to be even more murderous, in turn carrying out unprecedented human rights violations. The clashes between ex-Seleka and anti-Balaka forces, which still mainly claim civilian victims, have gone beyond the political dimension and developed into religious and intercommunal strife, most seriously affecting the Muslim minority. This portentous development undoubtedly signifies a new chapter in a country previously marked by essentially inter-ethnic disputes. 13. Since the resignation, in January 2014, of the transitional President from the exSeleka coalition, Mr. Michel Djotodia, and the election of Ms. Catherine Samba-Panza to the office of transitional Head of State, the armed groups do not seem to have heeded the 1 6 The former Seleka coalition (mainly made up of Muslims) seized power following the coup d’état of 24 March 2013. GE.14-03816