Crowded cemeteries raise tensions between CAR's Muslims and Christians
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00:00The president of the Higher Islamic Council is unhappy.
00:03In Bangui's Muslim cemetery, where Christians also bury their dead for lack of space,
00:08cohabitation is becoming increasingly difficult.
00:12We Muslims and Christians have a different culture.
00:16At funerals, Christians dance, people are fun, but we don't have that.
00:20We have to separate.
00:24The occupation of the cemetery by Christians date back to the crisis of 2014,
00:29when Muslims were unable to access it because of the political conflicts in the country.
00:34After the signing of the Non-Aggression Pact between the two communities in 2016,
00:39the site became a symbol of renewed peace.
00:42But for those Christians, the behaviour of young people who come to drink and have fun on the graves
00:47could rekindle tensions with Muslims.
00:53The land belongs to them. They bequeathed it to us in a way.
00:56It's up to us to respect their principles.
00:58If they get angry and say no to Christians, where will we go?
01:03In PK5, Bangui's Muslim district, residents still vividly remember the event of 2014.
01:10Sariatu was a victim of armed groups with a Christian majority who attacked the neighbourhood.
01:15She lives in fear of such violence happening again.
01:20People were manipulated, so we don't want it to happen again.
01:24The two communities get along well now.
01:26But what scares us is the cemetery.
01:29We're afraid that our young people will respond with their provocations
01:33and that things will get out of hand one day.
01:36The local authority is aware of the problem
01:38and has been promising a four hectare plot for almost two years, but are still short of funds.
01:44The state's machinery is sometimes a bit slow, but we're making progress and it's going to come to fruition.
01:49While waiting for the new site, mediation and awareness-raising sessions
01:53continue between the two communities to prevent violence.