The Central African Republic Civil War is Financed by Illegal Gold and Diamonds

A U.N. panel has reported that the ongoing conflict in the Central African Republic is being financed by gold and diamonds. Located between Sudan and Cameroon, the Central African Republic has been embroiled in civil war since General Francois Bozize staged a military coup that suspended the constitution and dismissed most of parliament in 2003.

The Séléka rebels (Séléka means "Union" in the Sango language) have been trying to wrest control of the country from the Central African Republic government ever since, and in 2012, the group took over several towns in the northern and central regions of the country.

The U.N. panel stated that these conflicts were being financed at least in part by the illegal gold and diamond mining trade. Illegal mining is often euphemistically referred to as "artisanal mining" and due to the lack of regulation involved, can have a devastating impact on the local environment due to the use of arsenic and cyanide in gold extraction methods.

In December 2013, the U.N. imposed an arms embargo to curtail the fighting, but in that time, an estimated 3,000 people have been killed in the conflict.

The panel recommended deploying troops and drones to the northern region to assist in monitoring the rebels.

An export ban on diamonds from the Central African Republic was enacted last year by The Kimberley Process, a group of 81 countries that have united to stem the flow of "blood diamonds"-- diamonds that are sold to fund violence. The ban has of course led to a rise in illegal gold and diamond smuggling, with an estimated value of more than $24 million dollars moving out of the country under the radar.

The Séléka rebels withdrew from the capital city of Bangui earlier this year after their leader and  then president of the C.A.R. Michael Djotodia relinquished his office amid international pressure following several months of killing civilians.

But the Séléka still control the north, and have begun to impose taxes on gold mining, coffee, diamonds, and livestock to continue financing their group. According to the U.N. panel, there has been very little success in disarming the organization. The Séléka have also been bitterly divided since Djotodia stepped down and attempted to disband the rebels in 2013. Many rebels refused to abandon their mission and continue to fight.