Blood gold flows illegally from Central African Republic

Bambari

FREDDY Bonjour, covered in yellow dust from head to toe, stands exhausted after a day using his bare hands and a shovel to dig for gold in eastern Central African Republic.

Like his fellow diggers, Mr Bonjour said that his life, and work, were better before war erupted in the country and fighters from the mainly Muslim Seleka rebel group began demanding illegal taxes and fees. The alliance of anti-government militias said that the money collected pays for food and security.

"We've lost everything," Mr Bonjour, 28, said in an interview in Djoubissi, about 316 km north-east of the capital, Bangui. "The Seleka are in control of the mine."

Revenue generated by illegal exports of gold, diamonds and other resources is fuelling a conflict that has engulfed Central African Republic. At least 3,000 people have died, the United Nations said. More than 2.5 million need urgent humanitarian assistance and about one million have …