Genocide, or the systematic destruction of a race or tribe, is an all too common phenomenon in the history of our planet and even more so in Africa. Genocide and war share many common causes, such as desperation caused by a declining economy. Experts in the Central African Republic believe that current events point to a possible repeat of the 1994 Rwandan genocide, in which over a million people were killed. Many believe that UN involvement is necessary to stop the escalation of violence in the Central African Republic; others believe that the UN's dismal experience in similar situations makes it unlikely that they can be effective in the current crisis. In any case, the already serious human rights situation is destined to worsen. The Central African Republic, one of the poorest countries in the world, is located in the very heart of Africa. This region is a land of adversity. It extends from the edge of the desert in the north, across open grasslands and into the African rainforest. Its people, similarly, are full of contrasts. As many as eighty ethnic groups call the nation home. Although most of the population is rural, there are also ten cities with over thirty thousand inhabitants. The two largest cities are the capital Bangui and Bimbo with 542,000 and 129,000 inhabitants respectively. The Central Republic of Africa is made up of the densely populated hill countries of Rwanda and Burundi which have populations of very similar composition. In both there is a large majority of Hutu who are predominantly Christian. The people of the Central Republic of Africa have a long history and a tragic recent history. Without any written documentation, little is known about the region's first peoples. Large stone monuments suggest a civilization more than twenty years advanced... middle of paper... a board of rights. While the United Nations may represent the best hope for the citizens of the Central Republic of Africa, its participation would in no way guarantee safety from the current regime. Since the citizens of the Central Republic of Africa have no means to protect themselves from the Seleka rebels, their only hope for stopping this inevitable genocide is the UN. For a long time the people of the Central Republic of Africa did not enjoy civil rights due to a totalitarian government that controlled everything and repressed every revolt. There have been numerous genocides in history due to these reasons and this has caused the people who are victims of this betrayal to live in fear and without rights. Even if it were to preserve what little freedom the citizens of the Central Republic already enjoy, the UN could make an effort to maintain an acceptable climate