One US-French Coup to Another: Central African Republic

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WSWS : News & Analysis : Africa

France dispatches troops to Central African Republic

By Chris Talbot
24 March 2003

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France has stepped up its military presence in Africa by sending 300 troops to the Central African Republic (CAR) following a coup on Saturday March 15. The troops are officially there to secure the airport and help evacuate French citizens from the capital, Bangui.

Although France has formally condemned the coup, its leader, General Francois Bozize, was recently in exile in Paris and has asked for more French troops to be sent to help stabilise the country. Everything points to France working behind the scenes to further its imperialist ambitions in Africa.

Bozize, a former army chief of staff of CAR’s army, led about 1,000 rebel troops into Bangui, apparently meeting little opposition. CAR’s President, Ange-Felix Patasse, was attending a conference in neighbouring Niger and when his plane attempted to land at Bangui airport it was shot at—forcing Patasse to flee to Cameroon.

Bozize was apparently welcomed by people dancing in the street, demonstrating the widespread hatred of Patasse. CAR’s population of 3.5 million is one of the poorest in Africa, with an average income of $290 a year. Civil servants have been unpaid for months despite taking repeated strike action.

Although it has considerable mineral wealth in diamonds and uranium, as well as possible oil deposits, CAR has suffered from continual instability. It is surrounded by countries that have been engulfed in wars—Sudan, Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Republic of Congo (ROC) and Chad. Conflict between Chad and Libya enabled Patasse to bring a detachment of Libyan troops into Bangui, putting pressure on Chad from the south.

After France cut back on economic aid and withdrew its troops in the mid-1990s, there has been a series of army mutinies and coup attempts. The last attempted coup was in October 2002 when Bozize’s supporters based in neighbouring Chad launched an attack on Bangui. It was repelled by the Libyan troops, who continued to help prop up Patasse’s regime until the end of last year when they withdrew under western pressure.

Patasse had also been supported by the rebel group from the DRC—the Mouvement de Liberation du Congo (MLC) led by Jean-Pierre Bemba. This outfit, based in the north of the DRC and backed by Uganda, was under pressure from a western imposed ceasefire that cut across its diamonds for armaments trade. Its forces moved into CAR where they were hated by the population, accused of mass rapes and human rights violations. Under pressure from the west, the MLC was forced to withdraw at the beginning of this year.

Having lost his protection from Libya and the MLC, Patasse obtained backing from 300 troops from the Economic and Monetary Community of Central Africa States (CEMAC). These troops, mainly from Gabon and Republic of Congo, were equipped and trained by France, with US backing, to provide some stability in the region.

When Bozize’s forces entered Bangui there was no resistance from the CEMAC troops, who abandoned their control of the airport and presidential palace and withdrew to barracks. According to the IRIN news service, their chief of staff said “Our mission was not to defend the [presidential] residence but the head of state, and I think that we have not failed in our mission.”

Bozize suspended the constitution and dissolved government and parliament, but has declared his coup was only a “temporary break” with democracy—a reference to the fact that Patasse was supposedly elected to office in 1999. He has met with CAR’s army and police chiefs, who are apparently offering their support, and with opposition political leaders.

The only difficulty faced by Bozize in taking power appears to have come from large-scale looting in Bangui. Hundreds of people seized the opportunity to loot government buildings and the private villas of Patasse supporters. Lorry loads of food were taken from the United Nations World Food Programme’s (WFP) warehouses. WFP have now had to appeal for more food aid for a desperate population. Bozize’s forces began shooting looters, giving rise to most of the 30 or so casualties of the coup.

As well as France, official condemnation of the coup has come from the UN, the African Union, and the US. However, there seems to be little real opposition to the military strongman Bozize establishing his control as a welcome alternative to the unstable regime of Patasse. France has called for “a real, all-inclusive dialogue” to establish government in CAR: a call that has been supported by the US.

CAR had attempted to gain backing from the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund last year when Patasse’s prime minister, Martin Ziguele, promised a free market-type opening up of the economy and a clampdown on corruption. It seems that western bankers did not trust the regime and loans and aid were not forthcoming. Bozize’s main task will be to gain western financial support.

Chad is reported to be sending troops to CAR and Bozize has demanded that they become part of the CEMAC force that Bozize has requested, together with the French troops, in order to help stabilise the country. Republic of Congo’s foreign minister, Rodolphe Adada, is reported by the BBC singing Bozize’s praises, saying that CAR “can trust a man who says the kind of things we have heard.” Since ROC is the chair of CEMAC, this seems to signal their backing.

Chad troops were reportedly seen amongst Bozize’s forces, although they deny taking part in the coup. Their involvement may well create resentment amongst the elite in CAR. However, France seems to support a stronger regional role for Chad.

Chad was supported by the West during the Cold War period as an opposition to Libya. In recent years, whilst France kept on a 1,000 strong military garrison there, it denounced the flagrant abuse of human rights by President Idriss Deby. The visit by President Chirac to Chad on his way to the World Summit on Sustainable Development in South Africa last August suggests a “reconciliation” is taking place, according to Africa Confidential magazine.

Chad obtained $3.7 billion backing from the World Bank to build an oil pipeline from Chad through Cameroon to the coast. Despite protests from human rights groups and environmentalists, the construction of the pipeline is ahead of schedule and the first oil will be pumped through later this year. Although only five percent of oil revenues go to the producing region, the oil production will considerably boost Chad’s role in central Africa.

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Fear grips looted Bangui
Initial euphoria has turned to fear in the Central African Republic where the rebel leader General Francois Bozize has seized control of the country.

"The shooting has stopped this morning but there is still looting. Rebels have been shooting the looters dead," a Bangui resident told BBC News Online by telephone.

"Administrative buildings, shops and schools remain closed. There are very few cars on the streets."

The BBC's Joseph Benamse in Bangui says 15 people have died since rebels marched into Bangui on Saturday afternoon.

France has sent 300 soldiers to protect foreign citizens in the country and reinforce peacekeepers sent by the Central African Economic Community (Cemac) last year.

Meanwhile, the foreign ministers of Gabon and Congo have arrived in Bangui for talks with General Bozize and the Cemac force, reports the French news agency, AFP.

General Bozize has called for more Cemac troops to be sent to Bangui in order to stabilise the station.


A spokesman for the African Union said it was recommending that CAR be suspended from the body.

Stranded president


Ousted President Ange-Felix Patasse remains in Cameroon after his plane was fired upon in Bangui as he returned home from a conference in Niger.

He has not yet issued a statement.

General Bozize, who has declared himself the new president, has suspended the constitution and dissolved both government and parliament.

According to local sources, he has met with the head of the army Colonel Antoine Gambi, the head of the police and the para-military gendarmerie, which indicates the military may be willing to back the rebel leader.

Meanwhile, locals are wondering whether General Bozize has backing from outside the CAR.

Witnesses say there are Arabic-speaking turbaned Chadian nationals among his supporters who are currently patrolling the streets.

'Dialogue'

The United States has asked France to help protect its citizens and backed a French call for "a real, all-inclusive dialogue" as a necessary step to end the cycle of unrest in the CAR.

A spokeswoman for the US State Department urged General Bozize "to take steps toward national reconciliation that will lead to a democratically elected government".

Mr Patasse, who was democratically elected in 1993, has weathered numerous coup attempts.

Following an outbreak of fighting last October, the country was divided into two - between rebels loyal to Mr Bozize, and government troops.

Government troops regained control of the country this year, but the rebels remained at large in rural areas in the north, and in southern Chad.


Story from BBC NEWS:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/2/hi/africa/2859407.stm



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Timeline: Central African Republic
A chronology of key events:

1880s - France annexes the area.

1894 - France sets up a dependency in the area called Ubangi-Chari and partitions it among commercial concessionaires.


1910 - Ubangi-Chari becomes part of the Federation of French Equatorial Africa.

1920-30 - Indigenous Africans stage violent protests against abuses by concessionaires.

1946 - The territory is given its own assembly and representation in the French parliament; Barthelemy Boganda, founder of the pro-independence Social Evolution Movement of Black Africa (MESAN), becomes the first Central African to be elected to the French parliament.

1957 - MESAN wins control of the territorial assembly; Boganda becomes president of the Grand Council of French Equatorial Africa.

Independence

1958 - The territory achieves self-government within French Equatorial Africa with Boganda as prime minister.

1959 - Boganda dies.

1960 - The Central African Republic becomes independent with David Dacko, nephew of Boganda, as president.

1962 - Dacko turns the Central African Republic into a one-party state with MESAN as the sole party.

1964 - Dacko confirmed as president in elections in which he is the sole candidate.

The Bokassa era

1965 - Dacko ousted by the army commander, Jean-Bedel Bokassa, as the country faces bankruptcy and a threatened nationwide strike.

1972 - Bokassa declares himself president for life.

1977 - Bokassa proclaims himself emperor and renames the country the "Central African Empire".

1979 - Bokassa ousted in a coup led by David Dacko and backed by French troops after widespread protests in which many school children were arrested and massacred while in detention.

1981 - Dacko deposed in a coup led by the army commander, Andre Kolingba.

1984 - Amnesty for all political party leaders declared.

1986 - Bokassa returns to the Central African Republic.

1988 - Bokassa sentenced to death for murder and embezzlement, but has his sentence commuted to life imprisonment.

Ban on parties lifted

1991 - Political parties permitted to form.


1992 October - Multiparty presidential and parliamentary elections held in which Kolingba came in last place, but are annulled by the supreme court on the ground of widespread irregularities.

1993 - Ange-Felix Patasse beats Kolingba and Dacko in elections to become president, ending 12 years of military rule. Kolingba releases several thousand political prisoners, including Bokassa, before standing down as president.

Army mutinies

1996 May - Soldiers stage a mutiny in the capital, Bangui, over unpaid wages.


1997 November - Soldiers stage more mutinies.

1997 - France begins withdrawing its forces from the republic; African peacekeepers replace French troops.

1999 - Patasse re-elected; his nearest rival, former President Kolingba, wins 19% of the vote.

2000 December - Civil servants stage general strike over back-pay; rally organised by opposition groups who accuse President Patasse of mismanagement and corruption deteriorates into riots.

Coup bid

2001 May - At least 59 killed in an abortive coup attempt by former president Andre Kolingba. President Patasse suppresses the attempt with help of Libyan and Chadian troops and Congolese rebels.


2001 November - Clashes as troops try to arrest sacked army chief of staff General Francois Bozize, accused of involvment in May's coup attempt. Thousands flee fighting between government troops and Bozize's forces.

2002 February - Former Defence Minister Jean-Jacques Demafouth appears in a Bangui court to answer charges related to the coup attempt of May 2001.

2002 October - Libyan-backed forces help to subdue an attempt by forces loyal to dismissed army chief General Bozize to overthrow President Patasse.

2003 March - Rebel leader Francois Bozize seizes Bangui, declares himself president and dissolves parliament. President Ange-Felix Patasse is out of the country at the time. Within weeks a transitional government is set up.

2003 October - National reconciliation talks held in Bangui, organised by President Bozize in an effort to put an end to mutinies, rebellions.

2003 November - First post-independence president, David Dacko, dies in hospital in Cameroon.


Story from BBC NEWS:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/2/hi/africa/country_profiles/1067615.stm