French Troops Head to Cent. African Rep.

guardian ^ | 3/17/03

[knak]

BANGUI, Central African Republic (AP) - Victorious rebels raced through the streets, firing guns in the air to celebrate their weekend coup as French troops evacuated foreigners Monday from Central African Republic.

Rebel leader Gen. Francois Bozize declared himself president, dissolved the legislature and suspended the constitution Sunday after his rebels captured the country's capital, Bangui, while President Ange-Felix Patasse was out of the country.

Meanwhile, the United Nations and the African Union strongly condemned the takeover.

A statement from U.N. Secretary-general Kofi Annan called for ``the speedy restoration of the constitutional order and for the respect and protection of the human rights and fundamental freedoms.''

Patasse remained Monday at a hotel in Yaounde, Cameroon under tight security. He has not spoken publicly since the attack.

Meanwhile, officials at the Bangui airport said a French military plane had evacuated at least 60 French nationals from the country, while a French Defense Ministry spokesman said in Paris that as many as 130 people may have left.

It was unclear how much fighting between rebels and government soldiers occurred.

Republic of Congo officials said three of their soldiers, who were participating in a 300-strong African security force, were killed. An Associated Press reporter saw another 12 bodies at a morgue and workers said all were shot during the uprising.

Another body was on a main street and witnesses said rebels had shot him for looting.

Many capital residents timidly ventured out into the empty streets Monday to survey the damage from the siege, which was followed by widespread looting.

One man, who gave his name as Marie-Joseph, peered into the supermarket where he worked - its windows shattered and aisles littered with smashed stereos.

``The country needs change, it's true,'' he said. ``But this change has come with unemployment for me.''

Bozize promised a ``quick reconstruction'' of one of the world's poorest nations and elections but did not specify when.

In the meantime, he was replacing the country's National Assembly with a ``transitional national council'' drawn from political parties, former heads of state and others.

Patasse, elected in 1993 and re-elected in 1999, has been accused by opponents of rampant corruption.

Central African Republic - a country of about 3.6 million people rich in gold, diamond and uranium - has been wracked by military revolts and other uprisings since gaining independence from France in 1960.

[cardinal4]

Well, with all the minerals in CAR, maybe the French can recoup their losses in Iraq. Naw, they would have to fight for them...

[knak]

They don't have "permission" from the UN either, right?

[Desecrated]

Did the French pass a UN resolution legitimizing this troop movement?

Didn't think so.

[MadIvan]

You got UN authorisation for that, Jacques?

Regards, Ivan

[dead]

Meanwhile, officials at the Bangui airport said a French military plane had evacuated at least 60 French nationals from the country, while a French Defense Ministry spokesman said in Paris that as many as 130 people may have left.

Apparently, the only cause the French will fight for is the right to run away.

[Redcloak]

How dare the French rush to war in the Central African Republic!! They must first seek the support of the UN Security Council. Anything else would be naked imperialism!!

All together now... NO BLOOD FOR URANIUM! NO BLOOD FOR URANIUM!

</sarcasm>

[cardinal4]

Permission?? They dont need permission! This is France!

[Harmless Teddy Bear]

They didn't even ask.

[Earl B.]

This is parody, right? Ha ha!

[error99]

"...Meanwhile, the United Nations and the African Union strongly condemned the takeover..."
W-o-o-o-o-o-o
I'll bet the rebels are just shaking in their boots !
They had better watch out !
The U.N. might "pass a resolution".
And THEN where will they be?
</sarcasm>

(Passing a resolution does not necessarily mean that you are resolute.)

[Mark]

THE BUNNY AND THE SNAKE

Once upon a time in a nice little forest, there lived
an orphaned bunny and an orphaned snake. By a
surprising coincidence, both were blind from birth.


One day, the bunny was hopping through the forest, and
the snake was slithering through the forest, when the
bunny tripped over the snake and fell down. This, of
course, knocked the snake about quite a bit. "Oh, my,"
said the bunny, "I'm terribly sorry. I didn't mean to
hurt you.


I've been blind since birth, so, I can't see where I'm
going. In fact, since I'm also an orphan, I don't even
know what I am."


"It's quite OK," replied the snake. "Actually, my
story is much the same as yours. I, too, have been
blind since birth, and also never knew my mother. Tell
you what, maybe I could slither all over you, and work
out what you are, so at least you'll have that going
for you."


"Oh, that would be wonderful" replied the bunny. So
the snake slithered all over the bunny, and said,
"Well, you're covered with soft fur; you have really
long ears; your nose twitches; and you have a soft
cottony tail. I'd say that you must be a bunny
rabbit."


"Oh, thank you! Thank you," cried the bunny, in
obvious excitement. The bunny suggested to the snake,
"Maybe I could feel you all over with my paw, and help
you the same way that you've helped me."


So the bunny felt the snake all over, and remarked,
"Well, you're smooth, scaly, and slippery, and you
have a forked tongue, no backbone and no testacles.


I'd say you are definitely French".

[blam]

"Meanwhile, the United Nations and the African Union strongly condemned the takeover."

LOL!

[Earl B.]

Meanwhile, the United Nations and the African Union strongly condemned the takeover.

A statement from U.N. Secretary-general Kofi Annan called for ``the speedy restoration of the constitutional order and for the respect and protection of the human rights and fundamental freedoms.''

This sounds like a job for the United Nations Security Council! We need a speedy resolution, calling for immediate compliance and incompetent monitoring teams. But the new government needs to know that under no circumstance will the French condone an actual solution to the problem.

[Porterville]

Gotta find new buyers for their arms now that Iraq is gone.

[dufekin]

They're the French. They are the world. The French ARE the essence of the United Nations; without the French, the world is nothing and the United Nations meaningless. The French need not subordinate to anyone; after all they are the hyperpower of yesterday, today, and tomorrow. Only some third-rate cowboy hillbillies in that American dump need subordinate to the French, lest they feel the full wrath of the French global military, valiant and victorious throughout all of history. < /sarcasm>

By the way, anyone have an explanation why all of the former French colonies (except Louisiana and Quebec) are such hellholes? Maybe it has something to do with the French. Just a thought.

[Porterville]

Dirt Bag French Murderous Arm Traders;

[FryingPan101]

"Meanwhile, the United Nations and the African Union strongly condemned the takeover."

Loonies.

[Porterville]

I've never been to Quebec, but I hear it filled with a bunch of french a-holes. Must be a filthy place, nowhere near par with any-place Lousiana.

[MadIvan]

Well it's very simple, France may have left Africa, but their former colonies are still very much colonised in many ways: for example, go to Francophone Africa and you will be hard pressed to find any American or British firms there. Many former French colonies in Africa use a currency, the CFA Franc, which is issued in France. Many of their elites go to the same schools in France which teach them how to administer their countries as effectively as...France. That's why.

I could go into the legacy of forced labour in the French Congo as well, but that's a discussion for another time.

Regards, Ivan