Central African Republic Airport Captured (and Presidential Residences)

Insurgents loyal to a former army chief captured the Central African Republic's airport, large swathes of its capital and several presidential residences on Saturday while the president was out of the country.

Intense artillery and smaller arms fire began around 3:15 p.m. local time as the rebels entered the capital, Bangui, from the north. The fighters identified themselves to residents as loyalists of former Army chief Francois Bozize, whose forces narrowly failed to capture the capital during fighting in October.

Shooting also started at the nation's main international airport. The fighters claimed they captured it a development confirmed by a top official in a 300-strong African security force policing the city.

The attacks in this coup-prone nation came while President Ange-Felix Patasse visited the capital of Niger on Saturday for a meeting of African heads of state. It could not be determined late Saturday whether Patasse still was in Niger.

Thousands of singing and dancing civilians ransacked Patasse's lavish private residence, shouting "Patasse out!" as the rebels watched. The insurgents also occupied Patasse's official residence and offices in the capital, Bangui.

The shooting diminished as dusk fell. It was unclear how much resistance the insurgents faced or whether there were any casualties.

Some members of the country's army were seen changing into civilian clothes as the invading fighters strengthened their positions in strategic areas throughout Bangui, some residents said when reached by telephone.

Some civilians said the fighters claimed to them that Bozize would arrive in coming hours or days to take control of the city, although this could not be confirmed independently.

Patasse met Saturday with President Idriss Deby of neighboring Chad, whom the Central African Republic leader has accused of supporting Bozize.

Deby, in turn, accuses Patasse of meddling in Chad's internal affairs. Both countries harbor great natural resources but are among the world's poorest nations.

Patasse, apparently unaware of the insurgency, said after his meeting with Deby, "We're trying to evaluate the situation that's occupying our part of central Africa to allow us to manage the situation together."

In Central African Republic, national television and radio were off the air and government officials were not speaking about the attack. Rebel officials were not immediately available for comment.

Bangui residents said the insurgents were patrolling the banks of the nation's river border with Congo, south of Bangui, in order to keep out Congolese rebels who previously have backed Patasse.

The Congolese fighters have been accused by civilians of raping and looting in October, when Libyan leader Moammar Gadhafi and Jean Pierre Bemba's Congolese Liberation Movement both sent troops to prop up Patasse's government.

The Libyan troops have left but some of Bemba's 1,500 rebels remain despite promises to decamp.

Patasse has been accused by opponents of rampant corruption, and his rule has proven increasingly divisive.

Central African Republic, a country rich in raw minerals including gold, diamond and uranium, has been racked by military revolts and other uprisings since gaining independence from France in 1960.

Patasse has weathered six coup attempts in the past six years. The government's own military is weak and prone to mutinies.

The United Nations estimates that about 105,000 people have been displaced in the government-controlled part of the country since October. At least 100,000 more people have been displaced in rebel-controlled areas, the U.N. estimates.

The Central African Republic is one of the saddest and most unfortunate countries on earth. For example, at one point they were led by a fellow named Jean-Bedel Bokassa, who became "President for Life" in 1972. In 1977, he turned the country into the "Central African Empire".

His obituary in 1996 from the Telegraph tells the story a bit further:

'Cannibal' emperor Bokassa is offered forgiveness in death
By Julian Nundy
5 November 1996
THE DEATH of Jean-Bedel Bokassa, who rose through the French army to crown himself emperor of Central Africa before adding the word "apostle" to his name, will remind France and Africa of some of the more bizarre moments of their common history.
The Central African government promised yesterday an official funeral for its former leader whom its judges twice condemned to death for the bloody massacres of children in 1979 during which he was charged with cannibalism. Bokassa, who was 75, died of a heart attack on Sunday in the villa where he had lived since his release from prison three years ago. His son, Jean-Charles, one of the former Central African leader's reported 55 children borne by 17 wives, said Bokassa was "lucid" to the end.
In France, Bokassa is associated with the fall from popularity of the former centre-Right President Valery Giscard d'Estaing. M Giscard d'Estaing's admission that he had accepted a gift of diamonds from Bokassa was partly blamed for his defeat by Francois Mitterrand in the 1981 presidential election, even though it was M Giscard d'Estaing who sent French troops to drive Bokassa from power.
Bokassa, born in Bobangui in 1921, was an orphan by the age of six. His mother committed suicide a week after his father was murdered, leaving him to be brought up by missionaries. At 18, he demonstrated his commitment to France, then the colonial power in his country, by joining the French army at the outbreak of the Second World War.
He was among the many thousands of African and North African Arab troops to take part in the August 1944 landings in Provence. After the war, Bokassa served in Indochina and Algeria, earning both the Legion d'Honneur and the Croix de Guerre. He left the French army with the rank of captain and returned to his newly-independent country to become army chief of staff in 1964.
A year later, Bokassa, promising "the abolition of the bourgeoisie", overturned President David Dacko, his cousin, and began a political career during which he earned the reputation, at best, of a buffoon and, at worst, of a blood-thirsty killer.
In 1972, he proclaimed himself marshal and president-for-life but his greatest moment came on Dec 4, 1977, when he proclaimed himself emperor, renaming his country the Central African Empire. He placed his crown on his own head, Napoleon Bonaparte-style.
In May 1979, Amnesty International said 100 children had been killed in a Bangui prison for protesting against the cost of school uniforms. Some sources said Bokassa not only participated personally in the massacre but ate some of the victims.
Protesting that he was a fervent Christian - although he once briefly converted to Islam after a session with Libya's Col Gaddafi - and the father of a large family himself, Bokassa said he could never have harmed children.
Four months later, while Bokassa was visiting Libya, France mounted Operation Barracuda and sent paratroopers to restore Dacko to the presidency. Bokassa immediately flew to France where, despite his legitimate claim to French nationality, he was prevented from landing. Finally, after four years in Ivory Coast, he was allowed to settle in his house at Haudricourt, west of Paris.
In 1986, although condemned to death in absentia, Bokassa decided to return home. After a seven-month trial, he was again sentenced to death but President Andre Kolingba commuted the sentence to 20 years in prison. Released from jail, Bokassa retired to a villa in the capital, Bangui.
Yesterday, the Central African state radio described him as "illustrious" and said he would be buried in his home village of Berengo. Ten years ago, during his disgrace, the same radio called him "the Ogre of Berengo".

One further French parallel. Napoleon III, Napoleon Bonaparte's nephew, was elected President of France in 1848. In 1852, he made the country an Empire again. Bokassa apparently learned from this.

Regards, Ivan

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