Central African Republic Airport Captured (and Presidential Residences)

abcnews ^ | March 15, 2003

[aimhigh]

Does Islam figure into this conflict?

[WOSG]

"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.

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whoa, hold on a second... they cant do that !!!

They are supposed to get a UN secty vote and *then* take over the capital and its airports.


Jeez, the nerve of some rebels!

[Indy Pendance]

I wouldn't be surprised.

[Indy Pendance]

I found this little piece of information re the Suez crisis. Maybe you know more?

Showdown on Iraq at U.N. Security Council

So the United States used a little-known loophole that allows the U.N. General Assembly to respond to threats to peace if the council is deadlocked.

[Beck_isright]

It's a good thing this former french colony followed the example of their mother nation of peace and using the UN. </frog hating sarcasm off

[Seeking the truth]

Hey, did these guys get permission from the UN to fight?

[gaspar]

Obviously the deposed one forgot his monthly payola check to the French. That's a no-no in the CAR. The French don't like people mucking about in their diamond and gem emporium.

[MadIvan]

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

[cajungirl]

Has anyone noted that former French colonies in comparison to former British colonies are hotbeds of revolution or crime. Am I wrong here?

[nwrep]

Vow. What a story. And what a great nation this CAR is. Obviously the US has a lot to learn from it and other nations of that enlightened continent. I hope we have their permission to allow us to go to war against Iraq.

[MadIvan]

British colonies tend to hold together for longer, it's true. But then again, British policy tended to try and work with the locals, rather than just impose administrators on them. The reverse policy, i.e., just sending a bunch of Europeans to rung things, had its most disastrous consequences in the Belgian Congo. I believe there were only 30 university graduates in the entire country, a landmass that is bigger than Western Europe, at the time of independence. The Belgians left, the country collapsed, and fell into the hands of Mobutu.

Regards, Ivan

[Indy Pendance]

Thanks, extremely facsinating! I was thinking Napoleon, and then about 2/3rd's through, they made the analogy. (except for the cannibalism part)

[Indy Pendance]

And why!!!!!!!!! Is the United States considered Imperialistic when German, France, England, Belgium, etc were the Imperialists? When did the US ever conquer nations for pure political and power reasons?

[eleni121]

Well if Patisse is out and Lybia was propping him up - then islam figures in. Count it as a loss for Islam.

[Beck_isright]

"When did the US ever conquer nations for pure political and power reasons?"

Sadly, the Spanish-American War (Phillippines, Cuba, Puerto Rico, etc.). We are not perfect by any stretch, but the nations we left behind at least had a clue about freedom. The former french colonies were disasters.

[eleni121]

It seems that many of the worst despots of the world have learned from the French - and then return to France to reside in high style like the Duvaliers.

Some notable insane Gallic stooges:

Pol Pot, Ho Chi Min, Duvalier, etc.

[Sir Francis Dashwood]

Has anyone noted that former French colonies in comparison to former British colonies are hotbeds of revolution or crime. Am I wrong here?

You are 100% correct.

British colonies became 1st world, French colonies became 3rd world. Why? The British were not concerned with establishing an ecclesiastical dominion of the Vatican.

The British colonized under a parliamentary system. Other powers colonized as monarchies with the Papacy.

[Sir Francis Dashwood]

British colonies became 1st world, French colonies became 3rd world. Why? The British were not concerned with establishing an ecclesiastical dominion of the Vatican.

The British colonized under a parliamentary system. Other powers colonized as monarchies with the Papacy.

[Indy Pendance]

Maybe not perfect, but unless we have a dictator, we will never invade a country now for the sole purpose of ruling it. Phillipines and Cuba are not part of the US (maybe too bad, especially cuba???) I really can't comment on Puerto Rico, as I don't have the historical knowledge (something I've been meaning to do). But, it seems to me, England, France, et al's sole purpose was occupation and control. The US doesn't have that same pattern of world domination.