Central African Republic

Central African Republic A landlocked colony of France since 1894, it became part of French Equatorial Africa in 1910 as the territory of Ubangi Shari. It was an Overseas Territory of the French Union in 1946, and became an autonomous member of the French Community in 1958 under the ‘founder’ of the nation, Berthélemy Bogonda (b. 1910, d. 1959). Bogonda was succeeded by David Dacko (b. 1930, d. 2003), who led the country into independence on 13 August 1960, but who remained heavily reliant on French support. On 1 January 1966, he was deposed in an army coup by Jean-Bédel Bokassa (b. 1921). Bokassa established a ruthless and authoritarian government, ruling the country as his private fiefdom to enrich himself. He proclaimed himself Emperor in 1976, and, in a farcical ceremony on 4 December 1977, crowned himself as Bokassa I, thus emulating his role model, Napoleon Bonaparte.

Even though this was not attended by any Western leaders, Bokassa's rule was only made possible by tacit Western, and especially French, support. As the brutality of the regime and its links with Libya became an increasing embarrassment to the French under Giscard d'Estaing, French troops intervened in 1979 and restored Dacko to power. Dacko did not enjoy popular support, and was deposed in another military coup in 1981 under General André Kolingba (b. 1935). Kolingba was opposed by Ange-Félix Patassé, who from his exile in Togo founded the Mouvement pour la Libération du Peuple Centrafricain (Movement for the Liberation of the Central African People). As his country was as dependent as ever on French and other foreign aid, Kolingba was forced to give in to international demands for democratization. The 1993 elections were won by Patassé, who became the country's first freely elected President on 22 October. Despite the adoption of a new Constitution in 1995, Pataseé was re-elected in 1999 amidst allegations of electoral fraud. The opposition's charges against the government were fuelled by its failure to pay its employees. This lead to a widespread breakdown of public order in 2000, the mutiny of sections of the army, and an unsuccessful coup attempt against Patasée in May 2001.