- History of the Central African Republic
Early history
The
Central African Republic is believed to have been settled from at least the 7th century on by overlapping empires, including the Kanem-Bornu, Ouaddai, Baguirmi, and Dafour groups based aroundLake Chad region and along Upper Nile. Later, varioussultanate s claimed present-day C.A.R, using the entireOubangui region as a slave reservoir, from which slaves were traded north across theSahara . Population migration in the 18th and 19th centuries brought new migrants into the area, including theZande , Banda, andBaya-Mandjia .1885 - French control
In 1875 the
Sudan ese sultanRabih az-Zubayr governed Upper-Oubangui, which included present-day C.A.R. Europeans, primarily the French, German, and Belgians, arrived in the area in 1885. The French consolidated their legal claim to the area through an 1887 convention withCongo Free State , which grantedFrance possession of the right bank of theOubangui River . Two years later, the French established an outpost atBangui , and in 1894,Oubangui-Chari became a French territory. However, the French did not consolidate their control over the area until 1903, after having defeated the forces of Rabih in thebattle of Kousséri , and established colonial administration throughout the territory. In 1906, the Oubangui-Chari territory was united with theChad colony; in 1910, it became one of the four territories of theFederation of French Equatorial Africa (A.E.F.), along withChad ,Republic of the Congo , andGabon . The next thirty years were marked by smallscale revolts against French rule and the development of aplantation -style economy.1940 - 1958 - Independence
In August 1940, the territory responded, with the rest of the A.E.F., to the call from General
Charles de Gaulle to fight forFree France . AfterWorld War II , theFrench Constitution of 1946 inaugurated the first of a series of reforms that led eventually to complete independence for all French territories in western and equatorial Africa. In 1946, all A.E.F. inhabitants were granted French citizenship and allowed to establish local assemblies. The assembly in C.A.R. was led byBarthélemy Boganda , a Catholic priest who also was known for his forthright statements in the French Assembly on the need forAfrica n emancipation. In 1956 French legislation eliminated certain voting inequalities and provided for the creation of some organs of self-government in each territory. The French constitutional referendum of September 1958 dissolved the A.E.F., and onDecember 1 of the same year the Assembly declared the birth of the Central African Republic with Boganda as head of government. Boganda ruled until his death in a March 1959 plane crash. His cousin,David Dacko , replaced him, governing the country until 1965 and overseeing the country's declaration of independence onAugust 13 ,1960 .1966 Bokassa Coup
On
January 1 ,1966 , following a swift and almost bloodless coup, ColonelJean-Bédel Bokassa assumed power as president of the Republic. Bokassa abolished the constitution of 1959, dissolved the National Assembly, and issued a decree that placed all legislative and executive powers in the hands of the president. OnDecember 4 ,1976 , the republic became a monarchy -- theCentral African Empire -- with the promulgation of the imperial constitution and the proclamation of the president as Emperor Bokassa I. His regime was characterized by numerous human rights atrocities.1979 - Dacko counter-coup
Following riots in Bangui and the murder of between 50 and 200 schoolchildren, former President Dacko led a successful French-backed coup against Bokassa on
September 20 ,1979 and restored the Republic.1981 Kolingba coup
Dacko's efforts to promote economic and political reforms proved ineffectual, and on
September 20 ,1981 , he in turn was overthrown in a bloodless coup by GeneralAndré Kolingba . For four years, Kolingba led the country as head of the Military Committee for National Recovery (CRMN). In 1985 the CRMN was dissolved, and Kolingba named a new cabinet with increased civilian participation, signaling the start of a return to civilian rule. The process of democratization quickened in 1986 with the creation of a new political party, the Rassemblement Démocratique Centrafricain (RDC), and the drafting of a new constitution that subsequently was ratified in a national referendum. General Kolingba was sworn in as constitutional President onNovember 29 ,1986 . The constitution established a National Assembly made up of 52 elected deputies, elected in July 1987.1992 - multiparty elections
Due to mounting political pressure, in 1991 President Kolingba announced the creation of National Commission to rewrite the constitution to provide for a
multi-party system. Internal and international pressure led to multi-party presidential elections being held in 1992. Much of the resources for these first democratic elections since independence came via locally represented donors and agencies called the "Groupe informel des bailleurs de fonds et representants residents" (GIBAFOR)and help from the UN Office of Electoral Assistance was also obtained. Most of the pressure came from the US and then somewhat less enthusiastically France. The elections were held, but the government provoked logistical problems and other irregularities so they could nullify the results as a means to prolong their stay in office. Internal and international pressure in particular from France continued and in rescheduled elections held in October 1993, again with the help of the international communityAnge-Félix Patassé won a second-round victory, Notwithstanding several army mutinies and increasing civic concern both at his erratic style and arbitrary, corrupt method of governing he was re-elected for another 6-year term in September 1999.Salary arrears, labor unrest, and unequal treatment of military officers from different ethnic groups had also been among the causes of the three mutinies against the Patassé government in 1996 and 1997. The French succeeded in helping it to quell the disturbances, and an African peacekeeping force (MISAB) occupied Bangui until 1998 when they were relieved by a United Nations peacekeeping mission (
MINURCA ). Economic difficulties caused by the looting and destruction during the 1996 and 1997 mutinies, energy crises, and government mismanagement continued to trouble Patassé's government through 2000. In March 2000 the last of the MINURCA forces departed Bangui.2003 - Bozizé coup
On
15 March 2003 rebels who controlled part of the country moved into Bangui and installed their commander, GeneralFrançois Bozizé , as president, while President Patassé was out of the country.Bozize has since been elected President in an election considered by observers to be fair and free. Patasse has been found guilty of major crimes in Bangui and CAR has brought a case to the International Criminal Court against him and Jean Pierre Bemba from the neighbouring Democratic Republic of Congo accusing them both of multiple crimes in suppressing one of the mutinies against Patasse. Civil tranquillity has yet to be established and parts of the country remain out of government control. The UN continues to maintain a peace building mission in Bangui.References
* Maria Petringa, "Brazza, A Life for Africa" (2006) ISBN 9781-4259-11980
External links
* [http://www.state.gov/r/pa/ei/bgn/4007.htm Background Note: Central African Republic]
* [http://www.historyofnations.net/africa/centralafricanrepublic.html History of Central African Republic]See also
*
Central African Republic
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