CENTRAL AFRICAN REPUBLIC ANATOMY OF A PHANTOM STATE Africa Report N°136 – 13 December 2007 CONTENTS EXECUTIVE SUMMARY ...................................................................................................... i I. INTRODUCTION .......................................................................................................... 1 II. FROM THE FRENCH EMPIRE TO THE CENTRAL AFRICAN EMPIRE....... 2 A. A COLONIAL CUL-DE-SAC ....................................................................................................2 1. Exploitation and weak administration .......................................................................2 2. Colonial crimes and depopulation .............................................................................3 B. FROM INDEPENDENCE TO BOKASSA 1ST................................................................................4 1. Construction of a predator state.................................................................................4 2. Bokassa in power (1965-1979), emergence of the criminal state..............................5 III. THE “BARRACUDA SYNDROME”........................................................................... 7 A. TRIBALISATION UNDER FRENCH TUTELAGE ..........................................................................7 B. DEMOCRACY AND CHAOS .....................................................................................................9 1. Mutiny after mutiny.................................................................................................10 2. Generalised anomie..................................................................................................11 IV. UNDER REGIONAL CONTROL .............................................................................. 13 A. THE FALL OF ANGE-FÉLIX PATASSÉ ...................................................................................13 1. Suspicions about coups and the collapse of the army as an institution ...................14 2. Regional deployment ...............................................................................................15 B. THE REGIME OF GENERAL BOZIZÉ ......................................................................................17 1. Keeping it in the family ...........................................................................................17 2. International support................................................................................................20 V. PERMANENT REBELLION...................................................................................... 21 A. THE INSURRECTIONS IN THE NORTH WEST..........................................................................21 B. THE “DARFURISATION” OF THE NORTH EAST......................................................................25 1. Militarisation of the discontent................................................................................25 2. The paras take Birao ................................................................................................27 3. A fragile ceasefire....................................................................................................28 C. THE CONDITIONS REQUIRED FOR STABILISATION ...............................................................29 VI. CONCLUSION ............................................................................................................. 34 APPENDICES A. MAP OF THE CENTRAL AFRICAN REPUBLIC ........................................................................36 B. GLOSSARY ..........................................................................................................................37 C. THE ECONOMY’S GREAT LEAP BACKWARDS ......................................................................39 D. ABOUT THE INTERNATIONAL CRISIS GROUP .......................................................................41 E. INTERNATIONAL CRISIS GROUP REPORTS AND BRIEFINGS ON AFRICA ................................42 F. INTERNATIONAL CRISIS GROUP BOARD OF TRUSTEES.........................................................44 Africa Report N°136 13 December 2007 CENTRAL AFRICAN REPUBLIC: ANATOMY OF A PHANTOM STATE EXECUTIVE SUMMARY The Central African Republic (CAR) is if anything worse partners to prevent the conflict ravaging western Sudan than a failed state: it has become virtually a phantom from spilling over international borders by complementing state, lacking any meaningful institutional capacity at the hybrid AU/UN mission to Darfur itself. least since the fall of Emperor Bokassa in 1979. The recently approved European Union (EU) and UN forces Like Darfur, the Vakaga province of the CAR is (EUFOR and MINURCAT), which are to complement geographically remote, historically marginalised and, the African Union (AU/UN) effort in Darfur, can make above all, neglected by a central administration whose only an important contribution to helping the CAR begin the response to political unrest has been the imposition of long, slow process of getting to its feet. But to do so they military control. In their efforts to contain any spillover of must find a way to make use of the strengths of the former political unrest from Darfur, the international community colonial power, France, without merely serving as runs the risk of allowing President Bozizé’s regime to international cover for Paris’s continued domination. shirk its responsibilities and maintain the current cycle of instability in the CAR. The CAR has been formally independent for nearly a half century but its government only gained a first measure of The EU deployment will carry a heavy post-colonial popular legitimacy through free elections in 1993. The burden. Like in Chad, France, as the former colonial democratisation process soon ran aground due to newly power, is at the same time the worst and best placed to manipulated communal divisions between the people intervene in CAR: the worst placed because of its almost living along the river and those of the savannah, which continual interference post-independence and the best plunged the country into civil war. Through a succession of placed because it has both the will and the means to act. mutinies and rebellions which have produced a permanent Since Paris will continue to supply most of EUFOR’s crisis, the government has lost its monopoly on the muscle, the new arrangement is largely perceived as a legitimate use of force. Foreign troops mostly contain the change of badge and helmet to give the French military’s violence in the capital, Bangui, but the north is desperate role greater international legitimacy. Nevertheless, EUFOR and destitute, and in a state of permanent insecurity. could make an important contribution if it carries forward a badly needed reform of the CAR military and if it is By privatising the state for their own benefit, the CAR’s coordinated with an EU comprehensive strategy to take leaders are able to prosper, while using repression to ensure the country out of its current political, economic and impunity. François Bozizé was brought to power in 2003 security quagmire. by France and Chad and democratically elected two years later but, like his predecessor Ange-Félix Patassé, he has If the CAR’s many structural problems are to be solved, provoked a state of permanent rebellion with disastrous however, all actors will need to be committed: the humanitarian consequences. Since the summer of 2005, government in Bangui, the rebel movements, African the army and particularly the Presidential Guard – essentially regional bodies and the Security Council, as well as the a tribal militia – have committed widespread acts of brutality EU and France. It might be the last chance for the CAR to in Patassé’s north west stronghold. Hundreds of civilians break out of its phantom status before any pretence of its have been summarily executed and thousands of homes independence and sovereignty disappears in the vicious have been burned. At least 100,000 people have fled to circle of state failure, violence and growing poverty in forest hideouts, where they are exposed to the elements. which it has been trapped. The EU peacekeeping force, mandated by the UN This broad background report is Crisis Group’s first on Security Council to assist in securing refugee camps at the the CAR and lays the foundation for subsequent, more border with Darfur, is to be deployed in early 2008 to narrowly focused analysis of specific issues. north eastern CAR and eastern Chad. The initiative for this operation comes from France, which has persuaded its Nairobi/Brussels, 13 December 2007 Africa Report N°136 13 December 2007 CENTRAL AFRICAN REPUBLIC: ANATOMY OF A PHANTOM STATE I. INTRODUCTION recourse to arms in the CAR. Although it is far from perfect, there is real freedom of expression. However, the government has not ensured the independence of the The only misfortune the Central African Republic (CAR) judiciary, respect for human rights, the democratic exercise still lacked was a major crisis on its borders. However, of power or financial transparency and has therefore during spring 2006, the conflict in Darfur made itself failed to make the country forget it came to power by felt in the CAR, Central Africa’s weak link, the only force of arms. Soldiers conduct indiscriminate reprisals country in the region that does not produce oil, a phantom and inflict atrocities against the civilian population – state that haunts a territory of 623,000 sq. km (slightly especially in the north west where