B
(UPDATED: September 16, 2006)
BAAKA or BAKA, AKA cf. PYGMIES
The Baaka or Baka, also known as Bebayaka, Bebayaga, Bibaya,
or Babinga, are a Pygmy ethnic group inhabiting the southeastern rain forests
of Cameroon, northern Congo (Brazzaville), northern Gabon, and southwestern
Central African Republic. They are sometimes mistakenly called a subgroup of
the Twa pygmies, but the two peoples are not closely related. Likewise, the
name Baka is sometimes mistakenly applied to any of Cameroon's two to nine recognized
pygmy populations. With an average height of 1.5 metres, the Baka are, strictly
speaking, pygmoids rather than pygmies. Nevertheless, in everyday usage, the
term "pygmy" is employed. The Baka themselves find the term "pygmy"
derogatory and prefer their tribal name. The Baka of the Democratic Republic
of Congo and Sudan are an unrelated people.
Population
The Baka's exact numbers are difficult to determine, but estimates range from
5,000 to 28,000 individuals.
Language
Unlike most other Central African pygmy groups, the Baka maintain a unique language,
also called Baka. It is included in the Adamawa-Ubangi branch of the Niger-Congo
language family. In addition, many Baka speak Koozime, the tongue of their Bantu
neighbours, as a second language. A much smaller percentage speak French.
Subsistence
The Baka are a hunter-gatherer people. Groups establish temporary camps of huts
constructed of bowed branches covered in large leaves (though today more and
more homes are constructed following Bantu methods). The men hunt and trap in
the surrounding forest, employing poisoned arrows and spears to great effect.
Meanwhile, the women gather wild fruits and nuts or practise beekeeping while
tending to the children. The group remains in one area until it is hunted out
then abandon the camp for a different portion of the forest. The group is communal
and makes decisions by consensus.
Religion and belief-systems
Baka religion is animist. They worship a forest spirit known as Jengi or Djengi,
whom they perceive as both a parental figure and guardian. Each successful hunt
is followed by a dance of thanksgiving known as the Luma, which is accompanied
by drumming and polyphonic singing. One of the most important traditional ceremonies
is the Jengi, a long and secret rite of initiation which celebrates the boy's
passage into adulthood, studied in depth by the anthropologist Mauro Campagnoli,
who also could take part into it. The Baka practice traditional medicine, and
their skills are such that even non-Baka often seek out pygmy healers for treatment.
Relations
The Baka live relatively symbiotically with their Bantu neighbours. They often
set their camps along roadsides to better facilitate trade; the Baka provide
forest game in exchange for produce and manufactured goods. Nevertheless, exploitation
of the Baka by other ethnic groups is a grave reality, especially since the
Baka are still largely unaccustomed to the cash-based economy. Non-Baka sometimes
hire Baka pygmies as labourers, for example, but pay them virtually nothing
for a full day's work. Or, conscious of the tourism potential, some non-Baka
arrange visits or stays in pygmy villages or arrange Baka guides for visitors
to forest reserves, often with little compensation to the pygmies. Rates of
Baka-Bantu intermarriage are also on the rise. Baka who marry outside of their
ethnic group typically adopt the lifestyle of their non-Baka spouse, so some
scholars predict that the pygmies will one day be completely assimilated into
other groups.
The Baka are among the oldest inhabitants of Cameroon and the neighbouring countries.
Their semi-nomadic lifestyle has persisted largely unchanged for thousands of
years, despite the fact that during colonialism, the Baka's prowess at elephant
hunting prompted ivory-hungry German and French overlords to force them to settle
in roadside villages where their talents could be more easily exploited. The
government of Cameroon, while stopping short of forced settlement, has attempted
to maintain this policy through government incentives and regulations such as
mandatory schooling for all children. However, the Baka largely resist. Today,
the greatest threat to their way of life comes from multinational logging interests.
As the forests disappear, the animals and plants upon which the Baka rely vanish
as well. (Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Baka_%28Cameroon_and_Gabon%29)
Although President Kolingba declared [the BaAka] "citizens" in 1989, most BaAka residents are not allowed to vote because they lack birth certificates or identification cards (Krestsinger, 1993; Noss, "Duikers," p. 91)
References: Baka Pygmies of Cameroon with photos and ethnographic notes;
Mauro Campagnoli - Fieldworks Anthropological researches among Baka Pygmies;
Baka Pygmies vocal polyphony by Vincent Kenis
Cf. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Baka_%28Cameroon_and_Gabon%29
BABA
Laurent Ngoh Baba, foreign minister under President Bozize, 2005
Source: Agence France-Presse (AFP) Date: 29 Dec 2005
Central Africa Republic seeks AU military support to fight rampaging bandits
ADDIS ABABA, Dec 29 (AFP) - Beset by bands of marauding bandits and rebel groups
from nearly all of its neighbors, the impoverished Central African Republic
(CAR) on Thursday asked the African Union for military assistance to help it
combat lawlessness and instability. In an appeal to the AU Peace and Security
Council, CAR Foreign Minister Laurent Ngoh Baba requested an unspecified amount
of military hardware, including helicopters, other transport, communications
equipment and logistical supplies, from the pan-African body.
"We have been fighting alone for the past 10 years and we need material
support for our army from the African Union and the member states individually
so that we can fight the bandits who are attacking our transport system and
our social fabric by coming out of the bush from neighboring countries,"
he said.
Speaking to reporters after the council met at AU headquarters in Addis Ababa
to consider the security situation in the CAR, Baba stressed that Bangui was
not accusing its neighbors of supporting the criminals but simply needed their
support in battling the scourge. But he did not detail Bangui's exact needs
or offer a timetable for when he hoped the potential military support would
be provided. The council was expected to issue a statement concerning the CAR
request later Thursday or Friday, AU officials said. Baba did, however, say
that existing efforts to rein in bandits, particularly in the north of the country
where a 380-strong central African regional force is attempting to stabilize
the security situation, had to be supplemented. Fear of the marauders there
-- where they strike nearly every day holding up travellers, stealing livestock,
and kidnapping children -- has driven some 15,000 inhabitants of the remote
region into neighboring Chad, disrupting crop production and raising the risk
of a food shortage.
The problem has become especially acute since elections in the spring returned
President Francois Bozize to power and security, which had been tight for the
polls, was reduced.
abf/mvl/afm AFP
Copyright (c) 2005 Agence France-Presse
Received by NewsEdge Insight: 12/29/2005 10:23:32
BABET
Babet, V. "Exploration géologique et minière de la Haute-Sangha et Bouar-Baboua, 1934. Bull. Serv. Mines AEF, 1948. 110p.
BABIKIR
Babikir, Arbad Djama. L'Empire de Rabeh. Paris: Dervy, 1950. 96p.
BACAVE
Bacave, J. Enquête agricole en R.C.A. Résultats provisoirs Ouest. Bangui: 1960.
BACCARD
Baccard, André. Les martyrs de Bokassa. Paris: Seuil, 1987. 349p.
BACH, D.
Anthony Kirk-Greene and Daniel Bach, eds., State and Society in Francophone
Africa since Independence. 1995.
BACH, S.
Cohen, Samy and Marie-Claude Smouts, eds. La Politique Extérieure de Valéry Giscard d'Estaing. Paris: Presses de la Fondation Nationale des Sciences Politiques, 1985.
Samy Cohen and Marie-Claude Smouts, eds. La Politique Extérieure
de Valéry Giscard d'Estaing (Paris: Presses de la Fondation Nationale
des Sciences Politiques, 1985), p .
Bach, Daniel. "La France en Afrique Subsaharienne: Contraintes Historiques
et Nouveaux Espaces Économiques." In Samy Cohen and Marie-Claude
Smouts, eds. La Politique Extérieure de Valéry Giscard d'Estaing.
Paris: Presses de la Fondation Nationale des Sciences Politiques, 1985, pp.
284-310.
Consulté par Valéry Giscard d'Estaing lors des opérations du Shaba ou lors du conflits tchadien, le président Bongo sera également associé à la politique centrafricaine de la France durant les mois qui précèdent la chute de l'empereur Bokassa, en septembre 1979. C'est par l'entremise du président Bongo que René Journiac, conseiller de Valéry Giscard d'Estaing pour les questions africaines, recontre d'abord l'empereur qu'il tente vainement de convaincre de renoncer au pouvoir. Quelques mois plus tard, l'aéroport de Libreville sera l'un des deux points de regroupement utilisés par les forces françaises responsables de l'opération "Barracuda". (Bach, "La France en Afrique Subsaharienne," p. 287).
En Centrafrique, une caution politico-financière est apporté par la France au couronnement de l'empereur Bokassa. [Robert Galley, alors ministre de la Coopération, trouvait "parfaitement anormal de critiquer ce qui va se passer à Bangui et, de trouver très bien une cérémonie du Jubilé de la reine d'Angleterre. Cela s'apparente au racisme." Le Monde, 4-5 December, 1977. (Bach, "La France en Afrique Subsaharienne," p. 294, fn. 2).
lors du couronnement de l'empereur Bokassa, "c'est sur le budget de la Coopération que furent imputés 4,000,000 de francs pour le transport à Bangui du carrosse du sacre et des chevaux de trait". Assemblée nationale, Rapport no. 470..., p. 40. (Bach, "La France en Afrique Subsaharienne," p. 294, fn. 2).
La prise en charge par le ministère de la Coopération d'une partie des dépenses du sacre de l'empereur Bokassa représente un exemple extrême de détournement des finalités de l'aide. (Bach, "La France en Afrique Subsaharienne," p. 304).
Beaucoup plus que le massacre des écoliers de Bangui, c'est la décision de Bokassa de faire appel à l'aide libyenne qui justifie la décision de renverser l'empereur, déjà abandonne par la France depuis plusieurs mois. (Bach, "La France en Afrique Subsaharienne," p. 296).
BADAWI
Badawi, Tibert-Prince and Emmanuel Bango. Le commerce intercommunautaire de la République centrafricaine en 1992. Bangui: République Centrafricaine, Ministère des finances, du plan et de la coopération internationale, Secrétariat d'Etat aux finances, au plan et à la coopération internationale, Division des statistiques et des études économiques, 1993?. 30p. 30 cm.
BAGA-YONGO cf. KOLINGBA
Theodore Baga-Yongo, minister of ? until 15 June 1990
15 June 1990
A new Cabinet was announced on 15 June 1990 by President André Kolingba.
Two ministers left the Government (Michel Salle and Theodore Baga-Yambo), as
did the former Secretary of State for Development, Georges Assas Mbilaut. The
cashiered Michel Salle, along with retainees Jean-Louis Psimhis, Jacques Kithe,
and Timothée Marboua, are considered Kolingba loyalists, having served
in various positions since the formation of the first civilian government in
1986 following the coup d'état of 1981. Webb, "Central African Republic,"
ACR 1989-1990, p. B170).
BAGAZA Cf. COTTON
Fautin Bagaza, cotton farmer in Sibut, Kemo Province, CAR
BANGUI, 3 Mar 2004 (IRIN) - Cotton farmer Faustin Bagaza, 55, wears the cloak
of poverty around him even tighter these days. Despite harvesting his crop for
two successive years, he has made no sales. The reason? A rebellion in northwestern
Central African Republic (CAR) that has devastated the country's agriculture,
health, education and other services. "I have kept the cotton I harvested
in 2002 and 2003 in my house and nobody has come to buy it," he told IRIN
on 26 February. Bagaza lives in Sibut, Kemo Province, 185 km northeast of the
nation's capital, Bangui. He has been able to keep his three children at Sibut
Secondary School, despite his meagre earnings and despite not having planted
cotton in 2004. Bagaza's situation is not unique. Poverty seems to be the experience
of most people in the northwest, an area that bore the brunt of a six-month
rebellion waged by former army chief of staff Francois Bozize against President
Ange-Felix Patasse. The rebellion ended on 15 March 2003 when Bozize overthrew
Patasse.
BAGOT
Bagot, Yves, Michel Maumon and Justin Gutkecht. La valorisation des sous-produits du coton en République (The valorization of cotton by-products in the Central African Republic). Paris: Office of the Secretary of State for the French Community, 1960. 64p.
BAGOUMA (literature, radio)
Bagouma, Richard. Greyanda ou le Préfet de Centrafrique. 1981. Novel.
Bagouma, Richard. Nouvelles Centrafricaines. 1981.
Bagouma, Richard. Voix d'un nègre. 1974. (Collection of poetry)
Bagouma, Richard. Le poète parle. 1980. (Collection of poetry)
Bagouma, Richard. Chante des Tourments. 1982. (Collection of poetry)
Bagouma, Richard. Les baleines Malsaines. 1983. (Collection of poetry)
Bagouma, Richard. Wandoro. 1983. (Collection of poetry)
Bagouma, Richard. Poèmes de gbagume. 1985. (Collection of poetry)
Bagouma, Richard. "Le monument aux Martyrs" (2ème prix du concours
Les Martyrs 1980)
Bagouma, Richard. "Centrafrique mon pays." Espoir, 6 (1981).
BAH THIERNO
Bah Thierno, Mouctar. "Contribution à l'étude de la résistance des peuples africains à la colonisation - Karnou et l'insurrection des Gbaya (La situation au Cameroun 1928-1930)." Afrika Zamani, 3 (1974):175-192.
BAHA'I
http://bahai-library.com/asia-pacific/country%20files/countries.htm
Note: "The NSA of the Central African Republic was formed from French Equatorial
Guinea and Central Africa. During 1970-71 the community formed part of the NSA
of Central Africa." (bahai-library.com/asia-pacific/country%20files/countries.htm)
According to the World Christian Encyclopedia, 2001, Vol. 1, p. 178, Baha'is
account
for 0.3% of the population of the C.A.R.
Cf. RELIGIOUS FREEDOM PAGE
religiousfreedom.lib.virginia.edu/nationprofiles/Central_African_Republic/rbodies.html
''Religious Freedom Nation Profile - Central African Republic - Summary of Religious
Bodies in the Central African Republic."
Cf. PLANET BAHAI
www.planetbahai.org/resources/news/news1004/renews102204a.html
BAHAI FAITH INDEX
www.bahaindex.com/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=3827
Note: Includes articles from Baha'i World News Service (see below)
BAHA'I INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY STATEMENT LIBRARY
http://statements.bahai.org/pdf/85-0715.pdf
Cf. "Activities in the Baha'i World Community to Improve the Status of Women During the United Nations Decade for Women." BIC Document 85-0715, 2002, Baha'i International Community Statement Library, statements.bahai.org/pdf/85-0715.pdf
"It was... observed by the Baha'i Community of a Central African Country [Central African Republic] that the main activities organized by the Baha'i institutions to improve the conditions of women had 'often been successful because of the sustained efforts of the local Baha'i assemblies,' and that many women served actively in Baha'i communites 'without experiencing discrimination.'" ...Centers for women will continue to be maintained by the Baha'is. These include spiritual, health and nutritional education, as well as literacy training for women." ("Activities in the Baha'i World Community to Improve the Status of Women During the United Nations Decade for Women." Baha'i International Community Statement Library, BIC Document 85-0715, 2002, statements.bahai.org/pdf/85-0715.pdf)
BAHAI WORLD NEWS SERVICE
Bahá'í World News Service: bwns@bwc.org
Cf. http://news.bahai.org/story/329
editor@bahaiworldnews.org
Cf. "Baha'i World News Service, LOME, Togo, 19 October
2004 (BWNS)."
"... more than 300 participants gathered in the capital city of Togo to
celebrate the golden jubilee of the Baha'i community. Guests came from 20 countries,
including Benin, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Canada, Central African Republic, France,
Gabon, Gambia, Guinea, Iran, Mali, Martinique, Niger, Senegal, and the United
States." (Bahai Faith Index, www.bahaindex.com/modules.php?name=News&file=article&
&sid=3827 OR Bahá'í World News Service bwns@bwc.org Tue, 19
Oct 2004 17:36:11 +0200)
Cf. PLANET BAHAI
www.planetbahai.org/resources/news/news1004/renews102204a.html
BAHÁ'IS OF NORTH SAN DIEGO COUNTRY
www.bahai-site.org/writings/african.htm
Cf. "The Short Obligatory Prayer revealed by Bahá'u'lláh: African Languages [Gbaya, Kaba, etc.]."
BAHUCHET
Bahuchet, Serge and Henri Guillaume. “Aka-Farmer Relations in the Northwest Congo Basin.” Trans. by Sheila M. Van Wyck. In Eleanor Leacock and Richard Lee, eds. Politics and history in band societies. Cambridge and Paris: Cambridge University Press and Editions de la Maison des Sciences de L’Homme, 1982, pp. 189-212. Note: available http://www.bondy.ird.fr/pleins_textes/pleins_textes_5/b_fdi_12-13/16055.pdf#search=%22Aka-armer%20Relations%20in%20the%20Northwest%20Congo%20Basin%22
Bahuchet, Serge. "Etude écologique d'un campement de Pygmées Babinga (Région de la Lobaye, République Centrafricaine)." Journal d'Agriculture Tropicale et de Botanique Appliquée 19, 12 (1972):509-559.
Bahuchet, Serge. "Rapport sur une mission effectuée en saison sèche en Lobaye (République Centrafricaine): observations sur la vie d'une famille de Pygmées Bayaka." Journal d'Agriculture Tropicale et de Botanique Appliquée 22, 4-6 (1975):177-197.
Bahuchet, Serge. "Les contraintes écologiques en forêt tropicale humide: l'exemple des Pygmées Aka de la Lobaye (Centrafrique)." Journal d'Agriculture Tropicale et de Botanique Appliquée 25, 4 (1978):257-285.
Bahuchet, Serge. “Spatial Mobility and Access to Resources among the African Pygmies.” In Mobility and Territoriality: Social and Spatial Boundaries among Foragers, Fishers, Pastoralists and Peripatetics. edited by Michael J. Casimir and Aparno Rao. New York & Oxford: Berg, 1992, pp. 205-257.
Bahuchet, Serge. Dans la forêt d'Afrique centrale. Les Pygmées Aka et Baka (Histoire d'une civilisation forestière, tome I). Paris: Peeters-SELAF (SELAF 322), 1992. 425 pp.
Bahuchet, Serge. La rencontre des agriculteurs. Les Pygmées parmi les peuples d'Afrique centrale. (Histoire d'une civilisation forestière, tome I). Paris: Peeters-SELAF (SELAF 344), 1993. 173 pp.
Bahuchet, Serge. "Les Pygmées d'aujourd'hui en Afrique centrale."Journal des Africanistes (Paris). 61 (1991):8-38.
Bahuchet, S., and I. de Garine. “The Art of Trapping in the Rainforest.” In Food and Nutrition in the African Rainforest, ed. C.M. Hladik, S. Bahuchet, and I. de Garine, 24-25. Paris: UNESCO, 1990.
Bahuchet, Serge and Henri Guillaume. “Aka-farmer relations in the northwest Congo Basin.” In Politics and history in band societies, ed. by Eleanor Leacock and Richard Lee Cambridge & Paris: Cambridge University Press & Editions de la Maison des Sciences de l'Homme, 1982, pp. 189-211.
Bahuchet, Serge and Henri Guillaume. “Linguistique et histoire des Pygmées de l'ouest du bassin congolais. Sprache und Geschichte in Afrika (Hamburg) 7, 2 (1986):73-103.
Bahuchet, S., and Jacqueline M.C. Thomas. “Conservation des ressources alimentaires en forêts tropicale humide: chasseurs-cueilleurs et proto-agriculteurs d'Afrique Centrale." Les techniques de conservation des grains à long terme. Paris: Editions du CNRS, 1985, pp. 15-31.
Bahuchet, Serge. "Note préliminaire sur les animaux domestiques des Gbaya: la poule et la chèvre." Cahiers de la Maboke (Paris) 9, 2 (1971):175-192.
Bahuchet, Serge, R.C. Bailey and B. Hewlett. "Development in the Central African rainforest: concern for forest peoples." In Conservation of West and Central African rainforests, ed. K. Cleaver, M. Munasinghe, M. Dyson, N. Egli, A. Peuker, and F. Wencélius. Washington, D.C.: World Bank, 1990, pp. 260-269.
Bahuchet, Serge, J.W. Berry, J.M.H. van de Koppel, C. Sénéchal, R.C. Annis, L.L. Cavalli-Sforza, and H.A. Witkin. On the edge of the forest: cultural adaptation and cognitive development in Central Africa. Berwyn: Swets North America, 1986.
BAILEY
Bailey, R.C. and Peacock. Aka Pygmies of Central Africa: Subsistence Strategies in the Ndoki Forest. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1998.
BAILLIF
Baillif, Noël. "Observations effectuées chez les Pygmées Babinga: mission Ogooué-Congo, 1946." Paris: Mémoire de diplôme de l'EHESS, 1976. 145pp.
Baillif, Noël. Analyse critique et synthèse des connaissances sur les Pygmées africains. 2 vol. Paris: EHESS, 1980. 343pp., 318pp.
Baillif, Noël. Les Pygmées de la grande forêt. Paris: L'Harmattan, 1992.
BAKA PYGMIES WEBSITE (pygmies, music, anthropology, peoples, culture,
etc.)
Cf. Mauro Campagnoli, Italian anthropologist, ethnomusicologist and composer
Campagnoli, Mauro. Baka Pygmies Website. www.pygmies.info/copyright_en.html
Includes photos of Aka pygmies as well.
BAKER
Carpenter, Allan and Janice E. Baker. Enchantement of Africa: Central African Republic. Chicago: Children's Press, 1977.
BAKER (literature)
Baker, Leándr Alain.
BALAT
Commandant Serge Balat was a Belgian office in charge of Ubangi-Bomu Territory
–in present day CAR—in 1893. Balat died on 23 Apr. 1893.
Balat, Commandant Serge. "Les Sakaras et leur sultan Bangassou."
Le Congo illustré (Bruxelles) ? (1895):154-156.
BALESTRA
Biassoni, P., F. Schenone, G.B. Ravera, V. Balestra, J. Green and J. Bertocchi. Rilievi edideiologici su di una nuova area di endemia gozzigena nella Repubblica Centrafricana (Observations épidémiologiques dans une nouvelle surface d'endémie gozzigène en République Centrafricaine). Tecnica Sanitaria, 27 (1989):247-263.
BALLARD
Ballard, John Addison. “The Development of Political Parties in French Equatorial Africa,” Ph.D. thesis, Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy, 1963.
Ballard, John. A. “Politics and government in former French West and Equatorial Africa: a critical bibliography.” Journal of Modern Africa Studies, 3, 4 (1965):??.
BAMBOTE (literature)
Bamboté, Pierre Makambo. Les deux oiseaux de l’Oubangi (The two
birds of Ubangi). Paris: Editions St. Germain des Prés, 1968. 76p.
Bamboté, Pierre Makambo. Princesse Mandapu (Princess Mandapu). Paris:
Présence Africaine, 1972. 187pp. New edition by Nathan and Présence
africaine, 1988. 106p.
Bamboté, Pierre Makambo. Nouvelles de Bangui (News of Bangui). Montréal:
Les Presses de l’Université de Montréal, 1980. 167p.
Bamboté, Pierre Makambo. Coup d’Etat nègre (A negro coup
d’etat). Montréal: Humanitas, 1987. 117p.
Bamboté, Pierre Makambo. Textes recueillis et présentés
par J.-B. Penel. Bangui: Université de Bangui, 1981. 102p.
Bamboté. Pierre Makambo. Daba's Travels from Ouadda to Bangui. Trans.
by John Buchanan-Brown. USA: Pantheon Books, 1970, 170p.
Bamboté, Pierre Makambo. La poésie est dans l’histoire.
Paris: P. J. Oswald, 1960.
Bamboté, Pierre Makambo. Chant funèbre pour un héros d’Afrique
(Dirge for a Hero of Africa). Paris: P. J. Oswald, 1962
Bamboté, Pierre Makambo. Le dur avenir. Bangui: Imprimerie Centrale,
1965.
Bamboté, Pierre Makambo. Technique pour rien. Paris: E. Saint-Germain-des-Prés,
1973.
BANDA
Banda is an ethnic group of the Central African Republic, some of whom also live in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Cameroon and possibly in Sudan. The Banda speak a language of the Adamawa-Ubangi subgroup of the Niger-Congo language family that is related to that of their Gbaya and Ngbandi neighbours. The Banda are sometimes said to be the largest single ethnic group in the Central African Republic, but in fact the Gbaya, if one includes all its subgroups, is perhaps larger. They numbered about 1,300,000 at the turn of the 21st century. The Banda observe patrilineal descent and live in hamlets of dispersed homesteads under the local governance of a headman. Rural Banda raise maize (corn), cassava, peanuts, sweet potatoes, and tobacco. Men hunt and fish, and women gather wild foods and cultivate crops. Banda craftsmen produce carved wooden ritual and utilitarian objects; they are best known for their large slit drums carved in the shapes of animals. Stateless when first encountered by Europeans, the Banda selected war chiefs only during times of crisis, after which the warriors were divested of their power. Age grades and initiations called semali assured intergroup unity in time of war. Marriage traditionally required bridewealth, often in the form of iron implements. Polygamy, although still practiced, has declined with the rise of a money-based economy. (Adapted from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Banda_people)
Included in the cabinet [of Mr Koyambounou in 1995] to handle the awkward public service portfolio is the chairman of the Convention nationale (CN) party, Eloi Anguimate, which draws its support heavily from the large Banda tribe. (EIU Country Report, "Central African Republic," 3rd Quarter 1995, p. 26)
BANDITRY cf. ZARAGUINA, POACHERS
The next few months [1989-1990] will show whether President André Kolingba has the clout, with or without Israeli help, to end the widespread robbery and violence by armed bands operating across the north and east. Is this simply an outburst of banditry or will it prove to have broader popular support at a time when living standards have been depressed? Clearly, the internal situation in Sudan will have a bearing. If the Sudanese People's Liberation Army (SPLA) reaches a peace accord with the new military regime of General Omar Hassan el-Bechir in Khartoum, the prospects for the end to disorder in western border regions are much improved, which would help end the spillover of violence into the CAR. The new regime may also offer a chance to repair diplomatic relations, broken off after the previous government of Sadiq el-Mahdi prevented President Kolingba from flying over Sudan on his way to Israel. (EIU Country Report, "Central African Republic," 3rd Quarter 1989, p. 6)
The [armed forces of the CAR] are taking on a further 200 men to help combat banditry. The zar[a]guina (bandits or highwaymen in the local dialect [Sango]) caused some damage in the first half of 1989 but do not seem to have seriously disrupted the economy of development work...The additional soldiers may also help in the fight against poaching. Control of both poachers and bandits is difficult in such a large, thinly populated territory, especially when neighbouring eastern Chad and southern Sudan remain lawless, with guns in plentiful supply. (EIU Country Report, "Central African Republic," 2nd Quarter 1990, p. 26)
BANGBANZI
Bangbanzi, R. and A. Laurentin-Retel???. "Les Nzaraka et leurs ancêtres." C.E.A. 23, 6 (1966):453-503.
BANGO
Bango, Emmanuel. "Etude pedologique du perimetre maraicher de Fatima Bangui." Mémoire de fin d'Etude, Université de Bangui, Institut Supérieur de Développement Rural de M'Baiki, June 1983.
Bango, Emmanuel and Tibert-Prince Badiwi. Le commerce intercommunautaire de la République centrafricaine en 1992. Bangui: République Centrafricaine, Ministère des finances, du plan et de la coopération internationale, Secrétariat d'Etat aux finances, au plan et à la coopération internationale, Division des statistiques et des études économiques, 1993?. 30p. 30 cm.
BANGUI, A.
Bangui, Antoine. “Foreword.” In Prosper N’Douba. L’Otage du General Rebelle Centrafricain François Bozize: Journal d’un Captif des «Liberaterurs». Paris : L’Harmattan, 2006, 178p.
BANGUI, S.
General Sylvestre Bangui,
Gen Sylvestre Bangui founded the Rassemblement du peuple centrafricain in 1981.
BANGUI (urbanization, exploration, history, etc.)
"The French had very few canoes and had not yet reached the elbow of the Oubangui. Competition began in earnest in 1889. Bangui on the right bank and Zongo on the left were founded simultaneously, the first by the Frenchman, Michel Dolisie, on June 25, and the second by the Belgians on the following day. (Kalck, Central African Republic, p. 46).
Cf. Mairie de Bangui. Bangui, capital de la République Centrafricaine. Impr. Monaco, 1960. 65p.
BANGUI AGREEMENTS cf. BANGUI PEACE ACCORDS
Cf. "Council urges joint reconciliation efforts."
IRIN, 22 March 1999.
NAIROBI, 22 Mar 1999 (IRIN) - The UN Security Council last week called on all
political leaders in the CAR to work together towards full implementation of
the Bangui Agreements and the National Reconciliation Pact. In a statement,
Council President Qin Huasun of China said members also urged the government,
in collaboration with all political parties, to take concrete steps to establish
a new electoral commission for presidential elections, scheduled for later this
year, and to continue efforts to restructure its security forces. The statement
was made after the Council received a briefing on the situation in the country
by the UN Secretary-General’s Special Representative, Oluyemi Adeniji,
who is also head of the UN Mission in the Central African Republic (MINURCA).
BANGUI BOURSE Cf. DIAMONDS
There are... allegations that diamonds from the Angolan rebel group, UNITA, have been laundered through the Bangui bourse.
BANGUI LA SO – LA PRESSE D’AUJOURD’HUI Cf. MEDIA
Central African Republic newspaper first published in 1957. The newspaper was
run by European residents in Bangui and Jean Charles Paul PLANTEVIN (1913-1980)
was the Director.
http://afrinul.crl.edu/search-engine/AfrnlSearch.php?type=biblio_adv&newspaper_id=3877
BANGUI MPOKO INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT
1988
...the $15 mn improvements to the Bangui-Mpoko international airport are scheduled
for completion in 1988. (EIU Country Report, "Central African Republic,"
1st Quarter 1988, p. 22)
1990
In the wake of September [1989]'s bombing of the UTA flight from Brazzaville
to Paris, airport security at Bangui-Mpoko has been tightened. The transport
and civil aviation minister, Pierre Gonifei-Ngaibonanou, chaired a meeting of
security officials and management from the airport, Air Afrique and UTA on [2
December 1989]. This reviewed the new controls introduced in 1988 at Bangui.
A particular problem is caused by diamond smuggling at the airport, and it is
unclear how successful the government drive against the bribery of airport officials
has been. (EIU Country Report, "Central African Republic," 1st Quarter
1990, p. 30)
BANGUI PEACE ACCORDS Cf. BANGUI AGREEMENTS
On 25 January 1997 the Bangui Peace Accord was signed to end a nascent civil war in the capital opposing Patassé's supporters (mainly from the north-western savanna region) and supporters of Kolingba (mainly from the southern forest and river populations). The agreement provided for the deployment of an inter-African military mission as a buffer between mutineers and loyalists with logistical support from France. Despite some bloodly skirmishes and organizational shortcomings the mission played a constructive role by, inter alia, collecting arms. (Mehler, "Central African Republic," in Elections in Africa, p. 207).
BANKS Cf. CRÉDIT LYONNAIS, UNION BANCAIRE EN AFRIQUE CENTRALE
BANKS (as of 1 January 1958)
Banque de l'Afrique Occidentale [West African Bank], Banque Commerciale Africaine
(African Commercial Bank], Banque Nationale pour le Commerce et l'Industry [National
Bank of Commerce and Industry], Société Generale, Crédit
Lyonnais, Banque Belge d'Afrique [Bank of Belgain Africa]. (Junod and Resnick,
"The Central African Republic," p. 52).
1989
In December of 1989 the CAR and Morocco announced that they will establish a
new air link between Casablanca and Bangui and form a so-called 'peoples' bank
jointly funded by the respective governments. (ARB, 31 March 1989 and 31 December
1989, cited in Webb, "Central African Republic," ACR 1989-1990, p.
B173).
1990
The [CAR-Moroccan] commission communiqué also announced that a Moroccan,
Hassan Regragui, would leave within days to begin setting up the planned joint
venture bank in Bangui. This follows the agreement signed in February [1989]
and the bank will be known as the Banque Populaire Maroco-Centraricaine. The
two countries plan to cooperate more in encouraging small business, agro-industry
and mining activities, and these may well be areas in which the news institution
[bank] takes a particular interest...(EIU Country Report, "Central African
Republic," 2nd Quarter 1990, p. 26)
1995
Meridien-BIAO is important to the CAR because it is the principal rival to the
local offshoot of Crédit Lyonnais, Union bancaire en Afrique Centrale,
as a provider of personal, commercial and trade finance services. (EIU Country
Report, "Central African Republic," 3rd Quarter 1995, p. 32)
CAPITAL POOLING IN THE INFORMAL SECTOR
The promised severance payments [for the redundancy program] of 40 months' salary
per employee... The government had budgeted a total of CFAfr4.6 bn for the programme,
but there are a further 919 applications now being considered, which will boost
the total cost to CFAfr1.5.3 bn more than planned. Those who have left seem
to have invested their pay-offs in business... sometimes clubbing together to
accumulate a substantial start-up capital (EIU Country Report, "Central
African Republic," 1st Quarter 1990, p. 27)
2005
"Libya, CAR agree to enhance co-operation." PanaPress, 26 July 2005.
www.panapress.com/paysindexlat.asp
Sirte, Libya (PANA) - Libya and the Central African Republic (CAR) have agreed
to establish a direct air liaison between the two countries and the opening
of a branch of the Sahel-Saharan investment and trade bank in Bangui. (www.panapress.com/paysindexlat.asp)
Freezing of the bank accounts of former dignitaries of the ex-party in power, arrests, organized pillage of their possessions, suspension of commercial or entrepreneurial activities, politico-judicial tracasseries, in short, members of the MLPC have suffered persecution. Devine Tékoro. "Bozize fait une overture au MLPC." Le Confident, 28 October 2005). [trans. Bradshaw]
BANQUE BELGE D'AFRIQUE
BANKS (as of 1 January 1958) included Banque Belge d'Afrique [Bank of Belgain Africa] (Junod and Resnick, "The Central African Republic," p. 52).
BANQUE DES ÉTATS DE L'AFRIQUE CENTRALE cf. BEAC
Fleury, K. "ET SI DABANGA ECHOUAIT DANS LES NEGOCIATIONS AVEC LA BEAC." Le Confident, 6 December 2005 www.leconfident.net)
De sources proches du gouvernement Centrafricain, le Ministre
des Finances Théodore Dabanga se trouve depuis quelques jours au Cameroun
pour négocier avec les techniciens des finances publiques le déblocage
des 12 milliards promis par les Chefs d'Etats de la CEMAC.
Le gouvernement Centrafricain qui a réitéré à maintes
reprises, aux fonctionnaires et retraités, qu'ils seront payés
au retour du Ministre des Finances, met tout le monde dans une situation de
confusion. Naturellement, les gens ont le droit de se poser la question de savoir
ce qui adviendrait au cas où Théodore Dabanga échouait.
Il faut rappeler que le ministre des Finances a fait le déplacement du
Cameroun pour convaincre les autorités camerounaises ou guinéennes
dont l'apposition de la signature au bas du document devant faciliter ce déblocage
fait défaut. Quelles seront les réactions à court terme
des fonctionnaires, retraités, étudiants qui attendent impatiemment
l'arrivée de cette manne ?
Outre les raisons suscitées, l'on peut noter la méfiance des experts
quant à la capacité de gestion et de remboursement de la précédente
aide qui lui avait été octroyée.
Il convient de rappeler, qu'une première aide de 14 milliards avait été
octroyée aux autorités centrafricaines dont jusqu'ici, l'utilisation
n'a pas été justifiée encore moins un début de remboursement.
Ajouté à cela, un manque de volonté politique pour assainir
les finances publiques, la lutte contre la corruption dans le pays, les réformes
dans les secteurs forestier et diamantaire qui, en principe, devaient générer
des ressources suffisantes à l'Etat.
A y voir de près, cette déclaration du gouvernement, ressemble
à une trompe œil et une fuite de responsabilité. Même
si cette modique somme de 12 milliards est décaissée, cela ne
représente qu'une goutte d'eau dans la mer; car nul n'est sensé
ignorer que les problèmes centrafricains dépassent de loin ces
fonds promis.
C'est la question qui se pose. D'ores et déjà, le gouvernement
doit coûte que coûte s'assumer en recherchant des solutions durables
aux revendications des agents de l'Etat. Sachant que du côté des
étudiants, retraités et des professeurs vacataires…, le
mécontentement est à son comble.
Il est évident que la RCA connaît d'énormes difficultés
financières, cela ne constitue pas une raison pour continuer indéfiniment
à tendre la main de mendiant. Cet état de chose n'honore pas la
République et décrédibilise davantage l'image de marque
du pays plus que jamais ternie par la corruption, le clientélisme, l'ethnicisme,
l'improvisation, le laxisme...
Un dicton populaire très connu des Centrafricains affirme que : «
aide toi, et le ciel t'aidera ». Les aides extérieures sont en
principe destinées aux grands investissements et non au paiement des
salaires comme on nous le fait croire. (K. Fleury, "ET SI DABANGA ECHOUAIT
DANS LES NEGOCIATIONS AVEC LA BEAC." Le Confident, 6 December 2005 www.leconfident.net)
BANQUE COMMERCIALE AFRICAINE cf. BANKS
BANKS (as of 1 January 1958) include Banque Commerciale Africaine (African
Commercial Bank]
(Junod and Resnick, "The Central African Republic," p. 52).
BANQUE DE L'AFRIQUE OCCIDENTALE cf. BANKS
BANKS (as of 1 January 1958) included Banque de l'Afrique Occidentale [West
African Bank]
(Junod and Resnick, "The Central African Republic," p. 52).
BANQUE MONDIALE Cf. WORLD BANK
Cheneau, Yves, and R. Brown. Staff appraisal report. Central African Empire. Livestock development project. Washington, DC. Banque Mondiale, 1978. 53p.
BANQUE NATIONALE DE DÉVELOPPEMENT cf. R.C.A.
Note: The Banque nationale de développement replaced the Société
centrafricaine de crédit, which was etablished in 1960 by the newly-independent
government of the C.A.R. to replace the local branch of the Crédit de
l'Afrique équatoriale française. développement.
Banque nationale de développement. Rapport d'activités. 1959/60-1960/61.
Bangui: annual.
BANQUE NATIONALE POUR LE COMMERCE ET L'INDUSTRY cf. BANKS
BANKS (as of 1 January 1958) included Banque Nationale pour le Commerce et l'Industry [National Bank of Commerce and Industry] (Junod and Resnick, "The Central African Republic," p. 52).
BANQUE POPULAIRE MAROCO-CENTRAFRICAIN
The [CAR-Moroccan] commission communiqué also announced that a Moroccan, Hassan Regragui, would leave within days to begin setting up the planned joint venture bank in Bangui. This follows the agreement signed in February [1989] and the bank will be known as the Banque Populaire Maroco-Centraricaine. The two countries plan to cooperate more in encouraging small business, agro-industry and mining activities, and these may well be areas in which the news institution [bank] takes a particular interest...(EIU Country Report, "Central African Republic," 2nd Quarter 1990, p. 26)
BANVILLE
Banville, Père Ghislain de, ed. Bibliographie centrafricaine
(Bibliography of the Central African Republic) Bangui: Maison Saint-Charles,
1991. 102p.
Banville, Père Ghislain de. "La Préfecture de la Ouaka. Note
de géographie physique et economique." Bambari: IPN, CRR, 1975.
18p. Multig. For CM.2 level.
Banville, Père Ghislain de. "Le Plan Crampel. Note d'histoire centrafricaine."
Bambari: Bull. de Liaison, I.P.N. (1977):22-27.
Banville, Père Ghislain de. "La Centrafrique." Terres Lointaines,
330, 1981. 32p.
Banville, Père Ghislain de. "Deux ouvrages pour un inventaire de
l'heritage culturel centraf. (sur la ré-édition de deux livres
de Vergiat)." La Semaine (Brazzaville), 28 Jan- ? 2 Fev. (1982):6.
Banville, Père Ghislain de. Ouaka, 1900-1920. Documents d'histoire sur
la région de la Ouaka. Bambari: Centre Culturel St. Jean, 1983. 101p.
Multig.
Banville, Père Ghislain de. Ouaka 1900-1920 (Ouaka 1900-1920). Bambari,
Central African Republic: Centre Culturel St. Jean, 1983. 101p. 4 maps. bibliog.
Banville, Père Ghislain de. Après Mgr. Cucherousset, L'église
centrafricaine d'aujourd'hui en marche vers sa deuxième évangelisation."
Revue de St. Joseph, Allex?, 866 (1986):6-10.
Banville, Père Ghislain de. "De l'Huma à Kadjemah, un itinéraire
pas banal: Edouard Cormon, 1903-1986." Trait d'Union (Bangui, U.F.E.),
26 (1987):46-50.
Banville, Père Ghislain de. En Son Temps, le Père Joseph Daigre.
Oubangui-Chari, 1905-1939. Bangui: St. Charles. 179p. Multig.
Banville, Père Ghislain de. "Les origines de Bangui." Trait
d'Union UFE, Centrafrique, 31 (1988).
Banville, Père Ghislain de. Sainte Famille des Banziris. Histoire de
la fondation de Bessou (Ndjoukou) par le Père Joseph Moreau (1894-1906).
Bangui: Saint Charles,
1986.
Banville, Père Ghislain de. En son temps, le Père Joseph Daigre
(Oubangui-Chari 1905-1939): souvenirs, anecdotes et documents inédits.
Bangui: Saint Charles, 1988.
Banville, Père Ghislain de, ed. Saint Paul des Rapides. Histoire d’une
fondation (1894-1906). Recueil de textes. Bambari, Central African Republic:
Mission Saint Jean, 1983.
Banville, Père Ghislain de. Saint-Paul des Rapides: histoire d'un fondation,
1893-1903: recueil de textes sur les débuts de la mission en Centrafrique.
Présentés par le P. G. de Banville. Bangui: Mission Saint-Charles,
1988. 140p.
Banville, Père Ghislain de. Les débuts de l’Eglise en RCA
(Notes et documents ou rédigés ou recueillis par G. de Banville).
Bangui: St. Charles, 1988. 188p. Multig.
Banville, Père Ghislain de. Itinéraire d’un missionnaire:
le Prètre Marc Pedron. Bangui: Saint Charles, 1989.
Banville, Père Ghislain de and Cl? Mayade. La République centrafricaine.
Cours de géographie. Classes terminales. Bambari: St. Jean, 1974. 38p.
Multig.
Banville, Père Ghislain de. "La Centrafrique. Terres Lointaines,
330 (1981):32.
Banville, Père Ghislain de, ed. Raconte-moi la Mission. Bangui: Imprimerie
Saint-Paul, 1994. Publications du Centenaire de l'Église Catholique en
Centrafrique.
BANZA
Banza, A. "La remise en ordre d'un Etat." Europe-France-Outre-Mer, 444 (January 1967).
BAPTIST cf. FRATERNAL UNION OF BAPTISTS CHURCHES
Note: The General Council of Cooperating Baptists of North America, Inc., which
was organized on 15 October 1920 in Elyria, Ohio, sent six missionaries to French
Equatorial Africa in the fall of 1920. These Baptists reached Africa in 1921.
Paul Metzler was one of the early Baptist missionaries in Ubangi-Shari (later
the C.A.R.). In 1963, Baptist Mid-Missions (the name adopted by the General
Council of Cooperating Baptists of North America) separated its fields of work
[in Chad and the Central African Republic?]. The Assocation of Baptist Churches
was formed. (Cf. "Association of Baptist Churches of Chad." Wikipedia,
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Association_of_Baptist_Churches_of_Chad)
For varying estimates of the number of Baptists in the C.A.R., see ADHERENTS.com
www.adherents.com/adhloc/Wh_64.html
(The Baptist World Alliance estimate for the number of Baptists in the CAR,
in 1999, was 40,800, or 1.7% of the population, but this figures does not includes
'independents', i.e. Baptists not affiliated with the BWA. STL Publications
estimated 169,000 Baptists in 1979).
Cf. Wardin, Albert W., Jr. Baptists Around the World.
BAPTIST CHURCHES OF THE CENTRAL AFRICAN REPUBLIC cf. ÉGLISES BAPTISTES DE LA RCA
The Baptist Churches of the Central African Republic or Églises
Baptistes de la RCA is an organization serving the Baptist churches in the Central
African Republic in Equatorial Africa. The General Council of Cooperating Baptists
of North America, Inc. was organized on October 15, 1920 in Elyria, Ohio, under
the leadership of Reverend William C. Haas. This independent mission agency
sent six missionaries to French Equatorial Africa in the fall of 1920. Rev.
Haas, Mr. and Mrs. Fred Rosenau, Mr. and Mrs. Arthur Young, and Mrs. Rowena
Becker reached Africa in January of 1921 and journeyed inland to French Equatorial
Africa. The first stations were established at Sibut, Crampel, and Bangassou,
in what is now the Central African Republic. Although Hass died in 1924, the
mission continued to expand and by the 1960s had grown to over 100 churches.
The Scriptures were translated into the native Sango language, and a hospital,
six dispensaries, two Bible schools, and a seminary were established by 1961.
In 1960, both Chad and the Republic of Central Africa became independent states.
Baptist Mid-Missions (the name adopted by the General Council of Cooperating
Baptists of North America in 1953) separated the two fields of labor, and the
current association of Baptist churches was formed in 1963 with 191 churches.
Internal problems caused the dissolution of the association for a period of
time in the 1970s. The Eglises Baptistes de la RCA has also suffered two schisms,
resulting in the Fraternal Union of Baptist Churches (or Union Fraternelle des
Églises Baptistes, org. 1977) and the Association of Central African
Baptist Churches (or Association des Églises Baptistes Centrafricaines).
Another Baptist group, the Baptist Churches of Western RCA, began from mission
work of the Swedish Örebro Society in 1923.Protestantism (25%), Catholicism
(16%), Islam (14%), and animism (24%) provide a pluralistic religious makeup
of the country.
In 1995 the Eglises Baptistes de la RCA had 375 churches with about 60,000 members.
Baptist Mid-Missions still has a number of missionaries in the Republic of Central
Africa. (Cf. "Baptist Churches of the Central African Republic." Wikipedia,
wikipedia.org/wiki/Baptist_Churches_of_Central African Republic)
BAPTIST MID-MISSIONS (religion, education, health,
news, etc.)
www.bmm.org/BMM/WhereWeServe/Africa/centralafricanrepublic.htm
In 1921 Rev. William Haas, Mr. and Mrs. Ferd Rosenau, Mr. and Mrs. Arthur Young,
and Mrs. Rowena Becker traveled to Ubangi-Shari and established the Baptist
Mid-Missions (BMM) first three stations at Sibut, Crampel, and Bangassou. BMM
missionaries translated the Bible into Sango, started a hospital and dispensaries,
and opened Bible schools to train hundreds of pastors and Christian workers
who now carry on most of the mission's work. ("Central African Republic."
www.bmm.org/BMM/WhereWeServe/ Africa/ centralafricanrepublic.htm)
Lester and Martha Fogle were also pioneer Baptist Mid-Missions missionaries
in the Central African Republic and Chad. Larry and Sallie Fogle served in the
CAR. Janine Fogle was born and spent her childhood years in the CAR. (www.bmm.org/BMM/WhereWeServe/Africa/ChangedLives/
Janine.htm)
William and Genevieve Haas began working as missionaries in Africa in 1911.
When they returned to the US, they gathered several Baptist pastors together
and convincingly presented the need for more missionaries. As a result, the
General Council of Cooperating Baptist Missions of North America, Inc. (now
Baptist Mid-Missions) was organized on October 15, 1920 at the First Baptist
Church in Elyria, Ohio. Six BMM missionaries sailed a few weeks later to begin
work in French Equatorial Africa. ("About Us." www.bmm.org/BMM/AboutUs)
Cf. Burning Wicks by Miss Polly Strong, which is a record of Baptist Mid-Missions’
history.
BAPTIST MID-MISSIONS (religion, education, health, news, etc.)
www.bmm.org/NR/exeres/
33A0F8A3-55C0-4855-A97D-1011ECEAA99A,frameless.htm -
Baptist Mid-Missions Seminar Manuel # 2, 1965.
The ultimate objective of Baptist Mid-Missions on all our fields is the establishment
of strong indigenous Baptist churches. Therefore, our program must of necessity
be a three-fold one, to evangelize, to teach and to establish churches. To the
fullest extend possible, subject only to local conditions and the demands of
specialized ministries, this program is the responsibility of each missionary.
(Baptist Mid-Missions Seminar Manuel # 2, 1965, cited in Hill, "The Christianization
of the Central African Republic," p. 114.)
Baptist Mid-Missions website. “CAR: Current Challenges and New Ministries.” http://www.bmm.org/Fields/car3.html January 9,2001
Baptist Mid-Missions website. “Central African Republic.” http://www.bmm.org/Fields/car3.html January 9,2001
Baptist Mid-Missions website. “The Founding Years” http://www.bmm.org/Newpages/foundation.html January 8, 2001
BAPTIST WORLD ALLIANCE
Baptist World Alliance website. http://www.bwanet.org/fellowship/index.htm January 10, 2001.
Cf. "BWA Statistics " (viewed 31 March 1999). "Figures are for BWA affiliated conventions/unions only (no independents included). "; Table with 3 columns: Country, "Churches ", & "Members "; "1997/1998 Totals "; [BWA stats. in individual countries are sum of figures for member bodies of BWA in the countries.];
BARAT (see Food and Agriculture Organization, United Nations)
Barat, S.K. and R.G.H. Elliot. Hides, Skins and Animal Byproducts Mission to selected East and Central African Countries (Zaire and Central African Republic) Rome: FAO, 1976.
BARATIER
Baratier, Lieut-Colonel. A Travers l'Afrique. Paris: Perrin, ???. 350p.
Baratier, Lieut-Colonel. Au Congo. Souvenirs de la Mission Marchand. Vol. 1.
Au Congo. Paris: Arth. Fayard, 1910. 284p.
Baratier, Lieut-Colonel. Au Congo. Souvenirs de la Mission Marchand. Vol. 2.
Vers le Nil. Paris: Fayard, 1912. 110p.
Baratier, Lieut-Colonel. Au Congo. Souvenirs de la Mission Marchand. Vol. 3.
Fachoda. Paris: Grasset, 1941. 228p.
Marchand had already resolved, if necessary, to take another steamer - "to seize it, or rather steal it," said Baratier. The fifty-foot Faidherbe, now stranded in the shallows of the Mbomou below Mobaye, was a narrow, fast vessel belonging to the civil administration [or Liotard?]... Since a formal request for the Faidherbe (the sole operating boat serving the Ubangi posts) would take time and probably be refused, the captain ordered Baratier and Dyé to comandeer it. Liotard's delegate, a Monsieur Rousset, was relieved to have the burden of decision preempted. Secretly, he agreed to rush a spare-parts order for the steamer out of the Ubangi budget. Germain was recalled from Deim Zubeir to solve the steamer's formidable engineering problems, along with a competent, complaining NCO from Bangui, Sergeant Souryi (Lewis, The Race to Fashoda, p. 178.)
In the backlash of recriminations after Fashoda, many of Marchand's ex-boosters would wonder at the preposterousness of the Congo-Nile strategy, the seemingly hairbrained scheme of sending a dozen French officers slogging across Central Africa to snatch the Nile basin from the combined armies of Britain and Egypt - while at the same time winning the hearts and the minds of the Madhists... Doubt was alien to Marchand's nature... [and] his second-in-command, Captain Baratier, wrote that "France alone possesses the colonial army with which such madness can be undertaken without risk,... (Lewis, The Race to Fashoda, p. 158-159.)
BARBARIN
Ch.-J. Barbarin (born 1896) was a Representative Councillor for the first electoral
college—the Europeans—of the first local assembly of Oubangui-Chari—le
Conseil Répresentatif de l’Oubangui-Chari—from 1947 to 1952.
Barbarin, Ch.-J. "Bangui." In E. Guernier, ed. AEF. 1950.
BARBER
Barber, Kenneth Bruce. “An Ecological Survey of the St. Floris National
Park, Central African Republic.” Ph.D. diss. Michigan State University,
1980.
Barber, Kenneth Bruce. Etude écologique du Parc National Saint-Floris.
Trans. CTFT. Bangui: MEFCPT, 1979.
BARBEY cf. CATHOLIC MISSIONARIES, ORPHANS
Catholic priest, Father Barbey, in Bétou c. 1918.
In 1918, a priest from Bétou, Father Barbey, visited the head of the Lobaye region, Lt. Lebrun, and found that this officer had started an orphange in Mbaiki. Despite the efforts of this French officer, many of the children died. About one hundred survivors were turned over to the care of a Senegalese corporal, Mamadou, and his wife, who attempted to care for these orphans.
BARBOUR
Barbour, Russell. Postharvest food systems in the Central African Republic: A practitioner's manual. VITA, 1984.
BARDELLI
Bardelli, R. Centro-Africa. Una givane chiesa alla ricerca della sua identità
(Centrafrique. Une jeune église à la recherche de son identité).
Bologna: E.M.I., 1979.
Bardelli, R. Il sangue di tuo fratello (Le sang de ton frère). Parma:
1984.
BARIA
Baria, J.. J'ignore la raison d'être de ma vie. ??
BARDELLI
Bardelli, Père Raimondo. Centro-Africana: Une Giovane Chiesa Alla Ricerca della sua identita. Bologne: Ed. Miss. Italiana, 1979. 264p.
BARDET
Bardet, G. Géologie du diamant, tome II: Gisements africains. (The geology of the diamond, volume II: African deposits). Paris: Mémoires du BRGM, 1974.
BARKER
Koumans; Barker; Massanga, et al. "Patient-led partner referral enhances sexually transmitted disease service delivery in two towns in the Central African Republic." International Journal of STD and AIDS 10, no. 6 (1999):376-382.
BARRALIER
Barralier, E. Mission Gentil. Bull. Com. Afr. Franc., 9 .Sept. 1898.??? 284p.
Barralier, E. Carte des Sultanats du Haut-Oubangui, 1/1 000 000 (1905), Archives
du Centre d’études centrafricaines, Brazzaville.
BARRETEAU
Barreteau, Daniel. Inventaire des Etudes Linguistiques sur les pays d'Afrique
Noire d'Expression Française. Paris: CILIF, ???.
Barreteau, Daniel and Yves Moñino. "Les langues oubanguiennes,"
In D. Barreteau, ed., Inventaire des études linguistiques sur les pays
d'Afrique noire d'expression française et sur Madagascar. Paris: CILF,
1978, pp. 195-208.
BARRIL
Captain Paul Barril, a French anti-terrorist expert
A well-known French anti-terrorist expert, Captain Paul Barril, has been recruited to train [President Patassé's] private guard, according to a speculative Paris-based newsletter, La lettre du continent. The guard is to be commanded by Bedaya Djader, an uncle of Mr Patasse. The new commander's older brother is foreign and fracophone affairs minister, Simon Bedaya-Ngaro. Control of diamond-producing areas is another key security priority; a key figure here is the energy and minerals minister, Charles Massi, a close ally of Mr Patassé. A senior French policeman, Louis-Aimé Blanc, advises on protection of the diamond zones, and on intelligence generally. Mr. Demafouth-Mafoutapa also plays a central role in the security entourage. (EIU Country Report, "Central African Republic," 4th Quarter 1995, pp. 22-23)
...movements of refugees and fighters from the civil war in southern Sudan. In early May [1995] four Sudanese soldiers and five Central African civilians were killed in a clash; the central Africans were allegedly smuggling gum arabic. When CAR security forces went to investigate, they were attacked by unidentified assailants. The 800-km CAR-Sudan border is poorly delineated and passes through thinly inhabited bush and mountain country. Mr Patassé has reportedly asked Paul Barrill, formerly a senior French security official and now the head of a private security firm, to help improve frontier guard units. (EIU Country Report, "Central African Republic," 3rd Quarter 1995, p. 28)
BARTH
Barth, Heinrich. Reissen und Entdeckungen in nord - und - central
Afrika in den Jahren 1849 bis 1855. 5 Vols. Gotha: 1857-1859. Cf. French and
English translations below.
Barth, Heinrich. Voyages et Découvertes en Afrique septentrionale et
centrale. 4 Vols. Trans. [traduction française] P. Ithier, Paris: A.
Bohné, 1860-1861. 332pp.
Barth, Heinrich. Voyages et Découvertes en Afrique septentrionale et
centrale. Trans. by P. Ithier, Paris: A. Bohné, 1860-1861. 332pp.
Barth, Heinrich. ??? Trans. ??? 5 Vols. London: F. Cass, 1969.
BARTOUME-MOUSSA
Bartoume-Moussa, Gaston. Evolution du Service de Santé en R.C.A. Paris: 1961. 133p.
BASQUIN
Basquin, Chantal. “L’évolution économique
de la République Centrafricaine depuis l’indépendance et
ses perspectives de développement.” (The economic evolution of
the Central African Republic since its independence, and its prospects for development.)
Paris: Ministère de la coopération et développement, 1986.
117p. bibliog.
Basquin, Chantal. "La Compétivité des filières coton
de la zone franc face au marché mondiale." Mémoire de D.E.A.,
Économie de développement, Paris, 1994.
BASSIA
The new Government [of 15 June 1990] reflects a net increase of three positions for a total of 24 Ministers and Secretaries of State. Entering the Government for the first time were...Jean-Marie Bassia, Secretary of State for Higher Education...(Webb, "Central African Republic," ACR 1989-1990, p. B171).
BASTIANI
Bastiani, Laurent. Recensement et démographie des principales agglomérations d’AEF. IV. Bangui 1955-1956 (Population census and demography in the main town of FEA no. 4. Bangui 1955-56). Brazzaville: High Commissionership of the French Republic in FEA, 1957. 17p.
BATA
Une fabrique de chaussures
BATALIMO
Where the Ubangi river penetrates into the forest, … concentration of polished axes is found… at Batalimo in the CAR… des Hermens (1975) found, for the first time in an excavation, an axe with a polished edge associated with a non-microlithic industry and with some pottery. The [pottery] is flat-bottomed and usually has an overall decoration made by a combination of grooving, incising and imprinting, usually with a comb… pottery turns out to be no later than the fourth century [CE], which seems very late for an industry of this sort… some other isolated polished axes have been recovered at various points in the CAR…not a single rubbing stone in the region. (R. de Bayle des Hermens, “The prehistory of Central Africa, Part I,” in J. Ki-Zerbo, ed., General History of Africa, Vol. I: Methodology and African History (Paris: UNESCO, 1981), p. ??)
BATCHIMANDJI
Batchimandji, Boniface. "Panorama de l'Evolution sociale en Oubangui-Chari. De la 2ème Guerre Mondiale à? l'Indépendence." Bangui: Univ. Mem. Lic., 1982. 70p.
BATES
www.findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_hb3195/is_200306/ai_n7883078
Bates, Rob. "Kimberley Process faces first test. (Diamond
Notes). (Central African Republic may see diamond trade restricted by international
community in light of political coup and social unrest)." Jewelers Circular
Keystone, June, 2003.
The Kimberley Process is supposed to eliminate conflict diamonds by keeping
countries without proper rough import and export controls from importing stones
into the legitimate stream of commerce. Now, the process faces its first real
test in the case of the Central African Republic. Rebels there recently staged
a coup and won control of the country's diamond mines. Because of this, the
nongovernmental organization Global Witness has asked that the Central African
Republic be ejected from Kimberley. "Since rebels have seized power and
overthrown a legitimate ...
BATIR-RCA
http://www.batir-rca.fr.st
Note: In French. Site only works in Microsoft's browser. "un espace de
libre opinion démocratique. Chacun est donc invité et peut en
toute quiétude nous envoyer des sujets, articles, documents, photos et
autres. Vous êtes libre de publier tout article en signant de votre nom
ou en utilisant un pseudonyme. Nous publierons touts articles reçus tant
que ceux-ci demeurent constructifs pour le Centrafrique et/ou pour l’émancipation,
le développement économique, politique, culturelle et sociale
du peuple centrafricain." A large directory to CAR web sites. Includes
the national anthem (with audio file), map of Bangui, history, international
aid to the CAR, "Les Dossiers Rouge du Régime Patassé"
with links to articles about political events, political commentary.
BAUDIN
Baudin, A. "L'accord Franco-Allemand et l'Enclave française de
l'Oubangui." Bull. Soc. Géo. Marseille, (1911):333-341.
Baudin, A. "La valeur de la partie du Moyen-Congo cedée à
l'Allemagne." Bull. Soc. Nat. et Acclimatation de France, (1912):408-412.
BAUDON
Baudon, A. "Cultures alimentaires de la région du Gribingui"
(Food cultivation in the Gribingui region.) Marseille: Annales Musée
Colonial, 1913. 32p. (Third Series).
Baudon, A. "Au sujet de l'Icanina sénégalensis comme plante
de famine chez les Mandjia." Bull. Soc. Nat. d'Acclim., (1913):397-398.
BAUMANN
BAXTER
BAYANGA
Precolonial inhabitants of the Bayanga region were the Mbimu, Ngundi and Sangha-Sangha peoples, who fished along the Sangha river, and the BaAka, who hunted the forests east of the Sangha in what is today Congo (Demesse, 1978). Historical accounts suggest that, long before the first Europeans visited the area in the 1890s, the Sangha river was an important trade conduit for slaves, ivory, wild rubber, palm nuts, manioc, and dried fish (Harms 1981; Kalck 1993; O'Toole 1986; Sautter 1966; all cited in Noss, "Duikers," p. 93)
Economic agents have been much more important than political actors in driving ecological and socioeconomic change in the Bayanga region. These actors have been principally foreign -- concession companies, commercial societies, logging companies, and conservation organizations - and focus primarily on the exploitation of natural resources. Current economic activities with links outside the region include coffee plantations, logging, diamond mining, a conservation project, and safari hunting. Only coffee plantations and diamond mines are owned and operated by local residents. (Noss, "Duikers," p. 93)
"Well before the Libyan loggers arrived in the late sixties, before the current French-owned logging concession began its own operations, and before the WWF come to establish the Dzanga-Sangha reserve, Bayanga was once upon a time a small, sleepy fishing village on the banks of the Sangha river, populated by about seventy to one hundred Dzanga speaking fishing people. Today, this once traditional Central African village is swollen with immigrants from all over Central and West Africa, people who have come to cash in on employment with the WWF, the logging concession, and the numerous Peace Corps volunteers who themselves work in menial capacities for the WWF" (Davies, "Guardians of the Embers," 1996:63, cited by Rebecca Hardin, "Translating the Forest," p. 237, with the following comments.)
This "refrain about Bayanga's lack of community is constructed in contrast to a putative harmonious past when the town was less heterogeneous." (Hardin, "Translating the Forest, p. 237.)
The text in question, while inventive and compelling in some respects, to my mind raises serious questions about the limits of what can and should be legitimately termed 'anthropological research'..." (Hardin, "Translating the Forest, p. 237, footnote 21)
Under German administration the Compagnie Forestière Sangha-Oubangui used Bayanga as a base for extracting ivory, wild rubber, animal skins, and palm nuts (Carroll, n.d., cited in Noss, "Duikers," p. 94)
The concession companies were replaced in the 1930s by commercial societies based on agricultural production, but which continued to extract forest products. Two societies were established in Lindjombo, 30 kilometers south of Bayanga. Beginning in 1926 and 1931 respectively, the Santini and Lopez societies initially exploited rubber but soon established commercial plantations of coffee. Other societies operated around Salo, 50 kilometers north of Bayanga. Coffee plantations drew the first Gbaya and Mbimu immigrants to the Bayanga region from elsewhere in the CAR, as well as additional BaAka migrants from the Mokala watershed to the east in Congo (Giles-Vernick, Kretsinger, cited in Noss, "Duikers," p. 95)
In 1971, the government awared concession rights in the Bayanga region to the Yugoslav company Slovenia-Bois. With the construction of a sawmill in Bayanga and the commencement of logging activities in 1972, immigration induced by employment opportunities increased Bayanga's population from several dozen to approximately 5,000 people. The lumber boom years were seen by Bayanga residents as "paradise." Slovenia-Bois provided many benefits directly: employment, health services, schools, and housing. In addition, the cash incomes, combined with well-maintained road and river transportation networks, generated a great deal of secondary employment. From 1972 to 1986, 1,000 square kilometers of forest were selectively logged. Noss, "Duikers," p. 96)
BAYART
Bayart, Jean-François. The State in Africa: The Politics of the Belly.
London & New York: Longman, 1993.
In Ubangi-Shari “the 1958 laws on vagrancy maintained the principle of forced labour. Bathelemy Boganda did not think there was anything odd about this: “Everyone knows that work, call it what you will, has always been and remains obligatory.” The same causes often produced the same effects, as the use of the lash on reluctant farmers, for example, continued, and perhaps became even more widespread. (Jean-François Bayart, The State in Africa: The Politics of the Belly (London & New York: Longman, 1993), p. 63. See p. 294, endnote 5, which cites Bigo, Forme d’exercise du pouvoir et obeissance en Centrafrique (1966-1979), Paris: Universite de Paris I, 1985, pp. 174 and 471; Y. Zoctizoum, Histoire de la Centrafrique, vol II: 1959-1979. Violence du developpement, domination et inegalites (Paris: Harmattan, 1984); Republique Francaise, Ministere des Relations exterieures, Cooperation et Developpement, Desequilibres structurels et programmes d’ajustement en Republique centrafricaine (Paris: 1985).
Bayart, Jean-François. La politique africaine de François Mitterrand. Paris: Editions Karthala, 1984.
BAYLE DES HERMENS (archeology, history, prehistory, technology, etc.)
Bayle des Hermens, Roger de. “Quelques aspects de la préhistoire en République Centrafricaine (Some aspects of prehistory in the Central African Republic).” Journal of African History 12, 4 (1971):579-97.
Bayle des Hermens, Roger de. Recherches préhistoriques en République Centrafricaine (Prehistoric research in the Central African Republic). Paris: Librairie C. Klincksieck and Laboratoire d’ethnologie et de sociologie comparative Université de Paris, 1975. 343p. maps. bibliog.
Bayle des Hermens, Roger de. “The prehistory of Central Africa, Part I.” In J. Ki-Zerbo, ed., General History of Africa, Vol. I: Methodology and African History. Paris: UNESCO, 1981, pp. 530-550.
Bayle des Hermens, Roger de. “Note sur les collections préhistoriques de République Centrafricaine du Musée royal de l’Afrique centrale, Tervuren, Belgique.” in Africa-Tervuren, XV-1969-2, (Tiré à part), 10p (57-66).
Bayle des Hermens, Roger de. “Les collections préhistoriques de République Centrafricaine au Musée royal de l’Afrique centrale, Tervuren (Belgique)” in Cahiers de La Maboké, t. VII, 1969, pp. 27-40.
Bayle des Hermens, Roger de. “État actuel des connaissances préhistoriques en République Centrafricaine” in Cahiers de La Maboké, t. III, 1965, pp. 97-100.
Bayle des Hermens, Roger de. “Mission de recherches préhistoriques en République Centrafricaine.” Février-mars 1966. Rapport, diffusion restreinte, Muséum National d’Histoire Naturelle, Laboratoire de Préhistoire.
Bayle des Hermens, Roger de. “Première mission de recherches préhistoriques en République Centrafricaine. Février-mars 1966. ” in Cahiers de La Maboké, t. IV, 1966, pp. 158-175.
Bayle des Hermens, Roger de. “Mission de recherches préhistoriques en République Centrafricaine” in Bull. Soc. préhist. franç., t. LXIII, 1966, CRSM, p. CCI (=201).
Bayle des Hermens, Roger de. “Mission de recherches préhistoriques en République Centrafricaine. Note préliminaire” in Bull. Soc. préhist. franç., t. LXIII, 1966, pp. 651-666.
Bayle des Hermens, Roger de. “Mission de recherches préhistoriques en République Centrafricaine” in Bull. de liaison, Soc. Archéol. de Sens, nº 10, 1966, pp. 30-31.
Bayle des Hermens, Roger de. “Deuxième mission de recherches préhistoriques en République Centrafricaine. 9 janvier 1967-11 mars 1967.” Rapport, diffusion restreinte. Muséum National d’Histoire Naturelle, Laboratoire de Préhistoire.
Bayle des Hermens, Roger de. “Deuxième mission de recherches préhistoriques en République Centrafricaine. Janvier-février 1967.” in Cahiers de La Maboké, t. V, 1967, pp. 77-92.
Bayle des Hermens, Roger de. “Premier aperçu du Paléolitique inférieur en République Centrafricaine.” in L’Anthropologie, t. 71, 1967, pp. 435-466.
Bayle des Hermens, Roger de. Premiers éléments de Préhistoire en République Centrafricaine. VIe Cong. Panaf. de Préhist. et des Etudes du Quaternaire, Dakar, 1967, Livret-guide, p. 39.
Bayle des Hermens, Roger de. “Troisième mission de recherches préhistoriques en République Centrafricaine. 30 janvier 1968-25 mars 1968.” Rapport, diffusion restreinte. Muséum National d’Histoire Naturelle, Laboratoire de Préhistoire.
Bayle des Hermens, Roger de. “Recherches préhistoriques en République Centrafricaine, 1966-1967.” in The West African Archaeological Newsletter, Ibadan, Nigeria, nº 9, May 1968, pp. 6-13.
Bayle des Hermens, Roger de. “Troisième mission de recherches préhistoriques en République Centrafricaine. Février-mars 1968.” in Cahiers de La Maboké, t. VI, 1968, pp. 27-38.
Bayle des Hermens, Roger de. “Note sur quatre timbres-poste concernant les recherches préhistoriques en République Centrafricaine.” in Cahiers de La Maboké, t. VI, 1968, pp. 137-139.
Bayle des Hermens, Roger de. “Recherches préhistoriques en République Centrafricaine.” in Bulletin de la Soc. préhist. franç., 66 (Paris, CRSM, 5, 1969), 130.
Bayle des Hermens, Roger de. “Résultats d’ensemble des missions de recherches préhistoriques effectués en 1966, 1967, 1968 en République Centrafricaine.” in Bulletin de la Soc. royale belge d’anthropologie et de préhistoire, 80 (1969), 5-20.
Bayle des Hermens, Roger de. “Bibliographie relative à la préhistorie de la République Centrafricaine.” in Underground West-Africa (University of Birmingham, 1, may 1970), 5-7.
Bayle des Hermens, Roger de. “Bibliographie relative à la préhistorie de la République Centrafricaine, avril 1970.” in Cahiers de La Maboké, t. VIII, 1970, pp. 153-155.
Bayle des Hermens, Roger de. Mission de recherches préhistoriques en République Centrafricaine. VIIe Congrès international des sciences préhist. et protohist., Prague, 1966, (Actes I, Prague, 1970), 191-196, pl. VIII.
Bayle des Hermens, Roger de. “Quelques aspects de la préhistoire en République Centrafricaine” in Journal of African History, XII (1971), 579-597.
Bayle des Hermens, Roger de, and Vidal, Pierre. « Deux
datations par la méthode du C 14 des monuments mégalithiques de
Bouar (RCA) » in Cahiers de La Maboké, IX (1971), 81-82.
BAYNHAM cf. FRANCE'S RELATIONS
Baynham, Simon, ed. Military Power and Politics in Black Africa. New York: St. Martin's Press, 1986.
Cf. Anthony Clayton, "Foreign Intervention in Africa." In Baynham, Simon, ed. Military Power and Politics in Black Africa. New York: St. Martin's Press, 1986, pp. 203-257.
BAZOLY YABOUET
Bazoly Yabouet, Albert. "Bangui à l'heure des Jets." Terre Africaine, No. 173 (3-10 July 1967). Cf. p. 2.
BBC NEWS
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/africa/country_profiles/1067615.stm
Timeline: Central African Republic
A chronology of key events:
Obangui river flows past the capital
1899 [corrected]- France sets up a dependency in the area called Ubangi-Chari
and partitions it among commercial concessionaires.
1910 - Ubangi-Chari becomes part of the Federation of French Equatorial Africa.
1920-30 - Indigenous Africans stage violent protests against abuses by concessionaires.
1946 - The territory is given its own assembly and representation in the French
parliament; Barthelemy Boganda, founder of the pro-independence Social Evolution
Movement of Black Africa (MESAN), becomes the first Central African to be elected
to the French parliament.
1957 - MESAN wins control of the territorial assembly; Boganda becomes president
of the Grand Council of French Equatorial Africa.
Independence
1958 - The territory achieves self-government within French Equatorial Africa
with Boganda as prime minister.
1959 - Boganda dies.
1960 - The Central African Republic becomes independent with David Dacko, nephew
of Boganda, as president.
1962 - Dacko turns the Central African Republic into a one-party state with
MESAN as the sole party.
1964 - Dacko confirmed as president in elections in which he is the sole candidate.
The Bokassa era
1965 - Dacko ousted by the army commander, Jean-Bedel Bokassa, as the country
faces bankruptcy and a threatened nationwide strike.
David Dacko: President was toppled twice
Head of government 1959-65, ousted by Bokassa in 1965
Reinstated in 1979, deposed by General Kolingba in 1981
2003: CAR's first president dies 1972 - Bokassa declares himself president for
life.
1977 - Bokassa proclaims himself emperor and renames the country the "Central
African Empire".
1979 - Bokassa ousted in a coup led by David Dacko and backed by French troops
after widespread protests in which many school children were arrested and massacred
while in detention.
1981 - Dacko deposed in a coup led by the army commander, Andre Kolingba.
1984 - Amnesty for all political party leaders declared.
1986 - Bokassa returns to the CAR.
1988 - Bokassa sentenced to death for murder and embezzlement, but has his sentence
commuted to life imprisonment.
Ban on parties lifted
1991 - Political parties permitted to form.
Self-styled emperor Jean-Bedel Bokassa
Took power in 1965 and ruled until his removal in a 1979 French-backed coup
Spent millions on a Napoleonic-style coronation
Found guilty of murder in 1987; death sentence later commuted
Freed in 1993, died in 1996
2001: Ruined Bokassa palace haunts CAR 1992 October - Multiparty presidential
and parliamentary elections held in which Kolingba came in last place, but are
annulled by the supreme court on the ground of widespread irregularities.
1993 - Ange-Felix Patasse beats Kolingba and Dacko in elections to become president,
ending 12 years of military rule. Kolingba releases several thousand political
prisoners, including Bokassa, before standing down as president.
1996 May - Soldiers stage a mutiny in the capital, Bangui, over unpaid wages.
1997 November - Soldiers stage more mutinies.
1997 - France begins withdrawing its forces from the republic; African peacekeepers
replace French troops.
1999 - Patasse re-elected; his nearest rival, former President Kolingba, wins
19% of the vote.
2000 December - Civil servants stage general strike over back-pay; rally organised
by opposition groups who accuse President Patasse of mismanagement and corruption
deteriorates into riots.
Coup bid
2001 May - At least 59 killed in an abortive coup attempt by former president
Andre Kolingba. President Patasse suppresses the attempt with help of Libyan
and Chadian troops and Congolese rebels.
Gen Bozize marks the anniversary of his coup
2003: CAR - A classic African coup
2003: Profile of Francois Bozize 2001 November - Clashes as troops try to arrest
sacked army chief of staff General Francois Bozize, accused of involvment in
May's coup attempt. Thousands flee fighting between government troops and Bozize's
forces.
2002 February - Former Defence Minister Jean-Jacques Demafouth appears in a
Bangui court to answer charges related to the coup attempt of May 2001.
2002 October - Libyan-backed forces help to subdue an attempt by forces loyal
to dismissed army chief General Bozize to overthrow President Patasse.
2003 March - Rebel leader Francois Bozize seizes Bangui, declares himself president
and dissolves parliament. President Ange-Felix Patasse is out of the country
at the time. Within weeks a transitional government is set up.
2004 December - New constitution approved in referendum.
2005 May - Francois Bozize is named the winner of presidential elections after
a run-off vote.
2005 August - Flooding in the capital, Bangui, leaves up to 20,000 people homeless.
BBC NEWS ONLINE
Cf. Sommerville, Keith. "Diamonds Fuel CAR Conflicts." BBC News Online, 32 October 2002, news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/africa/2372153.stm
Jones, Lucy. "Profile of Francois Bozize." BBC News Online, 16 March 2003, news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/africa/2854669.stm
An intellectual and reportedly deeply religious man, he is
also no stranger to coups.
During the military dictatorship of Andre Kolingba from 1981 to 1993 he was
an opposition figure, leading an unsuccessful coup attempt in 1983. He suffered
grotesque torture at the hands of officials and, like President Ange-Felix Patasse,
spent many years in exile in Togo. Indeed, it was during his time in exile that
he is thought to have formed a strong relationship with the president.
Ambition
For many years, he was considered a staunch supporter of Mr Patasse and help
him rebuff rebels during the mutinies which plagued the country in 1996 and
1997. But the short, pot-bellied general has always had political ambition;
he stood for president in the country's first democratic elections in 1993,
but lost against Mr Patasse. It was perhaps for this reason that he was suspected
of being involved in a coup attempt in May 2001 which was put down with the
help of Libyan troops. The much-feared investigation commission into the rebellion
ordered Mr Bozize to answer questions. He refused and in November 2001 took
over control of the north of Bangui before fleeing to Chad with about 300 supporters.
He stayed there for much of 2002; there were reports that his men launched several
attacks on the CAR from Chad and were responsible for looting and banditry.
Then, in October 2002, his supporters launched an attack on the capital. But
they were driven back to the north of the country by the army supported by reinforcements
from Libya and a Congolese rebel group - the Movement for the Liberation of
Congo (MLC) which controls the north of the Democratic Republic of Congo. Mr
Patasse accused Chad of backing the rebels - a charge his Chadian counterpart,
Idriss Deby, denies. Observers always expected Mr Bozize to return.
Supporters
Many people have been anxiously awaiting his arrival, hoping he would be able
to sort out the country's severe economic crisis. Civil servants and the army
have not been paid for months and negotiations for a long-anticipated World
Bank loan recently stalled. Mr Bozize is also widely-respected for being a simple
man and could often be seen chugging around Bangui in a battered Citron car
waving to people he knew. Reports of people dancing on the streets suggest the
"new president", as General Bozize's spokesman referred to him on
national radio this Sunday, is welcome. What happens politically remains to
be seen. Mr Bozize is from the north - like Mr Patasse - so splits his former
ally's power base. The support of the army will be crucial, although so far
Mr Bozize's supporters have met very little resistance.
BBC NEWS UK EDITION
"Q&A: Central African Republic elections." BBC
News, 11 March 2005, news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/africa/4340777.stm
The elections mark the end of a political transition.
Voters in Central African Republic elect a president and assembly on Sunday,
ending two years of military rule under President Francois Bozize.
Q: Who is favourite to win the presidency?
Francois Bozize, a former army general, who ousted former President Ange-Felix
Patasse and took control in the capital, Bangui, in March 2003.
The coup was condemned internationally but Mr Bozize gradually gained approval
at home after he restored security to the capital, paid wage arrears and launched
an anti-corruption drive. Though he pledged new elections when the security
situation improved, the vote was delayed for two years due to instability in
the north of the country. Mr Bozize announced in December 2004 he would run
as an independent candidate after initially ruling himself out.
Q: Who are his main challengers?
Andre Kolingba, a former military ruler who seized power in a bloodless coup
in 1988. He reinstated a multi-party system in 1991 but lost the first democratic
election to Mr Patasse in 1993.
He led mutinies against Mr Patasse in 1996-97, but after a failed coup attempt
in May 2001 fled to Uganda and France, returning in February 2005 to contest
this election.
Martin Ziguele, who served as prime minister under Mr Patasse, is another front-runner.
Eight other candidates include the current vice-president, Abel Goumba, lawyer
Henri Pouzere and former government minister Auguste Boukanga.
Q: Who is competing in the parliamentary election?
Over 900 candidates are standing for 105 parliamentary seats. The main parties
are: The National Convergence Movement - a grouping of smaller parties, military
officials and political leaders supporting Mr Bozize.
The Movement for the Liberation of Central Africans (MLPC) - led by Mr Patasse,
the MLPC has been a leading party since 1993. After Mr Patasse was barred from
running, the party backed Mr Ziguele but recent reports suggest a split with
support gaining for Mr Bozize. The Patriotic Front for Progress (FPP) - one
of the oldest parties, founded in 1972, led by Vice-President Goumba. The Movement
for Democracy and Development (MDD) - founded in 1993 by former president David
Dacko.
Q: What are the main issues?
Analysts say daunting economic and political challenges are facing the winner.
Non-payment of civil service and army salaries is cited as the main source of
instability that has plagued the former French colony since independence in
1960. Despite rich natural resources - diamonds, gold, uranium - the country
remains one of the least developed in the world due to corruption and mismanagement
of resources.
Q: How does the system work?
The legislature consists of the National Assembly, Economic and Regional Council,
and the State Council. The three bodies are known as the Congress. The National
Assembly consists of 105 seats, with deputies elected for a five-year term.
Under the new constitution, approved in December 2004, the presidential term
has been reduced from six to five years. Presidents can only serve a maximum
of two terms in office. If there is no clear winner in the first round of the
presidential election, a second round of voting will be contested by the two
top candidates.
Some 1.6 million people are registered to vote and 5,411 voting centres have
been set up across the country.
Q: What about the dispute over candidates?
General Bozize (right), took power from Ange-Felix Patasse (left)
President Bozize called simultaneous presidential and parliamentary polls in
December 2004, setting 30 January 2005 as the election date, but then attempted
to bar seven of his rivals from standing against him, which caused concern regionally.
Following Gabonese mediation in January, Mr Bozize backed down and agreed to
allowed all but Mr Patasse to run. The elections were then postponed to 13 March
to allow all candidates more time to campaign.
Q: Are there any international observers?
Teams from the Francophonie organization - comprising observers from Benin,
Madagascar and Gabon - will observe the polling, according to state radio and
RFI.
Q: Who will provide security?
Troops from the regional Central African Economic and Monetary Community have
pledged to help the national army provide security during the polls. They will
be backed by members of a UN mission that remained in the country in March 2000
when UN peacekeepers left.
Even though the army has not publicly backed any candidate, two - Mr Kolingba
and Mr Bozize - have strong military links. The army - which has a long history
of coups and mutinies - has been urged in the press to maintain neutrality in
the polls.
Q: Have there been any irregularities?
The independent press have reported isolated incidents of clashes between rival
groups of supporters, and allegations of some fraud involving voter registration
documents. Independent and state media outlets have covered the campaign extensively
and have made no secret of who their preferred candidates are.
BBC NEWS WORLD EDITION
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/2652257.stm
Cf. Doyle, Mark. "CAR is 'diamond hub' says report." BBC News World Edition, 13 January 2003, news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/2652257.stm
"African state seeks diamond gain." BBC News World Edition, 1 Septembrer 2005, news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/business/4198408.stm
The Democratic Republic of Congo and the Central African Republic
have long accused their smaller neighbour [Congo-Brazzaville] of helping to
smuggle diamonds out of the two countries as well as Angola. ("African
state seeks diamond gain." BBC News World Edition, 1 Septembrer 2005, news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/business/4198408.stm)
BBC WORLD SERVICE
http://news.bbc.co.uk/hi/english/world/africa/
Check Archive Search for old news.
Cf. ("African Churches." www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice/africa/features/storyofafrica/8chapter7.shtml)
"...Simon Kimbangu's EJCSK (Eglise de Jesus sur la Terre par le Prophete Simon Kimbangu), or Church of Jesus on Earth through the Prophet Simon Kimbangu. The latter was founded in 1921 and its followers refused to pay taxes and witheld their labour. Simon Kimbangu died in prison in 1951, but his church spread in the Congo and Oubangui-Chari (modern Central African Republic)." ("African Churches." www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice/africa/features/storyofafrica/8chapter7.shtml)
BCEOM Cf. BUREAU COOPERATION ECONOMIQUE D'OUTRE-MER???
BCEOM. Etude de la faisabilité du projet d’aménagement
et d’organisation du transport routier sur l’axe Douala-Bangui (A
study examining the feasibility of planning and organizing road transport on
the Douala-Bangui axis.) Paris: BCEOM, 1987. 205p.
BDPA Cf. BUREAU
BE Cf. PATASSÉ, ECONOMY
Dogonendji Be, economy minister in 1999 under prime minister Gabriel Koyambounou
Multilateral parters of the CAR are hoping that the prime minister, Gabriel Koyambounou, and his economy minister, Dogonendji Be, will be able to give new impetus to reform and overcome the caution and inertia of the finance minister, Emmanuel Dokouna... The president reportely feared that the combination of the premiership and personal popularity might allow Mr. Be to emerge as a potential rival and instead opted for the less prominent Mr Koyambounou [as prime minister] (EIU Country Report, "Central African Republic," 4th Quarter 1995, p. 20)
BEAC cf. BANQUE DES ÉTATS DE L'AFRIQUE CENTRALE
Fleury, K. "ET SI DABANGA ECHOUAIT DANS LES NEGOCIATIONS AVEC LA BEAC." Le Confident, 6 December 2005 www.leconfident.net)
De sources proches du gouvernement Centrafricain, le Ministre
des Finances Théodore Dabanga se trouve depuis quelques jours au Cameroun
pour négocier avec les techniciens des finances publiques le déblocage
des 12 milliards promis par les Chefs d'Etats de la CEMAC.
Le gouvernement Centrafricain qui a réitéré à maintes
reprises, aux fonctionnaires et retraités, qu'ils seront payés
au retour du Ministre des Finances, met tout le monde dans une situation de
confusion. Naturellement, les gens ont le droit de se poser la question de savoir
ce qui adviendrait au cas où Théodore Dabanga échouait.
Il faut rappeler que le ministre des Finances a fait le déplacement du
Cameroun pour convaincre les autorités camerounaises ou guinéennes
dont l'apposition de la signature au bas du document devant faciliter ce déblocage
fait défaut. Quelles seront les réactions à court terme
des fonctionnaires, retraités, étudiants qui attendent impatiemment
l'arrivée de cette manne ?
Outre les raisons suscitées, l'on peut noter la méfiance des experts
quant à la capacité de gestion et de remboursement de la précédente
aide qui lui avait été octroyée.
Il convient de rappeler, qu'une première aide de 14 milliards avait été
octroyée aux autorités centrafricaines dont jusqu'ici, l'utilisation
n'a pas été justifiée encore moins un début de remboursement.
Ajouté à cela, un manque de volonté politique pour assainir
les finances publiques, la lutte contre la corruption dans le pays, les réformes
dans les secteurs forestier et diamantaire qui, en principe, devaient générer
des ressources suffisantes à l'Etat.
A y voir de près, cette déclaration du gouvernement, ressemble
à une trompe œil et une fuite de responsabilité. Même
si cette modique somme de 12 milliards est décaissée, cela ne
représente qu'une goutte d'eau dans la mer; car nul n'est sensé
ignorer que les problèmes centrafricains dépassent de loin ces
fonds promis.
C'est la question qui se pose. D'ores et déjà, le gouvernement
doit coûte que coûte s'assumer en recherchant des solutions durables
aux revendications des agents de l'Etat. Sachant que du côté des
étudiants, retraités et des professeurs vacataires…, le
mécontentement est à son comble.
Il est évident que la RCA connaît d'énormes difficultés
financières, cela ne constitue pas une raison pour continuer indéfiniment
à tendre la main de mendiant. Cet état de chose n'honore pas la
République et décrédibilise davantage l'image de marque
du pays plus que jamais ternie par la corruption, le clientélisme, l'ethnicisme,
l'improvisation, le laxisme...
Un dicton populaire très connu des Centrafricains affirme que : «
aide toi, et le ciel t'aidera ». Les aides extérieures sont en
principe destinées aux grands investissements et non au paiement des
salaires comme on nous le fait croire. (K. Fleury, "ET SI DABANGA ECHOUAIT
DANS LES NEGOCIATIONS AVEC LA BEAC." Le Confident, 6 December 2005 www.leconfident.net)
BEAUFORT
Beaufort, F. de and Raymond Pujol. "
BEAFRIQUE.org Cf. ASSOCIATION COEUR D'AFRIQUE
Association Cœur d'Afrique http://www.beafrica.org
Note: Facts about the Central African Republic, older news of the CAR from Agence
France Presse and PANA. The Rapport annuel 1999 of the Ligue centrafricaine
des droits de l'homme, words to the national anthem in Sängö and French,
provided by members, links to related sites. Hosts an active discussion group,
be-africa (created March 23, 1999). Based in Nanterre, France.
BEAFRIQUE-OPINIONS Cf. ASSOCIATION COEUR D'AFRIQUE
http://www.beafrica-opinions.com
BeAfrique-Opinions, "Journal d'aide a l'apprentissage de la democratie"
Note: In French. News from BeAfrique reporters plus articles from IRIN (United
Nations), Arik.com. Political commentary. Interviews with prominent politicians
such as Presidents, Press conference of the Parti de l'Unite Nationale. Links
to CAR related sites. Has an audio file of the national anthem. Maintained by
Frederic Ganapamo and based in Mandeville, Louisiana.
BEANZOUI (religion, Lutheran church)
Cf. Benanzoui, Antoinette (2nd C.A.R. woman ordained by Lutheran Church)
Cf. Peterson, Heather B. "African church ordains its 2nd Woman." The Lutheran. December, 2004.
BEAUDOU
Beaudou, A.G. "Expression micromophologique de la micro-agégation et de l'illuviation dans certains horizons de sols ferrallitiques centrafricains et dans les sols hydrmorphes associés." Cahiers ORSTOM, sér. Pédol., 10, 4 (1972):357-371.
BEAUVAIS
Beauvais, A. Etude pétrographique et géochimique des profils s'altération cuirassés dans le sud-est de la République Centrafricaine. (A petrographical and geochemical study of lateritic weathering profiles capped in oxides of iron in southeast of the Central African Republic). Bangui: Centre ORSTROM, 1989.
BEHAGLE, A.
Behagle, Anne.
BEHAGLE, F.
Behagle, Ferdinand de.
BECKER, C. (religion, agriculture, development, social)
Becker, C.K. "The parable of the soils." Inland Africa. 33, 1 (1949):3-4.
Becker, C.K. "The wayside soil." Inland Africa. 35, 5 (1951):3-5.
Becker, C.K. "The stony ground." Inland Africa. 33, 16 (1951):4-6.
BECKER, G.
Becker, Günther. Holzzersörtung durch Termiten im Zentralafrikanischen Kaiserreich / Destruction du bois par les termies dans l'Empire Centrafricaine. Eschborn, Germany: Office Allemand de la Coopération technique (GTZ), 1977.
BEDAYA DJADER Cf. PATASSÉ, BEDAYA-NGARO, BLANC
Bedaya Djader, commander of President Patassé's private guard c. 1995
A well-known French anti-terrorist expert, Captain Paul Barril, has been recruited to train [President Patassé's] private guard, according to a speculative Paris-based newsletter, La lettre du continent. The guard is to be commanded by Bedaya Djader, an uncle of Mr Patasse. The new commander's older brother is foreign and francophone affairs minister, Simon Bedaya-Ngaro. Control of diamond-producing areas is another key security priority; a key figure here is the energy and minerals minister, Charles Massi, a close ally of Mr Patassé. A senior French policeman, Louis-Aimé Blanc, advises on protection of the diamond zones, and on intelligence generally. Mr. Demafouth-Mafoutapa also plays a central role in the security entourage. (EIU Country Report, "Central African Republic," 4th Quarter 1995, pp. 22-23)
BEDAYA-NGARO Cf. PATASSÉ, BEDAYA DJADER, BLANC
Bedaya-Ngaro, resigned in 1979 because of Patassé arrest, ???1995
UNDER BOKASSA
Dacko waited until 12 November 1980 to appoint a new Prime Minister... A 36-year-old
technocrat, Jean-Pierre Le Bouder, the former Minister for Planning, International
Cooperation and Statistics. Le Bouder...In an effort to broaden the appeal of
his team, Le Bouder assigned the Foreign Ministry to Simon Bedaya-Ngaro who
had resigned from Government in 1979 because of Patassé's arrest. François
Farrafond, an experienced financial expert, was made head of Planning and Finance.
Padoundji Yadjoua was moved to Posts and Telecommunications. The number of Ministers
was reduced to 14 to cut back on government spending. (ACR, 1981, B407)
UNDER PATASSÉ
The [presidential] guard is to be commanded by Bedaya Djader, an uncle of Mr
Patasse. The new commander's older brother is foreign and francophone affairs
minister, Simon Bedaya-Ngaro. (EIU Country Report, "Central African Republic,"
4th Quarter 1995, pp. 22-23)
The foreign and francophone affairs minister, Simon Bedaya-Ngaro, is the most prominent of several ministers drawn from Mr Patassé's own ethnic groups [incorrect], the Kaba and Dagba [both incorrect; Patassé's father was Suma and his mother was Kare] (EIU Country Report, "Central African Republic," 3rd Quarter 1995, p. 26)
BEGONG-BODOLI (literature)
Bégong-Bodoli, Bétina. Flambeau. 1980. (collection of poems)
Bégong-Bodoli, Bétina. Larmes intimes. 1982. (collection of poems)
Bégong-Bodoli, Bétina. "Mon mari est capable." (poem)
Bégong-Bodoli, Bétina. Pupulenge. (unpublished novel)
Bégong-Bodoli, Bétina. Mysotis. (unpublished novel)
BELL
Bell, Dorothy S. "Gbaya Birth: Traditional and Medical Childbirth in the Central African Republic," M.A. thesis, California State University, Sacramento, 1983.
BELLION
Mr. Bellion, first director of the Company of Rubber and Products of the Lobaye.
Bellion. "Correspondances addressés à la Compagnie du Caouthouc et des Produits de la Lobai, 5 May - 27 June 1900. Archives de la France d'Outre-Mer, Fonds Gabon-Congo XV, dossier 34.
Bellion. "Lettre du 1er juillet 1900 à M. Abeille de la Colle, commandant de la Région de Bangui, Archives de la France d'Outre-Mer, Fonds Gabon-Congo XV, dossier 34.
After having recruited some fifty workers and Senegalese sharpshooters
in Dakar in August 1899, [the first] director [of the Compagnie du Caoutchouc
et des Produits de la Lobaye]..., Mr. Bellion, landed at Mongoumba on 5 May
1900. On 10 June, the piroguiers he sent to Bangui were attacked by villages
of Sekia, then on 27 June two rifles were stolen at his installation at Mongoumba.
M. Bellion then noted: "However, I cannot yet launch a repression for this
theft. I will continue to be patient." Hostilities and reprisals would
not take long to begin.
As early as 1 July, M. Bellion launched a punitive expedition about which he
wrote the following to Mr. Abeille de la Colle, Commandant del la Région
de Bangui. "I have the honor to inform you that, this morning, I had to
launch a repression in the villages forming the agglomeration of Mongoumba.
Since several days ago, the theft of rifles and different pieces of iron has
taken place at night in spite of guarding the camp. Finally, last night at 11
o'clock at night, I was awoken by a shot fired by a guard at several bondjos
who had slipped into a house and stolen a third rifle."
"Toulélé, [the main chief of Mongoumba, who I] questioned
this morning, replied that these thefts were all committed by people of the
same village. Right away I summoned the chief who responded that he would not
come and that he was not my friend."
"Due to this manifestation of hostility, I armed twenty Senegalese [sharpshooters]
and I instructed M. Guyot, head of the trading post, and Mr. Grimard to go and
burn this village of thiefs. M. Guyot was ordered to first clean out the place
[scare everyone off] with a coup de salve and then to set fire to the huts.
With [chief] Toulélé as guide, my orders were carried out. Leaving
at 9:30, my little column returned to the camp at 11:30."
"Monday morning, the stolen arms and bullets must be returned, if not,
I will follow the thieves into the bush where I know they have taken refuge."
"I believed it was my duty to undertake this energetic repression myself,
thinking that my [people] and I would be in danger, if I did not react immediately."
Bellion noted in a postscript that, on 3 July, the stolen goods were returned
to him and that "all the chiefs of Mongoumba came and made acts of reparation
[faire acte de réparation.]"
Several days after this operation, wood cutters for the small company steamer
"Nelly" were attacked a half-day's navigation upriver from Mongoumba.
Punitive action, advised and led by Toulélé, the main chief of
Mongoumba, who took advantage of [of this theft] to weaken his local rivals,
touched several villages, including one next to his [called] "Man N'Doco".
(Guillaume, Du Miel au Café, pp. 122-23 [my translations].)
Faced with this bloody initiative, which really shows how
the concessionary agents... [acted]... as local potentates taking on s'arrogaent
the powers of the [colonial] state, the administration reacted because it was
worried that its political strategy would be compromised, which was then to
form alliances, in particular in this region with Ngbaka chiefs. (Guillaume,
Du Miel au Café, p. 123 [my translation].)
According to the investigation it carried out [diligente], 6 villages seem to
have been [auraient été] burned and thirty persons killed (5 according
to a subsequent investigation). Mr. Bellion was recalled from Mongoumba in September,
leaving 4 Europeans and 50 Senegalese sharpshooters there.
Even though 2 tons of ivory were exported [expédiées] as early
as the month of August, the productive activities of the company cease; they
start again with the arrival, on 26 March 1901, of a new director, M. Bourgeau.
Bellion was fired [a été renvoyé] by the company on 2 January
1901, on the orders of the Minister of the Colonies. (Guillaume, Du Miel au
Café, pp. 122-23 [my translations].)
BELLE
Belle, C.D. "Etude Acoustique des voyelles orales du sango urbain." Univ. de Dakar, 1980.
BEMBA
Jean-Pierre Bemba, leader of the Mouvement pour la Libération du Congo
(MLC)
"Attacks on Civilians in Ugandan Occupied Areas in Northeastern Congo."
HRW World Report 2002, 13 February, 2002. www.hrw.org/backgrounder/africa/bunia0213bkg.htm
RCD-Kisangani spokespersons charge that Ugandan troops from Buta assisted Bemba
in his advance against their forces. They also accused Bemba and the MLC of
benefiting from Rwandan support in its current offensive. In response Bemba
on January 17 told the semi-official Ugandan newspaper New Vision, “Uganda
made me what I am today. My soldiers were trained by Uganda. Only a fool can
abuse such generosity.” ("Attacks on Civilians in Ugandan Occupied
Areas in Northeastern Congo." HRW World Report 2002, 13 February, 2002.
www.hrw.org/backgrounder/africa/bunia0213bkg.htm)
"Volatile Rebel Politicking Adds Layer of Uncertainty
to Peace Conference." SouthScan (Washington, DC). 27 August 27, 2001. Washington/Gaborone.
www.southscan.net: Vol.16 No.17, 24 Aug '01.
Bemba's military option
Bemba's MLC of 9,000 men compares favourably with the RCD's 2,500 men, according
to Ugandan military sources. His men, backed by Ugandan troops, proved their
worth in December [2000] in an battle with Kabila's men who perished in a ferry
as they attacked from Mbandaka. The troops were from the 10th battalion, an
elite unit trained by North Koreans. Uganda has not entirely closed the military
option and of late Bemba has intensified his armaments programme with supplies
replenished by Victor Bout, a Russian arms dealer who has opened offices in
Uganda and has increased flights from Entebbe airport into Beni, headquarters
of CLF where Bemba now sits. Bout has severed links with RCD-Goma in favour
of Bemba and early this year [2000] relocated from Rwanda to Uganda. Apparently
Bemba's forces would have the upper hand should they move to Mbandaka, but the
city is protected by North Korean missiles - and the move would repudiate the
Lusaka Accord. Analysts say that though the Ugandan-backed rebels can threaten
Kinshasa they will have to contend with the Angolans, who are increasingly distrustful
of Uganda and Bemba. UN investigators have listed several arms dealers who supply
the Angolan rebel movement Unita as having close ties with Uganda and Bemba.
("Volatile Rebel Politicking Adds Layer of Uncertainty to Peace Conference."
SouthScan (Washington, DC). 27 August 27, 2001. Washington/Gaborone.www.southscan.net:
Vol.16 No.17, 24 Aug '01)
Simpson, Chris (BBC). "Old Alliance under strain in Kisangani: Outbreak of fighting could stall peace process." BBC News Online, 17 August 1999.
Rwanda clearly resented Uganda's growing hold on the city [of
Kisangani] and the whole north-east region, but polite reservations turned into
a clear policy rift with the emergence of Jean-Pierre Bemba and his rival Congolese
Liberation Movement (MLC) in November 1998. Exploiting the RCD's lack of charisma
and inability to win popular support, Bemba announced a series of victories
in the far north. A self-styled businessman-turned-warrior, he was dismissed
by Rwanda and the RCD as a dangerous maverick, but was clearly taken seriously
by the Ugandan military.
Lack of coordination
Despite Bemba's denials of outside support, there have been strong suggestions
that the UPDF has run his campaign and done most of his fighting. For Rwanda
and the RCD, Bemba's northern front was little more than a sideshow, with the
real war being fought further south in Kasai and Katanga. There was clearly
a lack of coordination between the military planners in Kampala and Kigali.
On the diplomatic front, divisions also opened up. Ugandan President Yoweri
Museveni accepted Colonel Muammar Gadhafi's invitation to sign a ceasefire,
along with Laurent Kabila, at Sirte in April. Rwanda did not attend and ministers
in Kigali hinted there had been no prior warning from the Ugandans. (Simpson,
Chris. "Old Alliance under strain in Kisangani: Outbreak of fighting could
stall peace process." BBC News Online, 17 August 1999.)
Simpson, Chris. "DR Congo: What price peace?" BBC
News Online, 23 June 1999.
When the Congolese rebels first struck against Laurent Kabila back in August
1998, the talk was of taking over the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) in
weeks, if not days.
The RCD's difficulties have in no way hindered rival rebel leader Jean-Pierre
Bemba, whose Ugandan-backed Congolese Liberation Movement (MLC) has taken over
the rebellion's northern front.
Kabila 'under pressure'
Having made a rapid, if implausible, transformation from businessman to guerrilla
leader, while seeing his father brought into Kabila's government, Bemba is demanding
to be taken seriously. But sections of the RCD and the Rwandan government regard
him with deep suspicion.
The rebels' problems may have helped Laurent Kabila in the short-term, but the
Congolese leader is still under serious pressure.
Kabila has no real army of his own and has survived courtesy of a quickly assembled
coalition of allies, including Angola, Namibia, Chad and, most critically, Zimbabwe.
Zimbabwean president Robert Mugabe has talked of helping to defend a sovereign
government against foreign invasion. But the assistance does not come free,
with Kabila supposedly signing over huge mineral concessions and offering other
financial guarantees to keep his allies loyal.
Battle for diamonds
The Zimbabweans have suffered heavy casualties in recent months, prompting hints
that Mugabe would pull his troops out. That has not yet happened, but another
defeat for Kabila, particularly the loss of Mbuji-Mayi and the diamonds that
come with it, might force a change of heart.
The fighting in recent months has been sketchy and sporadic. Both sides routinely
report new acquisitions and victories, but the balance of control remains broadly
the same. (Simpson, Chris. "DR Congo: What price peace?" BBC News
Online, 23 June 1999.)
Majavu, Mandisi. "The failure of an African political leadership: An interview with Professor Wamba dia Wamba." ZNet, 18 July 2003. www.zmag.org/content/showarticle.cfm?SectionID=2&ItemID=3927
The context [in DRC] is easily exploited by the world criminal
economy seeking ways for money laundering. It was the struggle of monopoly control
over diamond purchasing which initiated the Rwandese-Ugandan confrontation in
Kisangani. The war started with the attack by Rwandese soldiers on the Ugandan
based diamond dealer comptoir... What contributed to the split-up of the Rally
for Congolose Democracy into what it is today: the RCD-Goma and RCD-Kisangani-Liberation
Movement?
The RCD was actually a front regrouping three adversary tendencies in agreement
minimally on the need to overthrow Laurent Kabila's dictatorial regime: The
Mobutist tendency who had lost power and wanted to return to power, the ADFLists
[Alliance of Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Zaire-Congo] who had lost
in the struggle for power within the ADFL regime and who wanted to redirect
the ADFL regime by removing Kabila and the Democrats (from inside and abroad)
who have fought dictatorship since Mobutu's Coup d'etat.
The RCD was not organized as a front with recognized autonomy of tendencies,
but as a politico-military structure of the liberation movement type, with almost
no cadres at all. The minimum program was often understood as the maximum program.
Conflicts had to develop on essential issues: relations with allies, relations
between political and military victories, management of resources, relations
between the movement and the people; conceptions of the conduct of war, etc.
The first two tendencies tended to give privilege to military victory as they
did not feel confident to get to power through elections. The third tendency,
led by me, promoted the notion that armed conflicts are due to unresolved political
fundamental problems which can only be resolved politically. As the people are
not ready to support the war, we must seek ways of getting to direct negotiations
with the government and force it to come to intercongolese dialogue and organize
eventually elections.
Briefly, the split took place between militarists and democrats- with opportunists
being on both sides as well. In the end, the democrats' thesis won but the democrats
lost in the power-sharing, which is essentially based on might is right. (Majavu,
Mandisi. "The failure of an African political leadership: An interview
with Professor Wamba dia Wamba." ZNet, 18 July 2003. www.zmag.org/content/showarticle.cfm?SectionID=2&ItemID=3927
Cobb, Charles Jr. "Interview with Richard Reeve, Africa Editor of Jane's
Sentinel Security Assessment, a monthly online service posting geopolitical
risk analysis." allAfrica, 26 March 2003, Posted to the web 26 March 2003.
allafrica.com/stories/200303260649.html
What was Jean Pierre Bemba's interest in the CAR? I understand
he pulled his troops out under pressure from the United States.
That's what I'm hearing, too, that the U.S. was instrumental in urging him to
remove those troops which was something that I think played a major role in
undercutting Patasse's rather tenuous hold on power. But the MLC's interest
in the CAR seems based around the use of [the capital city] Bangui and M'poko
Airport as a logistics and smuggling center. It's the nearest airport with scheduled
international flights. Also, the CAR was issuing diamond export certificates,
which are necessary to export diamonds to the international markets of Europe,
Israel and so on. They couldn't put their diamonds through Kinshasa as a legitimate,
recognized state authority for the DRC so they needed someone to issue it for
them. There was a lot of pressure on Congo Brazzaville earlier to stop doing
that in relation to Angola and I think also on the DRC, though I am not as sure
of that. So, the main direction of [Bemba's] MLC diamonds is going through to
Bangui. (Cobb, Charles Jr. "Interview with Richard Reeve, Africa Editor
of Jane's Sentinel Security Assessment, a monthly online service posting geopolitical
risk analysis." allAfrica, 26 March 2003, Posted to the web 26 March 2003.
allafrica.com/stories/200303260649.html)
"Bemba asks Patasse to stay clear of DRC conflict."
IRIN, 20 August 1999.
NAIROBI, 20 Aug 1999 (IRIN) - Jean-Pierre Bemba, leader of the MLC rebel group
in DRC, this week held political discussions with President Ange-Felix Patasse
in Bangui, assuring him that Bemba's forces did not intend to attack the Central
African Republic and encouraging him to stay clear of the Congolese conflict,
well-placed sources told IRIN on Thursday.
BENCHENANE
Benchename, Mustapha. Les coups d'état en Afrique. Paris: Publisud,
1983.
Benchename, Mustapha. Les régimes militaires Africains. Paris: Publisud,
1984.
BENDER-SAMUEL
Bender-Samuel, J. (ed). 1989. The Niger-Congo Languages. New York: University Press of America.
BENDOUNGA
Joseph Bendounga, leader of the MRDEC party
The government [of Patassé] banned a May Day demonstration
planned by the Mouvement démocratique pour la renaissance et l'évolution
du Centrafrique (MRDEC) on the absurd grounds that the protest "had no
meaning." The MRDEC's leader, Joseph Bendounga, had called for a peaceful
march to press Mr Patassé to concede a national conference of the kind
which had occurred in many of the CAR's Franc Zone neighbors. The government
took the line, however, that such a conference would serve no useful purpose,
as a democratic system of government was already in place and the constitution
had been approved by referendum. The party has since loudly objected to the
head of the anti-corruption commission coming from within Mr Patassé's
office rather than from the independent judiciary. (EIU Country Report, "Central
African Republic," 3rd Quarter 1995, p. 27)
BENETEAU
Beneteau, Père Stanilas. "Ma première rencontre avec les sorciers." Annales Apostoliques de la Congrégation du Saint-Esprit, (1914):169-174.
BENIN
BENIN'S RELATIONS WITH THE CAR
Mr Padoudji replaces Michel Salle [as Minister of Energy, Mines, Geology and Water Power]. President Kolingba will certainly be keeping an eye on Mr Padoudji: one of his special advisers, the Beninois Octave Kossi Oudegbe Kongo "Miaou", will be secretary of state (deputy minister) Mr Padoudji's ministry. Miaous's father is the president's personal marabout (spiritual adviser). (EIU Country Report, "Central African Republic," 4th Quarter 1989, p. 20)
Some twelve members of two CAR opposition groups living in Benin were arrested in July [1989], according to smuggled messages reaching Abidjan. Contacted in September, the Beninois interior minister, Pancrace Brathier, would neither confirm nor deny the reports. Well informed Paris sources believe that this response may imply that the dissidents have been extradited to the CAR. Their identity is unclear, but it seems likely that they are members of the Mouvement Centrafricain pour la Libération Nationale (MCLN), whose joint leader, Idi Lala, has been living in Benin. In 1988 Mr Lala met envoys from President Kolingba, and his aides claimed he had been offered the post of foreign minister. It is hard to know why Benin would want to cooperate in such an controversial exercise just when it is most in need of winning Western support for a new recovery programme. In late September [1989] it was reported that the twelve, including General François Bozize, were flown from Cotonou to Bangui under military escort on August 31 [1989]. General Bozize, the other joint leader of the MCLN, had lived in exile in Libya and subsequently in Benin since 1982. President Kolingba apparently believes that the general is connected to the Zar[a]gina group of rebels in the CAR. (EIU Country Report, "Central African Republic," 4th Quarter 1989, p. 21)
President Kolingba's personal adviser Octave Oudegbe, himself of Beninois origin and rumoured to be a distant kinsman of President Kérékou, is said to have negotiated the extradition [of Bozize and other opposition leaders in Benin to the CAR]. Central African dissidents claim that General Bozize's movement had been infiltrated by the Kolingba's secret agents. They supposedly discovered that the group had hired two elite men to help in a coup attempt. Paris sources suggest that Zaire's President Mobutu Sese Seko, who is close to President Kolingba, sent an army Hercules transport plane to Cotonou to deliver the prisoners, to Central Africa's autonomous armoured unit (EBA) in Bangui, which is dominated by the president's own Yakoma tribe. (EIU Country Report, "Central African Republic," 1st Quarter 1990, p. 23)
BENINGA
Didier Beninga
Cf. Mpago, Calixte. "Right to Respond: Calixte Mpago responds to Didier Beninga." Le Petit Observateur Centrafricain (Bangui), 30 July 1997, p. 2.
BENIME
Benime, Jean-Louis Hubert.
BENITÉS
Benités, A. Expertise sur le développement de la région centre-sud (An expert evaluation of development in the central-south region). Paris: BDPA, 1986. 105p.
BENOIT-JANIN
Benoit-Janin, P. La culture mécanisée dans le district de Paoua.
Bangui: Institut d'Etudes Centrafricaines, 1961.
Benoit-Janin, P. "Les sols de la région de Toubara, Ouham-Pende."
Bangui: 1957.
Benoit-Janin, P. "Prospection pour la création d'un paysannat dans
le District de Bossangoa. Bangui: ORSTOM, 1954. 2p.
Benoi-Janin, P. "Etudes pédologiques dans la région de l'Ouham."
Bangui: ORSTOM, 1959. 14p.
Benoi-Janin, P. "Etude pédologique le long la route Bongam-Bongossi."
Bangui: ORSTOM, 1960. 10p.
Benoi-Janin, P. "Note sur le choix des emplacements des plantations de
caféiers entre Marali et Bouca." Bangui: ORSTOM, 1960. 8p.
Benoi-Janin, P. "Etudes pédologiques dans le district de Batangafo."
Bangui: ORSTOM, 1961. 28p.
Benoit-Janin, P. and P. Quantin. "Prospection générale de
la route Dékoa-Bouca." Bangui: ORSTOM, 1959. 5p.
Benoit Janin, P. and J. Koechlin. Etude pédobotanique de la région
des grès de Carnot. Bangui: ORSTOM, 19??. 71p. multig. avec lexique botanique,
tableaux et cartes.
BENNETT
Bennett, Patrick R. "Adamawa-Eastern: Problems and Prospects." In
Current Approaches to African Linguistics, 1, ed. by I.R. Dihoof. Dordrecht:
Foris Publications, 23-48.
Bennett, Patrick R. and Jet P. Sterk. "South Central Niger-Congo: a reclassification."
Studies in African Linguistics. 8, 3 (1977):241-273.
BENTZ
Madame Bentz, a Swiss midwife...we [the Baptist Mid-Mission missionaries the Lairds] had known in Bangassou. We had gone home on furlough together...At 4:30 that afternoon [in 1928?], she drove in. She had been to Bambari to deliver the baby of a Portuguese woman, the wife of a coffee plantation man. The car was all ready for a visit to the coffee plantation. When she came back from the phone, she told the Portuguese couple about me [Margaret Laird]. "Coffee will wait. Babies won't," the [Portuguese] man replied. "If that woman will be as glad to see you as we are, you'd better get over there. You take the car, and the chauffeur will get you to Sibut." So Madame Bentz came - hardly a moment too soon. The next morning at 4:30 I went into labor. Madame Bentz took excellent care of me. (Laird, They Called Me Mama, p. 59)
BEQUAERT (archeology, history, etc.)
Bequaert, M. "Maillets à écorce de pierre et os de l'Oubangui
(A.E.F. et Congo Belge)." Bulletin Soc. royale belge d'anthropologie et
de préhistoire. 58 (1947):244-254.
BERGER
Berger, Augustin. “Prosper Augouard.” Hommes et Destins, Académie des Sciences d’Outre Mer. Part 2, Vol. 1, 1977.
BERLIOUX
Berlioux, Etienne. La traite orientale. Histoire des chasses à l’homme organisées en Afrique Centrale depuis 15 ans pour les marchés de L’Orient (The Eastern slave-trade: the history of the man-hunts organized in Central Africa for fifteen years for the Eastern markets. Paris: Guillaume, 1870. 350p.
BERMUDEZ-LUGO Cf. MINERALS.USGS.gov
minerals.usgs.gov/minerals/pubs/country/2004/ctivtomyb04.pdf
Bermúdez-Lugo, Omayra. "The Mineral Industries of Central African
Republic..."
http://minerals.usgs.gov/minerals/pubs/country/2004/ctivtomyb04.pdf
BERNARD
Bernard, V.
Bernard and Huot.
BERNY
Berny, Docteur P.
BERTHAUD
Berthaud, J. and J.L. Guillaumet. "Les caféiers sauvages en Centrafrique. Résultats d'une mission de prospection (janvier-février 1975)." Café, Cacao, Thé, 22, 3 (1978):171-186.
BERTOCCHI
Biassoni, P., F. Schenone, G.B. Ravera, V. Balestra, J. Green and J. Bertocchi. Rilievi edideiologici su di una nuova area di endemia gozzigena nella Repubblica Centrafricana (Observations épidémiologiques dans une nouvelle surface d'endémie gozzigène en République Centrafricaine). Tecnica Sanitaria, 27 (1989):247-263.
BERTOUD
Bertoud, Gerald.
BERTHOUMIEUX
Berthoumieux, G. and F. Delany. “Mission Diamant dans l’Ouest-Oubangui.” Bulletin de la Direction des Mines et de la Géologie (Gouvernement général de l’AEF) 8 (1957) :77-91.
BERTRAND
Bertrand, Colonel A.T.
BERTUCAT
Bertucat, Philippe. L’élevage bovin en Republique
Centrafricaine (Cattle raising in the Central African Republic.) Maisons-Alfort,
France: Imprimerie Au manuscrit, 1965. 101p.
Bertucat, Ph. L’élevage bovin en République Centrafricaine.
Toulouse: Thèse doctorat vétérinaire, 1965.
BERVOETS
Bervoets, St.
BESLIER
Beslier, C. G. Mgr. Augouard. L'Apôtre du Congo. Paris: 1926.
BESSOLES
Bessoles, Bernard. Géologie de la région de Bria et d'Ippy (République Centrafricaine). Contribution à l'Etude de la migmatisation. (Geology of the region of Bria and Ippy (CAR): a contribution to the study of migmatization). Paris: Mémoires du BRGM, 1962.
Bessoles, Bernard. Géologie de l'Afrique. Volume II. La chainpan-africaine, zone mobile soundanaise. (Geology of Africa: Vol II. The pan-African chain, the mobile zone of Central Africa and the Sudan). Paris: Mémoires du BRGM, 1980.
BESSOU cf. CLOTEL, CATHOLIC MISSIONS
The Catholic Mission of Saint-Famille at Bessou was located upstream from Fort-de-Possel,
and run by Catholic priest Father Clotel c. 1909
Cf. Devaux, Captain. Deux ans dans le Haut-Oubangui. Paris: 1913.
Capitain Devaux, on about 18 August 1909.
At three o'clock, going upstream from Fort-de-Possel, nous stopped at the Catholic
Mission of Bessou [Mission catholique de Bessou], directed by R.P. Clotel. Farm
(exploitation agricole) very well tended, which possesses an annex 22 kilometers
in the interior; goats, cattle, and a whole poultry yard (toute une basse-cour)
suggests constant labor, but the practical results of this Mission escape me,
at least as far as actual colonization (propre) is concerned. The "children"
of the Fathers are hardly anything else but captives, because they do not give
to these natives (indigènes), in exchange for their work, anything but
good words and the right to cultivate manioc for their food. If some understand
a little French, it is hardly any. In contrast, the Missionaries speak the local
languages fluently, which is not without great use to us. (Quoted in Banville,
Raconte-moi la Mission, p. 46 [Trans. Bradshaw])
One finds good hospitality at Bessou, but one must not forget [to make] the
small contribution (l'obole) [for this hospitality], without which one carries
away the curse of the house, even if one is "well thought-of" (bien
pensant). It is natural of course natural enough that the missionaries seek
as many resources as possible, although (quoique), despite the Law of Separation
[of Church and State in France in 1905], they still receive subsidies (subventionnés).
The colony, though (cependant) directed by a functionary (or civil servant)
of the Republic, safeguards (or ensures) (sauvegarde) some moral and lay teaching
by not... [enforcing] this law. Even a superficial investigation (quelque peu
approfondie) would easily reveal that these missionaries compete very disloyally
with our merchants by means of clandestine trade in native products. But if
one speaks of this matter, the Administration counters (oppose) with the Law
of 1885, I believe. A strict control of these missions is necessary if we want
them to restrict themselves to their simple role of evangelization, [which]
is very reconcilable, du reste, with that of the colonizer, and we must even
render hommage (or pay tribute) to the results they have obtained as pioneers
from the very start (de la première heure), along with the concessionary
companies. (Quoted in Banville, Raconte-moi la Mission, p. 47 [Trans. Bradshaw])
Extract of the Annual Report of the Colony of Ubangi-Shari
to the Governor-General, 1932. (Extraits due Rapport Annuel de la Colonie de
l'Oubangui-Chari au Gouverneur-Général, 1932).
...In 1894, Father Moreau, an energetic missionary, established the second Catholic
mission [station] in Ubangi in the current district (circonscription actuelle)
of Kémo-Gribingui. After an unsuccessful attempt (essai infructueux)
at Ouadda [some] 30 kilometers upstream from Fort-de-Possel, he settled at Bessou,
[located] at 20 kilometers upstream from the confluence of the Kémo and
the Ubangi [rivers]. The mission took the name Holy Spirit [Mission] of the
Banziri [people]. ("Sainte Esprit des Banziri"). The concession granted
by the Commissioner General of Congo Française in 1898 was... permanent
free hold (titre gratuit et définitif) in nature. (Quoted in Banville,
Raconte-moi la Mission, p. 47 [Trans. Bradshaw])
...In spite of the courageous and tenacious efforts of the missionaries, the
two missions (Saint-Paul and Sainte-Famille), until 1908, mostly vegetated due
to a lack of means to penetrate the interior. In addition to the work required
for their material establishment, their action was essentially limited to giving
the rudiments of religion to children confided [to them] by the Administration
or taken as slaves by purchase (arrachés à l'esclavage par rachat).
(Quoted in Banville, Raconte-moi la Mission, p. 48 [Trans. Bradshaw])
One must note, however, the establishment at Bessou of a lime factory, a brick
factory, a carpenter's workshop (menuiserie) and the training of good masons.
(Quoted in Banville, Raconte-moi la Mission, p. 48 [Trans. Bradshaw])
In 1912, the Bessou Mission was much more active than Saint-Paul of the Rapids
[in Bangui]. Education was provided by 4 priests (...in fact, two priests and
two brothers). Several hundred children are interned (or boarded) at the Mission.
The best of them, about 80 in number, receive a true foundation of education
(notions d'enseignement proprement dit). Professional education was also more
active [at Bessou] than at Bangui. Apart from the hundreds of natives gravitating
toward the main Mission, many other natives were attracted by five chapels where
religious education was given by catechists or priests temporarily assigned
by the main Mission. These include Saint-Ives of the Togbo [Banda], Saint Joseph,
Saint Alphone, of Saint Anne of Blessed Joan of Arc (Bienheureuse-Jeanne d'Arc)
of the Langbassi [Banda]. (Quoted in Banville, Raconte-moi la Mission, p. 48
[Trans. Bradshaw])
On 28 December 1920 the law regulating private education in French Equatorial
Africa was enacted. The private Catholic schools regularized? (régularisent)
their situation. On 7 June 1921 the opening of a school at the Bessou Mission
under the direction of Father Hemme was authorized... (Quoted in Banville, Raconte-moi
la Mission, p. 49 [Trans. Bradshaw])
Appreciating (eu égard) the efforts made and the results obtained by
the Catholic missionaries [so] deserving of encouragement (dignes d'encouragement),
the Governor General accords them a subsidy every year. One can say that the
Catholic missions have obtained very good results in the colony and have contributed
greatly to the spread of our civilization. Having shared the perils [of colonization]
from the start, they have participated brilliantly to the former efforts at
moral and economic advancement (de mise en valeur morale et économique),
usefully counterbalancing as well the action of numerous American missions,
although these abstain from any political activity. (Quoted in Banville, Raconte-moi
la Mission, p. 49 [Trans. Bradshaw])
BECDOR Cf. BUREAU D'ÉVALUATION DE DE CONTÔLE
DE DIAMANT ET D'OR, DIAMONDS
BECDOR was established in 1982 to oversee the internal diamond market and to valuate official exports. BECDOR assesses the value of diamond parcels presented by the bureaux d'achats and companies operating under Autorisations Exceptionnelles in order to assess tax. BEDCOR also maintains a database concerning all diamond production in the country. It estimates that there are approximately 50,000 licensed diamond diggers, or creuzeurs, in the CAR. These diggers...sell to middlemen, or collecteurs, [who] number about 400 and operate independently, or in association with a bureau d'achat. Diggers may also sell directly to the bureaux d'achat, several of which finance alluvial mining operations. A digger will fill out a bordereau de production to formalize his production, and when a parcel of diamonds is sold to a middleman [collecteur] or bureau d'achat, a duplicate receipt is furnished, with copies held by the seller and buyer. (Dietrich, "Diamonds in the Central African Republic," p. 3).
There is no contention concerning the two percent tax [on diamonds] paid by the bureaux d'achat directly to the Independent Diamond Valuators (IDV). This represents IDV's fee for providing a counter-valuating service for BECDOR, as well as for training BECDOR staff, which began in March 2002. If the CAR officially exports US$60 million worth of diamonds annually, the IDV contract would gross US$1.2 million, or US$100,000 a month. This is a major concern for the bureaux d'achat who believe that IDV will over-estimate the value of exports in order to increase profits. Conversely, under the previous system, exporters could 'persuade' BECDOR employees to underestimate the value of diamonds, [thus] depriving the state of vital revenue. (Dietrich, "Diamonds in the Central African Republic," p. 3).
The presence of a qualified external valuator during the BECDOR valuations is a net positive for the CAR. Such a contract, held by a respectable and transparent international company, should make under-valuation of diamond parcels nearly impossible. BECDOR previously used out-of-date price lists that did not reflect fluctuations in the diamond market, and seems to have systematically under-valued diamond exports for several reason, including direct pressure from bureaux d'achat. (Dietrich, "Diamonds in the Central African Republic," p. 4).
IDV has introduced its own price list for BECDOR valuations, during which an IDV diamond expert is present. This aims to reflect current Antwerp prices for rough diamonds. This value then determines government tax and the IDV's own fee. Naturally certain bureaux d'achat are adverse to the new price list as well as the increase level of scrutiny in BECDOR. IDV's evaluation export does not allow does not allow employees of the bureaux d'achats to be physically present during BECDOR's evaluation. This prevents haggling over prices and other types of influence, which seem to have been common previously. Thus the influence of bureaux d'achat in the valuation process appears to have been greatly diminished by the presence of the external valuator. (Dietrich, "Diamonds in the Central African Republic," p. 4).
BEER cf. ALCOHOL, MOCAF, CASTEL, SORGHUM BEER, MILLET BEER
1991
[Industrially produced beer if provided by] two breweries, which are in active
competition... the oldest, Mocaf, in place since 1951, is a 100% subsidiary
(filiale) of Interbrew since 1990. It employs 260 salaried workers, which is
60% less than when it operated alone (without competition) in the Central African
market. The second [brewery]...SCB, a subsidiary of the Castel group, entered
the market in 1983 after having started in the CAR by selling wine. It employs
100 persons. In a restricted market of... 330,000 to 350,000 hectoliters (hl)
a year, when one company does particularly well, the other suffers a bit. At
present [1991] they just about divide the market, with a total sales (chiffre
d'affaires) of about 9 billion (milliard, a thousand million) CFA a year. (Gilguy,
"Centrafrique," p. 3080).
BELGIUM
Note:
It is possible [or highly probable] that the CAR is being used for laundering diamonds derived from Congolese rebels, or that Bangui is used as a primary transit zone. Belgian imports declared as originating in the CAR have surpassed the CAR's official exports by a factor of three over the past few years [2000-2005?], with the exception of 2001 when they were only double official exports. (Dietrich, "Diamonds in the Central African Republic," p. 5).
BEMBA cf. DIAMONDS, PATASSÉ, KIMBERLEY PROCESS
Joseph?? Bemba, leader of the Mouvement de Libération du Congo (MLC)
Bemba has been able to finance his war against the Congolese government by controlling the sale of between one and million dollars worth of diamonds a month. Bemba signed a peace deal with the Kabila government in April 2002 but then refused to assume his position as interin Prime Minister in Kinshasa. The diamond wealth controlled by Bemba's Mouvement de Libération du Congo (MLC) has contributed to his ability to keep fighting. The exact routes for commercializing these diamonds remain a mystery for the most part. Rumours persist that Bemba sends his diamonds through South Africa directly, but there is more evidence that they pass initially through the DRC's neighbors before entering the international market. Prominent Lebanese diamond dealers in Kampala [Uganda] operate in DRC territory controlled by the rebel allies of the Ugandan People's Defence Forces, which trained and supported the MLC. These Kampala-based operations, financed by foreigners in association with Uganda government strongmen, obtain diamonds from rebel zones immediately north of Kisangani... as well as from Gbadolite [just south of the CAR border] in the heart of Bemba's zone of influence. Victor Bout, a Russian arms merchant, also supplied Bemba via Rwanda, Uganda and the CAR. Bout worked closely with Sanjivan Ruprah, who was active in the diamond and arms trade in many African countries until his arrest in Belgium, and later in Italy, in 2002. (Dietrich, "Diamonds in the Central African Republic," p. 5).
...there are allegations of direct links between diamond companies
in the CAR and Congolese rebel groups. Two CAR bureaux d'achat have been linked
to Bemba by reliable sources investigating the diamond trade. One of these bureau
d'achat is also known by the Angolan Selling Association for buying illicit
diamonds in Angola (Dietrich, "Diamonds in the Central African Republic,"
p. 5).
BENSON
Benson, Karen. Field: Fulani Ministry/ The Central African Republic
Address: B.P. 1377, Bangui, Central African Republic, AFRICA
E-mail: karenbenson1@juno.com
Benson, Karen. "Letter to Covenant Women's Ministries of the North Pacific
Conference." February 2004. North Pacific Conference SIM Reports, 2004,
at www.npc-cwm.org/sims2004.htm
Field: Fulani Ministry/ The Central African Republic
Address: B.P. 1377, Bangui, Central African Republic, AFRICA
E-mail: karenbenson1@juno.com
BENANZOUI
Cf. Benanzoui,
BERBERATI INCIDENT
On 30 April 1954 the bodies of two Africans were discovered
on the property of a European incongruously named Bontemps, who was the employer
of one of the deceased. The Baya of nearby Berberati, suspecting that Bomtemps
was responsible for the deaths, demanded that he be either arrested or tuned
over to them. When the local administrator refused, on the ground that there
was insufficient evidence of Bontemp’s guilt, he and two French assistants
were attacked by the crowd and wounded. Shortly thereafter, another European,
who tried to come to their rescue, was stoned by the Baya and killed. Troops
were rushed in, the governor appeared, and so did Boganda, who appealed to the
Baya to refrain from further violence and trust to the justice of the courts.
Soon Bontemps was duly charged with murder, but being able to prove an alibi,
was released on July 12. Such was not the case for the 102 Baya who had reportedly
sung war songs and shouted anit-white slogans. They were charged with armed
rebellion and tried at Berberati the following September. Though they were defended
by four French lawyers, 10 of them were sentenced to terms ranging from five
to ten years’ forced labor; 67 to imprisonment for from six months to
three years; and only 25 were acquitted. This incident is hard even now to evaluate.
… the court’’s verdict was received without a murmur, and
… was followed by no serious violence in the Baya country. (Thompson and
Adloff, The Emerging States of French Equatorial Africa, p. 393.)
At all events, Boganda’s prestige was enhanced by this incident, and he
was now more clearly established than ever as the single most powerful political
figure in the territory. Such eminence, naturally, aroused antagonism and jealousy….
The European community inclinded to distrust Boganda as a demagogue. On the
other hand, local church dignitaries were tolerant to the point of then seeking
a reconciliation with their black sheep. Boganda was an animated, nonstop talker,
who alternated anecdotes with perorations on the need for Franco-African amity
and the evils of international communism. The number of African followers waiting
outside his office was impressive, yet it was said at the time that a minority
of the elite resented his failure to do more for their advancement as a group.
Apparently Boganda found little leadership material in the territory, for he
never hesitated to call on outside talent for advice and support. His closet
counselors were reportedly Europeans (Guerillot and Naud), and he brought in
as his candidate for election to the Senate from Ubangi a Guiana lawyer, Hector
Rivierrez. Late in his career, Boganda surrounded himself with more Ubangian
associates, but his one-man, one-party rule inevitably bred malcontents, and
in time they moved over to the ranks of the MSA and RDA opposition. (Thompson
and Adloff, The Emerging States of French Equatorial Africa, p. 393.)
BERENGO cf. BOKASSA, OPERATION BARRACUDA
European tourists are now the main visitors to Mr Bokassa's crumbling palace in the bush at Berengo, 80 km. [southwest] of Bangui. The building is a curious mix of the extravagant and the surprisingly plain in decor. Mr Bokassa himself remains incacerated at the Roux military camp in the centre of the capital. (EIU Country Report, "Central African Republic," 1st Quarter 1990, p. 23)
BESSOU
BESTERMAN
Besterman, Theodore. A World Bibliography of African Bibliographies. Oxford: Basil Blackwell.
BEYOM
http://www.bibliotheque.refer.org/livre244/l24425.pdf
Béyom, Robert. “Les langues des écriteaux en République
Centrafricaine.” Bangui: Université de Bangui, 9p.
Béyom, Robert. “La langue française en République
Centrafricaine: Situation et description.” Thèse de doctorat nouveau
régime, Université de Provence Aix-Marseille, 2000.
BIARNES cf. ANNÉE POLITIQUE AFRICAINE (politics)
Biarnès, P., P. Decraene, and P. Herreman. Année politique africaine (Dakar). Société Africaine d'Editions, 1967-???
BIASSONI (health)
Biassoni, P., F. Schenone, G.B. Ravera, V. Balestra, J. Green and J. Bertocchi. Rilievi edideiologici su di una nuova area di endemia gozzigena nella Repubblica Centrafricana (Observations épidémiologiques dans une nouvelle surface d'endémie gozzigène en République Centrafricaine). Tecnica Sanitaria, 27 (1989):247-263.
BIBAYE
General Auguste Bibaye, head of CEMAC's multinational force in the CAR
"CEMAC Troops Deployed to Mining Town of Bria." UN Integrated Regional
Information Networks 31 October 2005.
Troops of the Economic Community of Central Africa States (CEMAC) were deployed
on Saturday to the Central African Republic's northeastern town of Bria to help
combat banditry, which has increased sharply across the country's provinces,
according to a CEMAC official. "The CEMAC troops deployed in Bria will
be fully operational by Monday," Gen. Auguste Bibaye, head of the multinational
force, said on national radio in the capital, Bangui.
BIENEN
Bienen, Henry. Armies and Parties in Africa. New York: Africana Publishing Company, 1978.
BIGEAUD
General Marcel Bigeaud
A fledgling Central African army was taking shape under the direction of the local French commander, General Marcel Bigeaud. While this was happening, Captain Bokassa was seconded to Dacko as a member of his military cabinet. This was a committee that advised the president (who was also Defense Minister) on military matters. On 1 January 1962 Bokassa resigned his commission in the French army and was integrated into the Central African forces with the rank of battalion commandant. A little over a year later, on 1 February 1963, he became commander-in-chief of the Central African army - an assemblage of five hundred poorly trained and poorly equipped soldiers. On 1 December 1964, he became the army's first and only colonel. (Titley, Dark Age, p. 21)
BIGO (politics, history, ideology)
Bigo, Didier. "Le title impérial comme légitimation d'une
dictature. L'exemple centrafricain." Mémoire sciences politiques.
Université de Paris I, 1979. Typscript.
Bigo, Didier. Pouvoir et obéissance en centrafrique (Power and Obedience
in Central Africa). Paris: Karthala, 1980. 337p.
BILHARZIASIS cf. SCHISTOSOMIASIS, HEALTH
Schistosomiasis, also known improperly as bilharziasis, is
caused by parasites resembling blood flukes which undergo a complicated life
cycle involving snails as an intermediate host. Two major varieties... occur
in Africa. Schistosoma mansoni live primarily in the veins which drain the large
intestine. Eggs break through into the intestine, descend into the colon and
rectum, and pass out with the feces. Schistosoma haemtobium live in the veins
of the bladder. Eggs bore their way through the bladder wall and are expelled,
ready to hatch, in the urine. Heavy worm concentrations are needed to produce
severe symptoms. This comes through multiple reinfection, since the parasites
do not reproduce within the human hosts. Chad was the only part of French Equatorial
Africa where schistosomiasis was indigenous and common. (Headrick, Colonialism,
Health and Illness, p. 182)
A study of central Ubangi [after World War I] detected very little schistosomiasis
of either variety. Clapier (1920b) discovered no cases at all in Bangui, nor
in the relatively underpopulated region between Dekoa on the route to Chad,
Ndélé, and the right bank of the Kotto to Ubangi. To the south,
no schistosomiasis was seen in villages along the middle Sangha, lower Ubangi,
middle Congo, or parts of their feeder rivers. (Headrick, Colonialism, Health
and Illness, p. 182)
BILLE
Bille, J.C. et. al. Expériment agrostologique en RCA. IEMVT: Maisons-Alfort, 1957.
BINOUA
Binoua, Pasteur Josué. Centrafrique, l'instabilité permanente.
Paris: L'Harmattan, 2005.
Cf. very unfavorable review by Henri-Blaise N'Damas at www.ideesplus.com
"Centrafrique, l'instabilité permanente", Juillet 2005, ISBN
2-7475-8997-8,
BIT Cf. BUREAU INTERNATIONAL DU TRAVAIL
Cf. Bonnefoy, P.A. Rapport au gouvernement de la R.C.A. sur les besoins en personnel d'encadrement moyen et subalterne et sa formation professionelle. Geneva: B.I.T., 1963. 46p.
BIBLE SOCIETY Cf. MORNADJI-BOBAL
www.biblesociety.org/bs-car.htm
www.biblesociety.org/wr_377/377_latestnews.htm#CAR
Note: The Bible Society attempts to reach the more remote areas of the country
that are inhabited by the Pygmies, the Muslim Fulani people, and those who follow
traditional religions. However, trips to the more remote and inaccessible areas
have been infrequent due to danger and thus Bible Society is active mostly near
Bangui. (Mornadji-Bobal, Marie-Praxède [Acting Executive Secretary].
"Bible Society Annual Report 2004." (www.biblesociety.org/bs-car.htm)
Cf. "Latest News: Central African Republic." June 2003 www.biblesociety.org/wr_377/377_latestnews.htm#CAR
"Maxime Bakiono, United Bible Societies Program Consultant for Francophone
Africa, and Luc Gnowa, General Secretary of the Bible Society of Cameroon, were
trapped in their hotel during a coup on March 15. Rebel troops ransacked the
hotel and Mr Bakiono and Mr Gnowa were forced at gunpoint to carry stolen goods
to the rebels’ vehicle. They moved to another hotel the next day, and
on March 18 were evacuated by the United Nations....(WR 377/34 - 6.03)"
"Latest News: Central African Republic." June 2003. www.biblesociety.org/wr_377/377_latestnews.htm#CAR)
Cf. "Bible Work Poised for Peace in a Theatre of War." 4/5/99. Quoting
Bible Society Executive
Secretary, Rev. Thomas Touangai. (www.biblesociety.org/wr_340/340_afr.htm#Bible%20Work)
BIBLIOTEQUE.REFER.org
www.bibliotheque.refer.org/html/centra/partie2.htm
2. LES LANGUES AFRICAINES
L’attrait du monde moderne est symbolisé par l’expansion
du sango qui représente un facteur d’unité nationale, et
par le désir d’accès au français qui est un moyen
de promotion sociale. Mais les langues régionales restent présentes
dans les provinces et, dans une moindre mesure, dans la capitale, Bangui.
2.1. Les langues régionales
Deux des quatre familles linguistiques de la classification de Greenberg (1971)
sont présentes sur le territoire centrafricain: la famille congo-kordofanienne
et la famille nilo-saharienne, mais la première est de loin la plus représentée.
Elle comprend trois embranchements:
– le bénoué-congo: seuls quelques parlers bantous se trouvent
au sud-ouest du pays, ils appartiennent à la zone C de Guthrie: isongo
ou mbati, ngando, kota, aka, babenzele; peu représentés en RCA,
ils apparaissent seulement dans les régions de la Lobaye et de la Sangha,
c’est-à-dire sur des territoires proches du Congo et du Cameroun;
– l’ouest-atlantique comprend un dialecte peul parlé par
les Mbororos, pasteurs nomades présents surtout dans l’Ouest.
– l’adamawa-oubanguien est constitué par quelques langues
du groupe adamawa comme le mbum parlé dans le Nord-ouest du pays, mais
le groupe oubanguien rassemble la majorité des langues parlées
en Centrafrique. Ces langues oubanguiennes peuvent être divisées
en cinq groupes:
• à l’ouest, le groupe gbaya-manza (gbaya, bofi, gbanu, ali,
manza et ngbaka-manza),
• au centre, l’ensemble banda (banda de Ippy, langbassi, ngbugu,
yanguéré, etc.),
• le long du fleuve, le ngbandi (dont le sango national est issu),
• au sud, les langues parentes du ngbaka-ma’bo (monzombo, gbanziri),
• à l’est, le zandé et le nzakara.
Au nord du pays, on trouve la famille nilo-saharienne qui est représentée
par deux embranchements: le Chari-Nil du groupe soudanais central qui comprend
surtout les langues sara-mbay parlées au nord-ouest du pays; l’autre
embranchement (langues du groupe maba) comporte le runga parlé par les
habitants de l’extrême nord-est de la RCA. Toutes ces langues semblent
en perte de vitesse devant l’arabe véhiculé par la religion
musulmane dans ces régions.
Les noms employés pour désigner ces groupes linguistiques coïncident,
le plus souvent, avec ceux que se donnent les communautés ethniques les
plus importantes de ces groupes. À l’intérieur de chacun
d’eux, on distingue une multitude de dialectes: pour le banda par exemple,
F. Cloarec-Heiss a pu en dénombrer une cinquantaine.
Il n’est pas facile de savoir avec exactitude le nombre des locuteurs
d’une langue en RCA. Outre le problème de la multiplicité
des dialectes que nous venons d’évoquer, un décret gouvernemental
pris en 1966 interdit "toute mention, dans les actes officiels ou sous
seing privé, imprimés, formulaires administratifs ou privés,
de race, de tribu ou d’ethnie". Ces renseignements, d’importance
capitale pour les sociolinguistes, ne pouvaient donc pas figurer dans les recensements
précédents.
En 1988, le Recensement Général de la Population comportait trois
questions concernant les langues:
– première langue parlée,
– sango parlé (oui ou non),
– autre langue parlée.
Nous n’avons pas pu obtenir les résultats officiels concernant
les réponses à ces questions: néanmoins, un dépouillement
partiel de ce volet linguistique qui nous a été communiqué
donne les chiffres suivants:
Ensemble gbaya-manza 705 000
Ensemble banda 570 000
Ensemble sara-mbay 100 000
Ensemble ngbaka-monzombo-gbanziri 75 000
Ensemble nzakara-zandé 60 000
Ensemble mbum 55 000
Pour les autres groupes, le total des locuteurs serait inférieur à
50000.
Bien sûr, cette évaluation n’a qu’une
fiabilité réduite car la première langue parlée
n’est pas obligatoirement celle de l’ethnie (pour les jeunes nés
à Bangui, c’est même souvent le sango) mais, faute de mieux,
nous nous en contenterons. Elle met en évidence le fait que les groupes
gbaya et banda sont de loin les plus importants sur le plan démographique
et que beaucoup de langues sont parlées par moins de 100000, voire de
50000 locuteurs.
Émergence et expansion du sango
Parmi ces ethnies dont la population est estimée à moins de 50000
personnes, il en est une, qui, sous une forme véhicularisée, a
réussi à imposer sa langue à la quasi-totalité de
la population centrafricaine. Il s’agit du sango, dérivé
du ngbandi, parlé à l’origine le long du fleuve Oubangui.
Comment peut-on expliquer cet état de fait? A priori, des langues comme
le gbaya ou le banda, parlées par des groupes numériquement plus
importants, étaient mieux placées pour jouer ce rôle. Selon
Brunache, qui traversa la région à la fin du dix-neuvième
siècle et qui relate son épopée dans Au centre de l’Afrique,
autour du Tchad , il semblait exister un véhiculaire banda: "Depuis
la Kémo jusqu’ici1, notre jeune Togbo, les petits Ndri2, les deux
femmes se faisaient comprendre avec la plus grande facilité. C’est
que l’idiome ndri est employé à quelques exceptions près
depuis les Ngapou jusque près de Bangui, et de l’Oubangui jusque
vers huit degrés de longitude est. Les riverains de l’Oubangui,
Sango, Banziri, Bondjo et Bouzerou ne s’en servent habituellement pas
mais le parlent presque tous". C. Prioul, qui rapporte ces propos, reste
cependant pour le moins sceptique quant à l’existence de ce véhiculaire
ndri: "Est-ce possible, Brunache est-il victime d’une série
d’observations trop hâtivement schématisées ou faut-il
croire à l’existence d’un banda fondamental permettant l’intercompréhension?".
Et l’analyste moderne de poursuivre: "L’éventuelle substitution
d’un pidgin sango à une lingua franca ndri rendrait parfaitement
compte de l’ampleur d’un bouleversement introduit par la colonisation
dans les structures commerciales du pays qui étaient beaucoup trop faibles
pour la reconversion qui allait leur être proposée" (1981:
88).
Alors, pourquoi le sango? Faut-il reprendre les raisons économiques et
commerciales évoquées par C. Prioul? Celui-ci, en s’appuyant
sur les récits des premiers colonisateurs, remarque que le commerce à
l’intérieur des terres était peu fréquent à
l’exception de celui des armes: "Dans un pays où la guerre
de pillage est chronique mais où ses effets sont atténués
par le caractère défensif du peuplement, le commerce n’est
certes pas l’activité économique principale. Il fonctionne
cependant, à la faveur des impulsions venues du bas Congo, de la spécialisation
poussée de l’économie de pêche et de la diversité
des productions locales". (1981:87).
Effectivement, les échanges entre gens du fleuve et gens de l’intérieur
apparaissent comme importants et souvent notés par les voyageurs: "Tout
au long du Congo et de l’Oubangui, ils constituent une donnée fondamentale
de la vie de nombre de populations riveraines qui, essentiellement tournées
vers la pêche, mal pourvues en terres cultivables et peu intéressées
par les travaux des champs, connaissent un déficit chronique de produits
agricoles vivriers. Le substrat d’économie d’échange
induit par le genre de vie riverain a incontestablement facilité l’éclosion
et le développement du grand commerce congolais dont les produits nouveaux
venaient enrichir l’offre proposée par les riverains à leurs
fournisseurs "terriens". De complexes relations de complémentarité
se sont établies entre les berges et l’intérieur avec bien
des variantes depuis l’aire Likouba-Mbochi du "pays des rivières"
jusqu’au domaine Sango-Ngbougou du Haut-Oubangui en passant par l’association
Banziri-Langbassi (Prioul, 1982: 86).
Il est donc à peu près certain que les relations commerciales
dans cette région ont pu nécessiter l’emploi d’une
langue véhiculaire mais cela n’implique pas pour autant le choix
du sango; une autre langue parlée dans la région aurait pu s’imposer.
M. Diki-Kidiri propose des raisons historiques pour expliquer cette émergence.
Reprenant certaines données fournies par l’ouvrage d’Éric
de Dampierre Un ancien Royaume Bandia du Haut-Oubangui, il met en évidence
le rôle qu’ont pu jouer les Dendi dans la diffusion de ce qui allait
devenir la langue nationale de la République centrafricaine: "…
[les] Ngbandi établis entre le Mongala, l’embouchure de la Ouélé
et le cours moyen de l’Oubangui, un de leurs clans aînés,
les Bandia, après avoir conquis par la force le pouvoir politique chez
les Nzakara et une partie des terres zandé, se laissèrent assimiler
par les vaincus, allant jusqu’à perdre leur langue et leurs coutumes,
au prix de quoi, ils régnèrent sans partage jusqu’à
l’arrivée des Européens (…) Les rois zandé
et nzakara, descendants des Bandia, n’ont jamais fait la guerre aux chefferies
ngbandi car elles sont non seulement alliées mais parentes, malgré
les dissensions qui peuvent les opposer. Tandis que, dans le même temps,
ils étaient en conflit ouvert avec les Ngbougou et les Togbo, des populations
banda du Nord-ouest et du Nord. En raison de leur voisinage géographique
(à la frontière du royaume de Bangassou) et de leurs liens quotidiens
avec les Ngbougou, les Dendi ont été aisément acceptés
comme médiateurs par les deux parties belligérantes (…).
Ce contact permanent entraîna l’altération de la langue ngbandi
qu’utilisent les Dendi et donna naissance au parler véhiculaire
nommé "dendi" probablement imprégné de nbougou
et de nzakara" (1982: 84-85). Faut-il prendre pour des certitudes les hypothèses
émises par M. Diki-Kidiri? Les zones obscures qui subsistent dans l’histoire
centrafricaine nous interdisent de le faire. Néanmoins, selon P. Kalck
(1974: 63, note 1), "Liotard, l’explorateur français, dès
1892 faisait état d’une langue des gens d’eau comprise dans
des régions de l’intérieur dans lesquelles aucun Blanc n’avait
encore pénétré." Ce témoignage tendrait à
accréditer la thèse de Diki-Kidiri selon laquelle le sango véhiculaire
était parlé dans cette région avant l’arrivée
des Européens.
Pour sa part, W. J. Samarin pense que le sango est né du contact des
colons (ou plus exactement des membres de leur personnel d’origine africaine)
avec les populations autochtones situées sur les bords de l’Oubangui.
Ces populations étaient d’origines diverses (Fula, Serer, Wolof,
Malinke-Sose, Khasonke, Soninke, etc.) ainsi qu’a pu l’établir
l’auteur. Ces nouveaux arrivants avaient des besoins élémentaires
et devaient pour les satisfaire entrer en contact avec la population locale:
"The Whites coming up the Ubangi river had greater needs – desperate
needs one can even say. They required transportation, guides, workers, property,
and the materials for the construction of their buildings. They required also
food, not such for themselves initially (and for sometime only on a small degree)
but for the black personnel they brought with them." (1982: 410). La thèse
de Samarin est donc la suivante: "My sociolinguistic analysis on both Congo
and Ubangi rivers in the nineteenth century leads me the conclusion that it
was the black employees, as Stanley called them, who engaged in pratically all
the direct verbal communication with the indigenous populations. And from these
Black-Black exchanges that the jargons and later the trade languages were born.
The notion that Whites were responsible for these pidinized languages is not
based on historical facts." (1982: 416-417).
Il n’entre pas dans le cadre de travail de prendre parti pour l’une
ou l’autre de ces thèses, ni d’éclaircir la difficile
question de la naissance et de l’émergence du sango. À notre
avis, d’ailleurs, les deux points de vue ne s’excluent pas forcément:
le sango a très bien pu commencer à se développer avant
l’arrivée des colons, ceux-ci ont très bien pu apprendre
quelques bribes de sango pour entrer en contact avec les populations locales
amorçant ainsi l’expansion de cette langue vers le reste du pays.
La réquisition d’un personnel local pour le portage et autres tâches
au service des Européens contribua sans doute à augmenter cette
diffusion. Toujours est-il qu’en 1918, Félix Éboué
pouvait écrire: "Du sango, il n’y a rien à dire, si
ce n’est – comme on l’a écrit – que c’est
la "langue commerciale de l’Oubangui-Chari", non pas certes
une langue créée de toutes pièces comme l’espéranto,
mais un idiome dérivé d’un dialecte du groupe Yakoma-Sango
où les mots d’origine étrangère sont assez nombreux
et auquel les premiers rapports entre Européens et Indigènes ont
donné naissance." (Éboué cité par Diki-kidiri,
1982). Ce qu’il est important de relever dans la citation, c’est
qu’après trente ans de colonisation, le sango n’est plus
cantonné sur les bords de l’Oubangui mais est devenu "la langue
commerciale de l’Oubangui-Chari", c’est-à- dire d’un
territoire politique qui deviendra plus tard une nation.
2.3. L’arabe
Il faut accorder une place particulière à l’arabe, langue
en légère expansion en Centrafrique. L’expansion de cette
langue, dont la variété dite "classique" sert de médium
comme langue religieuse, est favorisée par l’existence d’une
assez forte communauté musulmane d’origine étrangère,
formée principalement de Tchadiens, Soudanais, Sénégalais,
Égyptiens, Libanais, Syriens, etc. dont certains, pour des raisons d’opportunité
économique, ont pris la nationalité centrafricaine. Il existe
également, surtout à l’Est et au Nord du pays, des populations
noires depuis longtemps islamisées. À leur intention, la radio
nationale accorde une tranche de trente minutes à la religion islamique
pour l’enseignement du Coran. Par ailleurs, dans le souci de diffuser
l’arabe, la communauté islamique de Centrafrique, assez bien structurée,
a jugé utile de créer des écoles qui accueillent des personnes
des deux sexes de toutes religions: Ainsi le Centre National d’Enseignement
Arabo-Islamique Centrafricain, créé en 1987 sur initiative privée,
"comprend six écoles d’enseignement général
à Bangui et 14 en province […] qu’il ne faut pas confondre
avec les écoles coraniques qui s’intéressent uniquement
au Coran […] Ce centre est ouvert à tous, Musulmans, Chrétiens
et autres qui veulent connaître l’arabe." (ACAP, 17/2/92).
BIERSCHENK
Bierschenk, Thomas and Jean-Pierre Olivier de Sardan. "Local Powers and a Distant State in Rural Central African Republic." Journal of Modern African Studies 35, 3 (1997):441-66.
BIGAY
Bigay, Jacques. Cours de droit public centrafricain. Bangui, Central African Republic: Ecole nationale d'administration, 1966-1977. 24 cm.
BIGO
http://www.libertysecurity.org/IMG/pdf/CVenglishdidierbigo.pdf
Didier BIGO. Born 31 August 1956 in Lille. Now resident at 34 rue Montholon
75009 Paris
e-mail: didier. bigo@libertysecurity.org phone/fax : 00 33 (0)1 42 80 10 54
Tel bureau : (0)1 45 49 50 22
Bigo, Didier. Pouvoir et obéissance en Centrafrique, Paris, Editions
Karthala, 1989, 340 p.
Bigo, Didier. « Ngaragba, l’impossible prison », Revue Française
de science politique, n° 39/6 décembre 1989.
Bigo, Didier. « Les représentations du politique en RCA »,
communication au colloque du GERAS, publication du GERAS, 1989.
Bigo, Didier. « Le procès Bokassa », Afrique Contemporaine,
4/87.
Bigo, Didier. « Le retour de Bokassa », Politique Africaine, numéro
spécial Côte d’Ivoire, 24/1986.
http://www.politique-africaine.com/numeros/pdf/024121.pdf
BILLE
Bille, J.C. Pâturages du secteur occidental d'élevage
de la République Centra-fricaine. I.E.M.V.T., Maisons Alfort, 1964. 286
p. multig. + carte à 1/200 000.
Bille, J.C. Notes sur les stations d'élevage de la République
Centrafricaine. Etude agrostologique no. 22, I.E.M.V.T., Maisons Alfort, 1967.
31 p. multig. + carte à 1/50 000.
Bille, J.C., P. Hédin et al. Expérimentation agrostologique en
République Centrafricaine. Etude agrostologique no. 21, I.E.M.V.T., Maisons
Alfort, 1967. 246p. multig.
BILLES
Billes, J.C.
BILLIF
Billif, N. Les Pygmées de la grande forêt. Paris: L'Harmattan, 1992. 240p.
BILLON (hydrology, geography)
Billon, R., Guiscaffe, J. Herbaud, J. Oberlin, G. Le bassin du fleuve Chari, monographie hydrologique. (The Shari River basin, a hydrological monograph). Paris: ORSTROM, 1974.
BILLY GRAHAM CENTER ARCHIVES
"Brief Description. Correspondence and other papers of the Brauns, missionaries
with Baptist Mid-Missions in the Central African Republic between 1926 and 1972.
Corres-pondence predominates, much of it describing the Brauns' everyday life
and work. Cf. BRAUNS
BINET
Binet, J. Images
BINGABA
Thierry Bingaba, economics minister in the latter years of the Kolingba regime
The respected economics minister in the latter years of the Kolingba regime, Thierry Bingbaba, has also been shut out, presumably because he does not have the ethnic and party political loyalties that would suit Mr Patassé. He has been shunted into a technical backwater, as director of the Office national d'informatique. (EIU Country Report, "Central African Republic," 4th Quarter 1995, p. 24)
BINZA-HETMAN (history, peoples, anthropology, politics, society, etc.)
Binza-Hetman, Georges. “Notice historique sur la famille Abandia (branche Avourou Gobingué) (A historical note on the Abandia family [Avourou Gobingué branch]).” Bulletin de la Société des Recherches Congolaises 8 (1927):50-54.
BIOGRAPHY.ms
www.biography.ms/Foreign_relations_of_the_Central_African_Republic.html
Cf. "Central African Republic." Based on US State Dept "Background Note"?
BIRDLIFE INTERNATIONAL cf. BIRDS
BirdLife International 2005 BirdLife's online World Bird Database: the site
for bird conservation. Version 2.0. Cambridge, UK: BirdLife International. Available:
http://www.birdlife.org
(accessed 20/8/2006)
Birdlife International, “Bamingui-Bangoran National Park
complex.” BirdLife International,
http://www.birdlife.org/datazone/sites/index.html?action=SitHTMDetails.asp&sid=6078&m=0
Site description This IBA covers the Bamingui–Bangoran National Park in
the broad sense, i.e. the National Park (1,070,000 ha) together with the Vassako–Bolo
Strict Nature Reserve (86,000 ha) and the adjacent Gribingui–Bamingui
and Koukourou–Bamingui Faunal Reserves (450,000 ha and 110,000 ha respectively).
Also included is the Sangba river area (conservation zone and hunting concession
of 270,000 ha), following Fay et al. (1990). The complex is located in the centre-north
of the country, west of the town of Ndélé, while a short length
of the western border of the park is formed by the international frontier with
Chad.The park lies mostly on a plateau of 400–500 m, the rivers of which
drain north-westwards to the Chari. It is mainly Sudan–Guinea Savanna
woodland, on relatively flat ground. The northern part is essentially drier
Sudan vegetation, the southern a more humid Guinea savanna. Dominant trees include
Terminalia laxiflora, Isoberlinia doka and Anogeissus leiocarpus. In places
these savanna trees form quite extensive dry deciduous forest. Along watercourses
there is a narrow riparian forest/thicket community of considerable interest
containing, as it does, a number of southern Guineo-Congolian forest species.
The Bamingui river is perennial, whereas others are seasonally reduced to no
more than small pools. Seasonal marshes and ponds occur in some low-lying areas.
Open or lightly-wooded grasslands may have Mitragyna inermis, Lophira lanceolata
and Crossopteryx febrifuga trees. In the south and east there are also a few
granite inselbergs.
Land-use and percentage cover agriculture - nature conservation and research
- Birds See Box and Tables 2 and 3 for key species.
The bird list of 374 species is based to some extent on two years’ residence
by a single observer. Of these, at least 250 certainly or probably breed. Species
of global conservation concern reported are Aythya nyroca and Circus macrourus.
In addition, one species of the Sahel biome (A03), Ardeotis arabs, and one of
the Afrotropical Highlands biome (A07), Ploceus baglafecht, have been reported.
Species Season Year Min Max Quality Criteria
Heuglin's Francolin (Francolinus icterorhynchus) resident 1998 - A3
Fox Kestrel (Falco alopex) resident 1998 - A3
White-spotted Flufftail (Sarothrura pulchra) resident 1998 - A3
Western Bronze-naped Pigeon (Columba iriditorques) resident 1998 - A3
Blue-headed Wood-dove (Turtur brehmeri) resident 1998 - A3
Niam-niam Parrot (Poicephalus crassus) resident 1998 - A3
Guinea Turaco (Tauraco persa) resident 1998 - A3
White-crested Turaco (Tauraco leucolophus) resident 1998 - A3
Yellow-throated Cuckoo (Chrysococcyx flavigularis) resident 1998 - A3
Fraser's Eagle-owl (Bubo poensis) resident 1998 - A3
Black-shouldered Nightjar (Caprimulgus nigriscapularis) resident 1998 - A3
Blue-bellied Roller (Coracias cyanogaster) resident 1998 - A3
Red-throated Bee-eater (Merops bulocki) resident 1998 - A3
Black-headed Bee-eater (Merops breweri) resident 1998 - A3
African Pied Hornbill (Tockus fasciatus) resident 1998 - A3
Piping Hornbill (Bycanistes fistulator) resident 1998 - A3
Black-and-white-casqued Hornbill (Bycanistes subcylindricus) resident 1998 -
A3
White-thighed Hornbill (Bycanistes albotibialis) resident 1998 - A3
Black-casqued Hornbill (Ceratogymna atrata) resident 1998 - A3
Hairy-breasted Barbet (Tricholaema hirsuta) resident 1998 - A3
Bearded Barbet (Lybius dubius) resident 1998 - A3
Brown-eared Woodpecker (Campethera caroli) resident 1998 - A3
Speckle-breasted Woodpecker (Dendropicos poecilolaemus) resident 1998 - A3
Golden-crowned Woodpecker (Thripias xantholophus) resident 1998 - A3
African Shrike-flycatcher (Megabyas flammulatus) resident 1998 - A3
Chestnut Wattle-eye (Platysteira castanea) resident 1998 - A3
Red-eyed Puffback (Dryoscopus senegalensis) resident 1998 - A3
Yellow-billed Shrike (Corvinella corvina) resident 1998 - A3
Black-headed Paradise-flycatcher (Terpsiphone rufiventer) resident 1998 - A3
Rufous-vented Paradise-flycatcher (Terpsiphone rufocinerea) resident 1998 -
A3
Sun Lark (Galerida modesta) resident 1998 - A3
Red-winged Grey Warbler (Drymocichla incana) resident 1998 - A3
Buff-throated Apalis (Apalis rufogularis) resident 1998 - A3
Oriole Warbler (Hypergerus atriceps) resident 1998 - A3
Grey Greenbul (Andropadus gracilis) resident 1998 - A3
Ansorge's Greenbul (Andropadus ansorgei) resident 1998 - A3
Leaf-love (Pyrrhurus scandens) resident 1998 - A3
Lesser Bristlebill (Bleda notatus) resident 1998 - A3
Yellow-spotted Nicator (Nicator chloris) resident 1998 - A3
Senegal Eremomela (Eremomela pusilla) resident 1998 - A3
Green Crombec (Sylvietta virens) resident 1998 - A3
Lemon-bellied Crombec (Sylvietta denti) resident 1998 - A3
Brown Illadopsis (Illadopsis fulvescens) resident 1998 - A3
Blackcap Babbler (Turdoides reinwardii) resident 1998 - A3
Purple Glossy-starling (Lamprotornis purpureus) resident 1998 - A3
Bronze-tailed Glossy-starling (Lamprotornis chalcurus) resident 1998 - A3
Rufous Flycatcher-thrush (Stizorhina fraseri) resident 1998 - A3
White-tailed Alethe (Alethe diademata) resident 1998 - A3
White-crowned Robin-chat (Cossypha albicapilla) resident 1998 - A3
White-fronted Black-chat (Myrmecocichla albifrons) resident 1998 - A3
White-browed Forest-flycatcher (Fraseria cinerascens) resident 1998 - A3
Gambaga Flycatcher (Muscicapa gambagae) breeding 1998 0 0 unknown A3
Green Sunbird (Anthreptes rectirostris) resident 1998 - A3
Little Green Sunbird (Nectarinia seimundi) resident 1998 - A3
Blue-throated Brown Sunbird (Nectarinia cyanolaema) resident 1998 - A3
Green-throated Sunbird (Nectarinia rubescens) resident 1998 - A3
Splendid Sunbird (Nectarinia coccinigaster) resident 1998 - A3
Chestnut-crowned Sparrow-weaver (Plocepasser superciliosus) resident 1998 -
A3
Bush Petronia (Petronia dentata) resident 1998 - A3
Chestnut-breasted Negrofinch (Nigrita bicolor) resident 1998 - A3
Grey-headed Oliveback (Nesocharis capistrata) resident 1998 - A3
Red-winged Pytilia (Pytilia phoenicoptera) resident 1998 - A3
Red-faced Pytilia (Pytilia hypogrammica) resident 1998 - A3
Dybowski's Twinspot (Euschistospiza dybowskii) resident 1998 - A3
Bar-breasted Firefinch (Lagonosticta rufopicta) resident 1998 - A3
Black-bellied Firefinch (Lagonosticta rara) resident 1998 - A3
Black-throated Firefinch (Lagonosticta larvata) resident 1998 - A3
Lavender Waxbill (Estrilda caerulescens) resident 1998 - A3
Black-rumped Waxbill (Estrilda troglodytes) resident 1998 - A3
Long-tailed Paradise-whydah (Vidua interjecta) resident 1998 - A3
Brown-rumped Bunting (Emberiza affinis) resident 1998 - A3
BirdLife International 2005 BirdLife's online World Bird Database: the site
for bird conservation. Version 2.0. Cambridge, UK: BirdLife International. Available:
http://www.birdlife.org (accessed 20/8/2006)
BIRLEA
Birlea, Vasile.
BISOFFI
Bisoffi Z., Beltrame A., Monteiro G., Arzese A., Marocco S., Rorato G., et al. "African trypanosomiasis gambiense, Italy." Emerg Infect Dis [serial on the Internet]. 2005 Nov [date cited]. Available from http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/EID/vol11no11/05-0649.htm
BIT Cf. BUREAU INTERNATIONAL DU TRAVAIL???, ILO
BIT. Rapport au Gouvernement de la République Centrafricaine sur les conditions de développement du mouvement coopératif. Genève: CIT-TAP-Centrafrique-R., 1965. 125p.
BIT. Rapport au Gouvernement de la République Centrafricaine sur les conditions de développement du mouvement coopératif - organisation, éducation, formation. Genève: CIT-TAP-Centrafrique-R., 1966. 19p.
BITEP (law, politics, international relations, biography)
Bitep Angue, Anne-Laure. “La Base Juridique du Reglement Pacifique des Mutineries des Forces Armée Centrafricaines depuis avril 1996 jusqu’en Decembre 1997.” (The Juridical Base of the Peaceful Settlement of the Armed Forces Mutinies from April 1996 until December 1997). Memoire de Maitrise en Droit Public, Relations Internationales, Faculté de Droit et Des Sciences Economiques, Department de Droit Public, Université de Bangui, 1997.
BLACKSMITHS
Beneteau, Father Stanilas. [Article about Ubangian customs "Anvil of the Blacksmith?"]. Annales de la Propagation de la Foi, 92 (1920):121-129.
Anvil of the Blacksmith
The only industry of the Blacks in our regions is forging iron (travail de fer).
Their only real profession (métier) is that of the blacksmith. But not
just anyone can become a blacksmith; the hereditary profession is habitually
the prerogative of the chief's family. There is a long [period of] apprenticeship,
which gives rise to the proverb: "It's by forging [iron] that one become
a blacksmith." One rarely gains a perfect knowledge of the profession before
one is mature, and even for the most capable it takes a whole day to give definitive
form to an object so simple as the little native hoe. To know how to forge is
the height of art. One does not imagine anything above it, it is the limit of
industry and the ability of man. (Quoted in Banville, Raconte-moi la Mission,
p. 75 [Trans. Bradshaw])
BLAGUE
Alphonse Blagué, director of the cabinet of President Dacko, minister
of youth and sports, minister of information, art and culture under Dacko, director
of the Dakar Institute of African Culture (Institut culturel africain), then
president of the conseil d'administration de Socatel (Société
centrafricaine des télé-communications)
Blagué, Alphonse, “Identité et democratie dans les pays du Tiers Monde: Le Cas de la Republique Centrafricaine,” Doctorat de 3e Cycle, Sociology, University of Paris (EHESS), 1988.
BLAIS
Blais, Jacques.
BLANC
a senior French policeman, Louis-Aimé Blanc, advised on protection of
the diamond zones, and on intelligence generally.
A well-known French anti-terrorist expert, Captain Paul Barril, has been recruited to train [President Patassé's] private guard, according to a speculative Paris-based newsletter, La lettre du continent. The guard is to be commanded by Bedaya Djader, an uncle of Mr Patasse. The new commander's older brother is foreign and fracophone affairs minister, Simon Bedaya-Ngaro. Control of diamond-producing areas is another key security priority; a key figure here is the energy and minerals minister, Charles Massi, a close ally of Mr Patassé. A senior French policeman, Louis-Aimé Blanc, advises on protection of the diamond zones, and on intelligence generally. Mr. Demafouth-Mafoutapa also plays a central role in the security entourage. (EIU Country Report, "Central African Republic," 4th Quarter 1995, pp. 22-23)
BLANCHARD, M.
Blanchard, Marcel. “Français et Belges sur l’Oubangui
(The French and the Belgians on the Ubangi).” Revue Française d’Histoire
d’Outre Mer 26 (1950):1-30. See below.
Blanchard, Marcel. “Français et Belges sur l’Oubangui (The
French and the Belgians on the Ubangi).” Revue Française d’histoire
des colonies 26 (1950):1-36.
BLANCHARD, Y.
Blanchard, Yves and Philip A. Noss. Dictionnaire Gbaya-Français: Dialecte Yaayuwee. Meiganga: Mission Catholique de Meiganga and Eglise Evangélique Luthérienne du Cameroun, 1982.
BLANCHART
Blanchart, M.
BLANCHON
Blanchon, J.P. "Rapport de tourné effectuée dans la région nord-ouest de Bouar. Le problème des pâturages dans cette région." Brazzaville: ORSTOM,, 1960. 8p. multig.
BLANCOU
Blancou, E. "Contribution à l'étude de la
faune sauvage de l'Oubangui-Chari. (Mammifères et oiseaux de la Ouaka
et Kandjia)." Bull. Recher. Cong., 18 (1933):13-36.
Blancou, E. "Contribution à l'étude des mammifères
de l'Oubangui-Chari." Bull. Recher. Cong., 20 (1935):45-68.
BLANDIN
Blandin. "Lettres à M. le Chef de la Subdivision d'Impfondo, Epéna, 15 et 17 juillet 1929, Archives Nationales du Congo (dossier Affaires Politiques, carton GG 117, "Dissidence du Bas-Oubangui")
BLANKHART
Blankhart, David; Olaf Muller; Gerard Gresenguet, et. al. "Sexually transmitted infections in young pregnant women in Bangui, Central African Republic." International Journal of STD and AIDS 10, no. 9 (1999):609?
BLENCH
Blench, Roger. "Are the African Pygmies an Ethnographic Fiction?" In Challenging Elusiveness: Central African Hunter-Gatherers in a Multidisciplinary Perspective, ed. Karen Biesbrouck, Stefan Elders, and Gerda Rossel. Leiden: CNWS, 2001, 41-65.
[Blench] hypothesizes that Batwa communities might be a "sub-caste of the Adamawa-Ubangian and Bantu speaking peoples which evolved to seasonally exploit the tropical rainforest."
BLINKBITS.com
www.blinkbits.com/blinks/central_african_republic
Note: "Discover hard to find Central African Republic info, news pics and
more from 11,173,714,567 sources." (www.blinkbits.com/blinks/central_african_republic)
Decriminalisation of press offences in the Central African Republic lifted the
country from 104th to 82nd place and Angola (76th) also improved its ranking
further due to legal reforms as it emerged from a long civil war. ....
www.blinkbits.com/bits/viewtopic/centralafricanrepublic_http://emdhr.civiblog.org/blog/_archives/2005/10/21/1313965.html?t=1109594
Video: 1970s and 80s: The film shows some of the ruins of the original city of Ndele, capital of Dar al-Kuti founded by Senoussi in the 1890s and the people are grandchildren of Senoussi Some finish work on the school has audio by Musiki as well Peace Corps volunteers shown include Mark Rand Dinny Rasmussen Ted Killham Tony Nathe and me (/www.blinkbits.com/bits/viewtopic.php?t=305302)
BLOCK
Block. Vocabulaire français-sakara et sakara-français, 1912. Réédité par le Musée Royal de l'Afrique Centrale, Tervuren, 19??.
BLOM
Blom, A. "Dzanga Sangha: A Case Study of the Economic Impact of Ecotourism." manuscript. n.d.
Blom, A., G. Doungoube, and U. Ngatoua. "Réglementation des Concessions de Safari Chasse dans la Réserve Spéciale de Forêt Dense de Dzanga Sangha. Projet Dzangha Sangha." WWR-U.S.-Projet Reserve Dzanga Sangha, 1994. RDS Project Archives.
Blom, A. and H.H.T Prins. "Ecological and Economic Consequences of Gorilla-Based Eco-tourism in Dzanga-Sangha, Central African Republic." Landbouwuniversiteit Wageningen, 1995. RDS Project Archives.
Blom, A. "La Biodiversité centrafricaine et ses aires protegés." Canopée (Brazzaville). ECOFAC, 1996
BLOUIN
Blouin, Andrée in collaboration with Jean MacKeller. My Country Africa: Autobiography of the Black Pasionaria. New York: Praeger Publishers, 1983.
BMH BOOKS.com Cf. BRETHREN MISSIONARY HERALD
www.bmhbooks.com
Cf. Heroes Who Live On. Vols. 1 & 2. Brethren Missionary Herald, ????. 103p. and 106p.
These books which can be purchased from BMH BOOKS.com include short vignettes about former Brethren missionaries in the CAR, including Florence N. Gribble, James S. Gribble, Estella C. Myers, etc., written for young adults
BOALI FALLS Cf. ENERCA, PARASTATALS, TOURISM
The improvement and repair of the Boali Falls hydroelectric installations have begun and could result in fewer power shortages in Bangui in 1998. France's CCCE has provided three loans, the most recent in early 1987, to Enerca, the energy parastatal, to rehabilitate the Boali complex (EIU Country Report, "Central African Republic," 1st Quarter 1988, p. 21)
BOBICHON
Bobichon, Henri. "Le Haut-Oubangui, évacuation du Bahr el-Ghazal." Conférence à la société de géographie commmerciale. Revue forézienne (1899):306-322, 403-419; 1902, 40pp.
Bobichon, Henri. "La colonisation du Haut-Oubangui." Bulletin SGC (Paris), 23 (1901):489-513.
Bobichon, Henri. "Les peuplades de l'Oubangui-M'Bomou à l'époque des missions Liotard et Marchand, 1891-1901."L'Ethnographie, 23 (1931):145-55.
Bobichon, Henri. "Les peuplades de l'Oubangui M'Bomou à l'époque des Missions Liotard et Marchand, 1891-1901." Bulletin du Comité de l'Afrique française. Supplément Renseignements Coloniaux 1909.
Bobichon, Henri. "Victor Liotard, un oublié." L'Afrique française. (novembre 1931):740-742.
Bobichon, Henri. Contribution à l'histoire de la Mission Marchand. Paris: Lavauzelle et Compagnie, 1937. 87pp.
Bobichon, Henri. Le vieux Congo français et l’Afrique équatoriale (The old French Congo and Equatorial Africa). Paris: Éditions Hérakles, 1938. 214p.
Letter no. 6 from Administrateur, Délégué du Commissaire Général dans le Haut-Oubangui, Henri Bobichon, to Commissaire Général du Gouvernment au Congo français, Bangui, 16 December 1899, CAOM-Aix, Gabon-Congo I 63, cited in Grootaers, "The Zande," p. 87.
Letter from Délégué du Commissaire Général dans le Haut-Oubangui, Henri Bobichon, to Commissaire Général du Congo français, Mobaye, 13 March 1901, CAOM-Aix, Gabon-Congo XV, 29c, cited in Grootaers, "The Zande," p. 88.
BODDINGTON
Boddington, Craig. "Central African Safari." Sports Afield. 1 September
2003.'
Boddington, Craig. "A bit of old Africa: a hunter-writer visits today's
Central African Republic." Safari (1994):167-172.
BOGANDA cf.
Cf. “Enquête sur la mort de Boganda.” Express, 7 May 1959.
Boganda, Barthélemy. Pour sauver un peuple. Bulletin ronéotypé. 1st Series 1948-1949. 2nd Series: 1950.
Boganda, Barthélemy. Terre Africaine. Periodical. 1951-1958.
Boganda, Barthélemy. "L'A.B.C." Terre Africaine, 1 (March 1951):1
Boganda, Barthélemy. "Pourquoi et comment j'ai été arreté." Terre Africaine, 2 (1951):1-2.
Boganda, Barthélemy. "Terreur et travail forcé en Oubangui-Chari." L'Observateur, 12 Nov. 1953, pp. 12-13.
Boganda, Barthélemy. "Logique, Justice et Raison." Terre Africaine, 4 (1958):??
Boganda, Barthélemy. "Le Chomage en Afrique. Notes Document. du Secretariat Social d'O-M, 34 (1960). 7p.
Boganda, Barthélemy. "Labor Improbus Omnia Vincit." Terre Africaine, 121 (1966):???
Boganda, Barthélemy. Enfin, on décolonise. Brazzaville: Imprimerie
Officielle, 1958.
Boganda, Barthélemy. Enfin, on décolonise. Brazzaville: Imprimerie
Centrale d’Afrique, 1958, 41p.
Boganda, Barthélemy. La République centrafricaine face à l'avenir. Bulletins. Bangui: 1958-1959.
Boganda, Barthélemy. "Faisons le point." France-Outre-Mer. 334-5 (Sep-Oct 1957).
Barthélemy Boganda. France?: Sapho, December 1959. A brochure printed in France for Art and Style.
Boganda, Barthélemy. "Speech on Independence Day."
Vérité (monthly Bulletin of the MESAN circle, Vol. 1, no. 9 (December
1958), pp. 8, 13.
Note: This reference is questionable because there is another article entitled
“Creons la République Centrafricaine...” Discours prononcé
par le Président Boganda au cours de la séance de proclamation
de la République Centrafricaine, le 1er Décembre 1958. The date
of the article seems to early for Boganda to have been talking about independence.
He adressed to the Assembly asking for independence on July 1958. This may have
been a speech focusing on the need for autonomy.
Boganda, Barthélemy. "Forward." In Pierre Kalck, Réalités Oubanguiennes. (Ubangian Realities). Paris: Berger-Levrault, 1959. 356p. maps. bibliog.
Boganda, Barthélemy. "Speech on Independence Day."
Vérité, 1, 9 (December 1958), p. 13.
Boganda, Abbé (Abbot) Barthélémy. "Lettre à
l'Abbé Goblet" (Letter to Abbot Goblet), 30 June 1939, quoted in
Banville, Raconte-moi la Mission, pp. 140-142)
(My) dear Sir, the Parish Priest (Bien cher Monsieur le Curé),
You have learned from letters from Bangui that there exists,
since January [1932], a small preparatory seminary at Saint-Paul [Catholic mission
in Bangui]. "My Lord" (Monseigneur) (Bishop Grandin) tells me that
you would be happy to have news of it. Only the idea of making Grandfather (Grand-Père)
happy made me overcome the repugnance I always feel when it comes to work of
this sort. (Father Barthélémy Boganda, "Letter to Abbot Goblet",
30 June 1939, quoted in Banville, Raconte-moi la Mission, p. 140 [Trans. Bradshaw])
It is written: Spiritus ubi vult spirat «L'Esprit souffle où il
veut» "The wind bloweth where it listeth", L'Évangile
selon Saint-Jean, 3, 8. (John 3, 8). Spiritus ubi vult spirat. "The Holy
Ghost, where he will, he inspireth hearts, but thou knowest not whence he cometh
nor whither he will go"
Can it [the Holy Spirit], will it blow also in Ubangi? Deprived (déshérité)
county, if there ever was one??? (s'il en fut jamais)? The fragrant (embaumés)
winds of Christian priesthood (sacerdoce crétien), can it mix with the
infernal waves of fetishism and of satanism? (démonolâtrie). The
direct descendants of these cannibals (anthropophages), that we all know by
the publications of him who had the tragic name, "Bishop of the Cannibals"
(Evêque des anthropophages), can they be called to take in their hands
and to give to their brothers the Lamb without spots (or Jesus), victim of love?
(Father Barthélémy Boganda, "Letter to Abbot Goblet",
30 June 1939, quoted in Banville, Raconte-moi la Mission, p. 140 [Trans. Bradshaw])
There are many questions one has the right to ask oneself when it is a matter
of Ubangi. Yes, if the Spirit of God can blow here, it's the article of Credo
twenty times secular (vingt fois séculaire), sung under the (roof)straw
of the hut-chapel of the missionary as under the votary (voûte) of Notre
Dame in Paris. Credo in Deum, Patrem Omnipotentum. [I believe in God, [our]
omnipotent Father.]
But does he (the Holy Spirit) want to?
In the face of which, a valuable point of argument (point d'argument valable),
one says. In effect, it is after the ordination of his first native priest (prêtre
indigène) that our venerated (or beloved) apostolic curate (vicaire apostolique)
wanted to start a project which, for a long already, had nourished his true
apostolic soul: the foundation of a small seminary.
One has to beat (or shape) the iron while it is hot (Il faut battre le fer pendant
qu'il est chaud). Hearts are still filled with emotions of the day of 27 March
[1931], when a circular from My Lord (Monseigneur) [the Bishop] communicated
to the stations of the vicariate [a district under a vicar's jurisdiction] his
decision to start a small preparatory seminary. It [the circular] enjoined them
at the same time to send to Saint-Paul those of their children who would present
(présenteraient) certain guaranties.
While the material was being prepared at Saint-Paul, the old school was enlarged,
the classrooms were made ready, the dormintory was fixed up (aménagé).
Rev. P. Charles Muller, the future director, was busy preparing another room
under the same roof. He had an altar, ornaments, a chalice (what it is), a ciborium
(what is it), and benches brought to it. One can guess, it is the meeting room.
It is there that the meeting between Jesus coming from heaven and the soul of
the children coming from the bush will take place. It is also there that the
miracle of transformation will take place.
About the end of December the places were ready. Two children from Bangui (Ripert
and Lingo), who came back to us from the Little Seminary of Akono (Petite Seminaire
d'Akono in the Vicariate of Yaounde), to which they could not adopt, will naturally
be the first inhabitants of our Seminary while waiting for others to come and
raise the number.
The personnel are designated. I already named above R.P. Charles Muller, who
was very appropriate (or suited) (tout indiqué) for a work of this kind.
The apostolic school Allex (L'Ecole Apostolique d'Allex) saw him lavish (or
minister) (prodiguer), during ten years as professor, disciplinarian (préfet
de discipline) and assistant attorney??? (aide-procureur): no choice could have
been better. As for his collaborator, he did not hide his surprise from Monseigneur
[the Bishop] and he hopes that such a delicate work of R.P. Charles Muller will
be seconded by another capable of giving these young people the training that
our Bishop and the whole Church expects of them.
At the beginning of January [1932], the first students arrived: first one, then
two, then three and today we have 12 students. The first came to us from our
station in the east, 800 kilometers from Bangui. The others come, respectively,
from 1,000 kilometers, 500 kilometers, and 110 kilometers away. Let me add that
Ubangi-Shari is a country where the diversity of races, languages and customs
(et partant des langues et des moeurs), made relations excessively difficult.
Also, it is not without apprehension that we see the Sara of the North arrive,
with a scared (balafée) face, undoubtedly a good boy, but with a terrible
and implacable angry...the Nzakara from the east, with a sardonic (or mocking)
manner (à l'air narquois), the Isongo from the west with a haughty attitude
(à l'attitude altière) who sizes you up (qui vous toise), scoffs
at you (vous nargue) and seems to say: Quos ego... (What? I...) ??? Can't I
??? (Que ne puis-je vous passer à la marmite!)
All of these come and line up next to the Banda with a light look (or easy bearing)
(à l'allure légère), with an even softer character, and
with the young city-boy from Bangui more refined (or sharper) (fin), more sassy
(or smarter) (plus déluré), but also prouder [and] who treats
all the others as "country hicks" ("broussards").
These different races [sic] hardly knew each other before the arrival of the
Europeans; if they did know each other, it was to fight and eat one another.
All of that, it is the past that exists for our students rather (or instead)
in the atavistic state (plutôt à l'état sauvage) of which
they not at all aware of (dont ils ne se rendent nullement compte). What also
causes the worst problems for them (ce qui donne la plus de mal chez eux) is
not the antagonism between races, but the independence of the child used to
doing what he wants to in the village, and only what he wants to. From the first
day the students are ??? to regulations (mis au règlement). This is not
to say that, from time to time, we have to remind them to maintain order (il
faille les rappeler à l'ordre). I simply mean that they (j'entends dire
seulement qu'ils) are not resistant to discipline as one might believe [them
to be].
But a common evil of all the black race, all the greater among our students
who are young and who constitute for us the end of the thread (or wire) to retwist
(or reshape) (le bout de fil à retordre), is thoughtlessness (or a lack
of reflection) (irréflexion) with all its consequences. We know that
this evil (or weakness) is not incurable and that is true in this case as well
as elsewhere (il l'est pas plus ici qu'ailleurs). We observe, in fact, that
with lots of patience we manage to have them acquire (leur faire acquérir)
a certain habit of reflection.
Such were [my] encounters and first impressions [of the new seminary students].
The Seminary had already started functioning (était déjà
en plein mouvement) when, on 16 February [1932], the feast of Saint Marcel,
we proceeded with the benediction. Saint Marcel is the patron [saint] of Monseigneur
[the Bishop], [and] it will also be the patron of the seminary. It is a glorious
name, a name consecrated by the Pontifical Sovereign (or Pope) (souverain pontificat)
and by martrydom, and is dear for us (et qui nous est cher), to us the children
of Ubangi, for another reason: it is the name of our beloved Pastor.
We hope that the Holy Pontif (or Pope), from on high, will protect our children
and that the Seminary Saint-Marcel will be a honor to Ubangi, to its founder,
and to the Church.
We want to lead these children to the fearful (or formidable, awesome) summit
of the Christian vocation (or priesthood) (sacerdote crétien), but they
are coming from very low, from a social point of view, as well as from an intellectual
and moral point of view. Everything awaits doing (tout est à faire),
its a creation and only God can do it.
Croyez vous, cher Monsieur le Curé, à mes sentiments toujours
reconnaissants et respectueux.
Abbot Barthélémy Boganda,
Professor of the Small Seminary Saint-Marcel.
1958
"Gentlemen, he who says liberty, says responsibility. We cannot take the
first without taking the second if we care to avoid falling into anarchy and
into a new slavery which is worse than the previous one. Gentlemen, Congressmen,
you now know what awaits you. You are no longer able to draw back. Accept your
responsibilities by adopting the proposition of deliberation which is submitted
to you." (Boganda, Barthélemy. "Speech on Independence Day."
Vérité, 1, 9 (December 1958), p. 13, translated and cited by Buck,
"Education in the Central African Republic," p. 96)
When Barthélemy Boganda was born in the village of Bobangi in the Lobaye region of what is today the Central African Republic (CAR), his birth was not officially registered. It was only later, when he began school, that the date 10 April 1910 was chosen as his official date of birth. Boganda once said that he was “born a German subject”, which suggests that he may have been born after 4 November 1911, when the Lobaye region came under German rule as part of Neu Kamerun (New Cameroon) for a short period. Since the Lobaye region was quickly taken back by the French in 1914, soon after the outbreak of the First World War, Boganda probably had little if any memory of German rule if he was born in 1912 or 1913. The decision made much later to list his year of birth as 1910 instead of 1911 or 1912 may have been motivated by a desire to depict him as a “French subject” at birth. (Jean-Dominique Pénel, ed., Barthélémy Boganda, Écrits et Discours 1946-1951: la lutte décisive (Paris: l’Harmattan, 1995), p. 19. Pierre Kalck, Barthélémy Boganda:“Élu de Dieu et des Centrafricains” (Saint-Maur-des-Fosses: Éditions Sépia, 1995), p. 20; Pénel, Boganda, p. 20, fn. 11.)
Two personal experiences...[of the influence of Boganda] The first was when the local French administrator at Crampel was asked how he felt the vote would go and he replied, "I do not know. Boganda has not told us yet." The second experience occurred on voting day, 28 September 1958. The writer was at the Crampel market when an old African woman came slowly down the Kabo Road, walking painfully toward the voting station south of the market. This woman was very old and the skin of her dirty, nearly-naked body was checked from the heat like the bed of an old pond that had evaporated under the sun. The woman could not read. She wore nothing except the fiber, "horse-tail" breech-clout, which was the normal dress for women in remote villages. The writer asked her, in Sango, how she was going to vote, and she replied, "Boganda atèné ti voté Oui, pèpé? - "Did Boganda not say to vote Yes?" One could hardly say that this old woman was expressing her own conviction about the economic gain that her country could get by a "yes" vote. She simply trusted Boganda, and she was voting on the basis of his understanding of the situation. Her vote was a vote for schools, and many other things, but the fact that it was "yes" instead of "no" could be explained only by the amazing influence upon his people of Barthélemy Boganda." (Buck, "Education in the Central African Republic," p. 84)
Cf.
BOISSOUDY
Colonel Guy de Boissoudy
The representatives to the Constituent Assemblies in Francophone
African colonies after World War II were elected by two separate groups or colleges
of voters, a first college, composed of French citizens, and a second college,
composed of ‘non-citizens’, or colonial subjects. The ‘non-citizens’
of the colony of Ubangi-Shari elected a French colonel, Guy de Boissoudy, on
the first round of elections on 21 October 1945 to represent them. Boissoudy
was an officer of the Colonial Infantry who had served in Chad (1937-1940),
joined the Free French, and worked with De Gaulle in London in 1943. When he
ran for representative of the ‘non-citizens’ in Bangui in 1945,
he put a picture of Charles De Gaulle on the propaganda sheet he distributed
to promote his candidacy (Pénel, Boganda, 27 and fn. 22).
Colonel Boissoudy’s opponents during the election of 1945 included another
French candidate as well as several African candidates: Sekou Diarra from West
Africa, Aristide Issembe from Gabon, and Pierre Indo from the Middle Congo.
Pierre Indo was the only one of these men who might have been considered a ‘local’
candidate, but even he was regarded as a Congolese by the ‘non-citizens’
of Ubangi-Shari. (Pénel, Boganda, 27.)
During the second elections for the Constituent Assembly on 23 June 1946, Guy
de Boissoudy was again elected by the ‘non-citizens’ of Ubangi.
His opponents included the same Sekou Diarra and Aristide Issemble, but also
Harou Djanga and a Franco-Ubangian métis, Jane Vialle. The number of
‘non-citizens’ who had the right to vote was 8,418, and of these,
only 5,793 voted. De Boissoudy got more than 3,000 votes while he only serious
challenger, the Gabonese Issembe, got 2,250. The votes received by the other
candidates were: 115 for Sekou Diarra, 91 for Dupuy, 57 for Vialle, and 53 for
Djanga (Pénel, Boganda, 26).
BOKASSA cf.
Bokassa, Jean-Bedel et al. Philosophie de l’opération Bokassa (The Philosophy of ~ behind Operation Bokassa). Paris: Bangui: Central African Republic, 1973. 122p.
Bokassa, Jean-Bedel. Press conference held at Bangui on 21 April 1966, published in Terre Africaine, 1 May 1966, with extracts published by Souvenir et Devenir, 21 (Sept-Oct 1966).
Cohen, Samy and Marie-Claude Smouts, eds. La Politique Extérieure de Valéry Giscard d'Estaing. Paris: Presses de la Fondation Nationale des Sciences Politiques, 1985.
Bach, Daniel. "La France en Afrique Subsaharienne: Contraintes Historiques et Nouveaux Espaces Économiques." In Samy Cohen and Marie-Claude Smouts, eds. La Politique Extérieure de Valéry Giscard d'Estaing. Paris: Presses de la Fondation Nationale des Sciences Politiques, 1985, pp. 284-310.
Consulté par Valéry Giscard d'Estaing lors des opérations du Shaba ou lors du conflits tchadien, le président Bongo sera également associé à la politique centrafricaine de la France durant les mois qui précèdent la chute de l'empereur Bokassa, en septembre 1979. C'est par l'entremise du président Bongo que René Journiac, conseiller de Valéry Giscard d'Estaing pour les questions africaines, recontre d'abord l'empereur qu'il tente vainement de convaincre de renoncer au pouvoir. Quelques mois plus tard, l'aéroport de Libreville sera l'un des deux points de regroupement utilisés par les forces françaises responsables de l'opération "Barracuda". (Bach, "La France en Afrique Subsaharienne," p. 287).
En Centrafrique, une caution politico-financière est apporté par la France au couronnement de l'empereur Bokassa. [Robert Galley, alors ministre de la Coopération, trouvait "parfaitement anormal de critiquer ce qui va se passer à Bangui et, de trouver très bien une cérémonie du Jubilé de la reine d'Angleterre. Cela s'apparente au racisme." Le Monde, 4-5 December, 1977. (Bach, "La France en Afrique Subsaharienne," p. 294, fn. 2).
lors du couronnement de l'empereur Bokassa, "c'est sur le budget de la Coopération que furent imputés 4,000,000 de francs pour le transport à Bangui du carrosse du sacre et des chevaux de trait". Assemblée nationale, Rapport no. 470..., p. 40. (Bach, "La France en Afrique Subsaharienne," p. 294, fn. 2).
La prise en charge par le ministère de la Coopération d'une partie des dépenses du sacre de l'empereur Bokassa représente un exemple extrême de détournement des finalités de l'aide. (Bach, "La France en Afrique Subsaharienne," p. 304).
Beaucoup plus que le massacre des écoliers de Bangui, c'est la décision de Bokassa de faire appel à l'aide libyenne qui justifie la décision de renverser l'empereur, déjà abandonne par la France depuis plusieurs mois. (Bach, "La France en Afrique Subsaharienne," p. 296).
Bokassa, Jean Bedel. Ma vérité. Paris : Editions Carrère Michel Lafon, 1985, 219p.
On 8 May 1985 ten thousand copies of Ma vérité rolled off the presses. The book was 218 pages long, with 54 photographs, and its shiny back hardcover featured a golden eagle in a circle of stars. But the bookstores never had the chance to stock it. Warned of the unpleasant nature of its contents, Giscard d’Estaing acquired a copy before it went on sale, and on 11 May his lawyer obtainde a court injuction blocking publication on account of the book’s “odious and grotesque assertions.” ... Two days later the Tribunal de grande instance de Paris not only forbade the sale of Ma vérité but ordered all ten thousand copies destroyed. And so it was done. ... Nevertheless, a few copies did survive. ... (Brian Titley, Dark Age. The Political Odyssey of Emperor Bokassa, pp. 173-174)
BOKASSA, C.
Ex-Empress Catherine Bokassa, wife of Jean-Bedel Bokassa
[On 8 August 1995] the wife of ex-emperor Jean-Bedel Bokassa, Catherine Bokassa, returned to Bangui after 16 years of exile, promising to make her own small contribution to national reconstruction. The ex-empress, who... lived in Cote d'Ivoire, France and Switzerland since the overthrow of her husband in 1979, told Mr. Patassé in Paris in June [1995] that she wished to return home. Her arrival, therefore, was not unexpected, unlike that of her husband in 1986. The news of her return was announced on state radio on [9 August 1995]. The fact that it provoked little popular reaction, either of support or protest, suggests that the CAR has finally come to terms with the traumatic legacy of the Bokassa dictatorship. This impression was confirmed a few weeks later when there was an equally apathetic reaction to the news that Mr Bokassa had suffered a brain haemorrhage. Mr Bokassa, who had been living quietly in retirement in Bangui, was taken to the hospital in early October and flow to Europe for treatment. Meanwhile, the government allowed Mrs Bokassa to take on the management of two government-owned hotels; this will provide an income to help support the 22 children she has brought back to Bangui. Mr Patassé's help for the former empress is perhaps not surprising; after all, he had served as Mr Bokassa's prime minister. (EIU Country Report, "Central African Republic," 4th Quarter 1995, p. 22)
BOLÉ PAPITO
Bolé Papito, Christophe. "Contribution à l'étude de l'agriculture centrafricaine. Étude géographique des problèmes de développement agricole d'un pays d'Afrique centrale." Thèse de doctorat, Université de Provence, 1993. 405p.
BOMBA YEKE
Gen. Ferdinand Bomba Yeke
BANGUI, 21 Oct 2005 (IRIN) - The President of the Central African
Republic, Francois Bozize, pardoned on Wednesday a former head of presidential
security, Gen Ferdinand Bomba Yeke, who had been in detention for two years.
Bomba Yeke, who imprisoned on 12 November 2003, headed the president's security
during the administration of Ange-Felix Patasse, whom Bozize overthrew on 15
March 2003. Speaking on Friday from his home in the capital, Bangui, Bomba Yeke
said he was in good health and had been treated well during his detention. "I
am ready to work for my country any time," he said. "I served in the
regime of Gen [Andre] Kolingba and that of Ange-Felix Patasse. I was working
for my country, and as a soldier, I have to obey the head of state." He
added: "No complaint was filed against me but I was detained just because
I was the head of the presidential security, given that jet fighters were used
to push back the rebellion by Gen Francois Bozize in 2002 and 2003".
Bomba Yeke, an airforce pilot, played a key role in protecting Patasse during
a six-month rebellion led by Bozize that ended with the coup d'etat. He was
accused of using jet fighters to crush the rebellion. When Bozize took power,
Bomba Yeke opted to remain in the country, and was subsequently arrested and
detained at "Camp de Roux", a military base in Bangui. Military sources
in Bangui said Bomba Yeke's detention was for his own safety, as some former
rebels who had fought alongside Bozize had vowed to kill him to avenge the losses
he caused their rebellion.
BONNASSIES
Bonnassies. "La Haute Sangha." Bull. Soc. Géo. Comm. Paris. (1901):215-217.
BONNEFOY
Bonnefoy, P.A. Rapport au gouvernement de la R.C.A. sur les besoins en personnel d'encadrement moyen et subalterne et sa formation professionelle. Geneva: B.I.T., 1963. 46p.
BONNEL DE MEZIERES
Bonnel de Mézières, Albert. Rapport sur le Haut-Oubangui, le
M'Boumou et le Bahr-el-Ghazal. Paris: Albouy, 1901. 207p.
Bonnel de Mézières, Albert. Les Concessions au Congo Français.
Paris: Albouy, 1901.
BONTEMPS Cf. BERBERATI INCIDENT
On 30 April 1954 the bodies of two Africans were discovered on the property of a European incongruously named Bontemps, who was the employer of one of the deceased. The Baya of nearby Berberati, suspecting that Bontemps was responsible for the deaths, demanded that he be either arrested or tuned over to them. When the local administrator refused, on the ground that there was insufficient evidence of Bontemp’s guilt, he and two French assistants were attacked by the crowd and wounded. Shortly thereafter, another European, who tried to come to their rescue, was stoned by the Baya and killed. Troops were rushed in, the governor appeared, and so did Boganda, who appealed to the Baya to refrain from further violence and trust to the justice of the courts. Soon Bontemps was duly charged with murder, but being able to prove an alibi, was released on July 12. Such was not the case for the 102 Baya who had reportedly sung war songs and shouted anit-white slogans. They were charged with armed rebellion and tried at Berberati the following September. Though they were defended by four French lawyers, 10 of them were sentenced to terms ranging from five to ten years’ forced labor; 67 to imprisonment for from six months to three years; and only 25 were acquitted. This incident is hard even now to evaluate. … the court’’s verdict was received without a murmur, and … was followed by no serious violence in the Baya country. (Thompson and Adloff, The Emerging States of French Equatorial Africa, p. 393.)
BONUCA
2004
"UN plea for support for transitional process." IRIN, 8 July 2004.
NAIROBI, 8 Jul 2004 (IRIN) - The UN Security Council has called on the international
community to provide the necessary aid to ensure the success of the transitional
process in the Central African Republic (CAR)....A UN peace-building mission,
known by its French acronym BONUCA, has been in the CAR since February 2000
when it took over from a UN peacekeeping mission.
2005
"UN fostering a responsible CAR press." PanaPress, 20 September 2005.
Bangui, Central African Republic (PANA) - Five years after it was set up, the
UN Office in the Central African Republic (BONUCA) is now reaping the fruits
of its laborious work towards the fostering of a responsible but independent
press in the country. (http://www.panapress.com/paysindexlat.asp)
BOONE
Boone, Olga. Bibliographie ethnographique du Congo Belge et des Régions avoisinantes. Bruxelles: G. Van Campenhout. Annuelle à partir de 1945.
BORDERLANDS
2005
"Rebels attack Cameroon-CAR border." PanaPress, 18 July 2005. Yaounde,
Cameroon (PANA) - Rebels have attacked Bororos camp, in Djalingo (eastern Cameroon)
near the border with the Central African Republic and kidnapped several children
after stealing millions of CFA francs from cattle breeders, a local daily reported
Monday. (www.panapress.com/paysindexlat.asp)
BORN
Born, K. "Die Zentralafrikanische Provinz." In Hermann Baumann, ed.? Die Völker Afrikas une ihre traditionellen Kulturen, Vol. II: Ost-, West- und Nordafrika. Wiesbaden: 1975.
BOROROS cf. FULANI, FULBE, ISLAM, ANIMAL HUSBANDRY, CATTLE, MEAT
2005
"Rebels attack Cameroon-CAR border." PanaPress, 18 July 2005. Yaounde,
Cameroon (PANA) - Rebels have attacked Bororos camp, in Djalingo (eastern Cameroon)
near the border with the Central African Republic and kidnapped several children
after stealing millions of CFA francs from cattle breeders, a local daily reported
Monday. (www.panapress.com/paysindexlat.asp)
BOS
Bos, Lieutenant. "Haut-Oubangui. Exploration de la Haute-Kotto."
Revue Coloniale (Paris), (1901):319-351.
Bos, Lieutenant. "Exploration de la Haute-Kotto." Revue Coloniale
(Paris), (1901):319-351.
BOSSARD
Bossard, Père Louis. "J'étais missionnaire en RCA." Pentecote sur le monde, 121, (Jan.-Fev. 1977):9-13.
BOSSINK
Bossink, Père Koos. "The Da-Mbassinas of Bangui and... " Neue Zeitschrift Fur? Missionswissenschaften, (1959):181-197.
BOTTARO
Bottaro, Virginio. Pelle di terra. Virginio Bottaro. Rome: Stampa alternativa, c2002. 206p. 17 cm.
BOTTING
Note: For estimates of the number of Jehovah's Witnesses in the C.A.R. see Botting, Heather & Gary Botting. The Orwellian World of Jehovah's Witnesses. Toronto: University of Toronto Press, 1984, pp. 53-59.
BOUAR cf. PREHISTORY, FRENCH TROOPS
The CAR plays a key role in France's strategy for Africa, particularly through its backing for Chad's President Hissène Habré in his conflict with Libyan backed rebels. More than 1,200 French troops supported by Mirage and Jaguar jets, are based in the country at Bouar and Bangui. French military initiatives supporting President Habré against Libyan offensives in 1983 and 1986 were launched from the CAR (EIU Country Report, "Central African Republic," 2nd Quarter 1988, p. 19)
1989 November
A delegation led by the chairman of the [French] Assemblée Nationale
defense commission, the Socialist Jean-Michel Boucheron, visited Bangui in November
[1989]. Accompanied by five other deputies and a senior army official, the team
was reviewing the role of French forces based in the CAR. Their role, particularly
that of the forces at Bouar, is principally to act as a rapid strike force and
back-up for French forces which helped to keep Hissène Habré in
power in Chad. Now that mediators [such as Omar Bongo of Gabon?] are attempting
to reach a lasting settlement between Chad and Libya, the French role in the
CAR may seem less important (EIU Country Report, "Central African Republic,"
1st Quarter 1990, p. 25)
BOUBOU (REFUGEE CAMP) Cf. REFUGEES, DRC
"Refugee-hosting families in distress." IRIN, 29
March 1999.
NAIROBI, 29 Mar 1999 (IRIN) - The situation of DRC refugees hosted by local
families in the CAR capital, Bangui, is deteriorating as the resources of the
local population will soon be exhausted, the International Federation of Red
Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) said. In an update received by IRIN,
IFRC said tensions are rising in Bangui and the situation will be aggravated
by the presidential election campaign expected to start soon. Some 7,500 refugees
crossed the river to CAR following the outbreak of fighting in Equateur province
in December 1998/January 1999. Some were sheltered in a UNHCR-assisted transit
camp in Bangui, while some 2,500 were accommodated with friends and relatives
in the city. The Bangui transit camp was closed in February and some 300 refugees
have so far been transferred to a new camp at Boubou, some 300 km from Bangui,
where they have been allocated plots of land to promote self-sufficiency, the
report said. Living conditions for the refugees are more favourable at Boubou
than in Bangui, it said. The local Red Cross Society urgently requires additional
funds for its refugee assistance efforts, the report added.
"Transfer of DRC refugees from Bangui begins." IRIN,
27 July 1999.
NAIROBI, 27 Jul 1999 (IRIN) - Responding to the arrival in the CAR capital,
Bangui, of an estimated 6,000 DRC refugees in the past three weeks, UNHCR has
started a process of decongesting the city by moving groups of refugees to Bou
Bou, a site 350 km away. A first convoy of 500 refugees left late last week
and UNHCR plans to move 5,000 Congolese over the next two weeks, according to
a briefing note by the agency, received by IRIN on Tuesday. It added that UNHCR
has not been involved in discussions between Bangui and the DRC on some several
thousand soldiers among a total of 14,000 to 15,000 Congolese who have entered
the country in recent weeks. Members of the UN Security Council on Monday warned
that the arrival of the Congolese, some of them armed, threatened to destabilise
a fragile situation in Bangui and throughout the country. It called on all concerned
to respect the civilian and humanitarian nature of refugee camps.
BOUCHE (colonial history, social conditions, demography, geography, etc.)
Bouche, Denise. Les Villages de la liberté en Afrique noire française, 1887-1910. Mouton-EPHE, 1968. 278p.
BOUCHER, Mgr.
Boucher, Mgr. A. Au Congo Français. Les Missions Catholiques. (Voyage nov. 1924 à mars 1925). Paris: Tequi, 1928. 206p.
BOUCHER, R. (human rights)
Boucher, Richard. "Department statements - State Department's position
on Latin America, Cuba, Nagorno-Karabakh, Central African Republic and France;
statements by Deputy Spokesperson Richard Boucher - Transcript." US Department
of State Dispatch, August 10, 1992. Statement released by the Office of the
Assistant Secretaty/Spokesman, Statement by Department Deputy Spokesman Richard
Boucher, Washington, DC, August 4, 1992.
BOUCHER
Boucher (administrator). Monographie de la Lobaye. ???: 1934. Cited by Kalck
and listed in Banville, 1991.
Boucher. Colonie de l'Oubangui-Chari, Circonscription du Dar el-Kouti Oriental.
Mémoire, Bibl. Institut d'Etud. Afric. Brazzaville, 1934.
BOUCHERON
Jean-Michel Boucheron, Socialist chairman of the French National Assembly's
defense commission
1989 November
A delegation led by the chairman of the [French] Assemblée Nationale
defense commission, the Socialist Jean-Michel Boucheron, visited Bangui in November
[1989]. Accompanied by five other deputies and a senior army official, the team
was reviewing the role of French forces based in the CAR. Their role, particularly
that of the forces at Bouar, is principally to act as a rapid strike force and
back-up for French forces which helped to keep Hissène Habré in
power in Chad. Now that mediators [such as Omar Bongo of Gabon?] are attempting
to reach a lasting settlement between Chad and Libya, the French role in the
CAR may seem less important. Until recently a gearing down of the French military
presence would have been welcomed by President Kolingba, who has been worried
that being seen as a French stooge might weaken his local popularity. Yet the
threat posed by the Zar[a]guina unrest and a spill over of the bitter Sudanese
civil war may make him more amendable to maintaining the French presence at
its current strength. (EIU Country Report, "Central African Republic,"
1st Quarter 1990, p. 25)
BOUCHIA (literature)
Bouchia, François. Les fanatiques. n.d. 30p.
BOUDET
Audru, J. and G. Boudet. Pâturages de la zone sud de la République Centrafricaine + carte à 1/50 000 du Ranch de Gomoko. I.E.M.V.T. Maisons Alfort, 1964. 213p. multigr.
BOULVERT (botany, geography, urbanization, history, etc.) Cf. ORSTOM
Boulvert, Yves. Bangui 1889-1989, points de vue et témoignages (Bangui 1889-1989, points of view and eye-witness accounts). Paris: Ministère de la coopération et du développement et Sépia, 1989. 310p.
Boulvert, Yves. Aperçu bibliographique sur l’évolution et la population du Centrafrique et de sa capitale Bangui (A bibliographical survey of population growth in Central Africa and its capital Bangui). Bangui: ORSTOM, 1989. 10p.
Boulvert, Yves. Catalogue de la Flore de Centrafrique. Ecologie
sommaire. Distribution (texte provisoire). Bangui: ORSTOM, 1977.
Tome 1 : Forêt dense et galeries forstièes, 114 p. multigr.
Tome 2: Strate herbacée des savanes:
1ere partie -Dicotylédones, 84 p. multigr.
2e partie - Monocotylédones, Ptéridophytes, Bryophytes, 94 p.
multigr.
Tome 3: Strate ligneuse des savane, 89 p. multigr. + cartes de répartition.
Boulvert, Yves. Note sur la découverte scientifique de la Centrafrique. Une erreur à corriger: le cours amot du Chari n'est ni le Bamingui, ni l'Aouk, mais l'Ouham-Bahr-Sara. (A comment on the scientific discovery of Central Africa. An error to ne corrected: the true upper course of the Shari is neither the Bamingui nor the Aouk, but the Ouham-Bar-Sara). Bondy, France: MRP, ORSROM, 1982.
Boulvert, Yves. Note sur la découverte scientifique de la Centrafrique. Une erreur à corriger: la massif des Bongo 1400m. (A comment on the scientific discovery of Central Africa. An error to be corrected: the Bongo massif 1400m.) Bondy, France: MRP, ORSTOM, 1982.
Boulvert, Yves. Note morphologique sur l'interfluve Congo-Nil. (A morphological comment on the Congo-Nile interfluve). Bondy, France: MRP,ORSTOM, 1982.
Boulvert, Yves. Aplanissements en Afrique centrale. Relations avec le cuirassement, la techique, le bioclimat. Problèmes posés des connaissances. (The levelling process in Central Africa: its connection with hardening, technics and the bio-climate: problems and the present state of knowledge). Bulletin de L'Association géographique française, 1985.
Boulvert, Yves. Contribution à l'étude du milieu
naturel centrafricain. Exploitation et corrélation des données
obtenues par photo-interpretation, télédéction et trauvaux
de terrain our la réalisation des cartes pédologies, phyto-géographiques
et géomorpho-logiques à 1/1,000,000 de la République. (A
contribution to the study of the natural environment of Central Africa. The
exploitation and coorealation obtained by photo-interpretation, teledetection
and field work in order to produce pedological, phyto-geographical and geomorphological
maps of 1:1,000,000 of the CAR). Bangui: Centre ORSTOM, 1990.
Available on the Internet : http://www.bondy.ird.fr/pleins_textes/pleins_textes_5/b_fdi_31-32/35388.pdf
Boulvert, Yves. Quelques réflexions à l’occasion de la publication d’un article sur la ville de Bangui (Some reflections on the publication of an article about the town of Bangui). Bondy, France: ORSTOM, 1986. 12p.
Boulvert, Yves. Cartes Pedologiques de l'Ouham, République Centrafricaine. Bangui: ORSTOM, 1975. Printed in Paris: Copédith, 7 rue des Ardennes.
Boulvert, Yves. "Le site de Bangui-Zongo." Bondy: ORSTOM, 1983. 3p. 2 maps.
Boulvert, Yves. « Le Centrafrique au seuil du troisième millénaire : essai synthétique de géographie physique économique et humaine : bilan » par Yves Boulvert in La Géographi : acta geographica, no. 131, 2002/III, p. 46-68.
Boulvert, Yves. « Quelques réflexions sur les difficultés et les possibilités de la cartographie thématique. L’exemple des cartes de Centrafrique dressées 11200 000 et 111 000 000. » Note d’information. http://www.bondy.ird.fr/pleins_textes/cahiers/PTP/3256.PDF
BOUQUIAUX
Bouquiaux, Luc, Jean-Marie Kobozo, & Marcel Diki-Kidiri. Dictionnaire sango-français, Bakari sango-faranzi, et lexique français-sango, kete-bakari faranzi-sango. Paris: Société d'Etudes linguistics et anthropologiques de France, 1978.
Bouquiaux, Luc. "Le peuplement oubanguien: hypothèses de reconstruction des mouvements migratoires dans la région oubanguienne." In L'Expansion Bantoue, ed. by Luc Bouquiaux. Paris: SELAF, Vol. 2, 1980, pp. 807-824.
Bouquiaux, Luc, ed. L'Expansion Bantoue. 2 Vol. Paris: SELAF, 1980.
BOURGET
Bourget, M. Merveilleux pays, République Centrafricaine. Versailles: Debroisse, 1968.
BOURIQUET
Bouriquet, Gilbert. "La culture du vanillier hors des ses zones traditionelles." Cah. la Maboke, 1, 1 (1963):33-41.
BOURKE
Bourke, Elizabeth Ann. An evaluation of the current and potential economic status of the rice centres of Bozoum and Sakaye in the Central African Republic. 1984.
BOURGEOIS
Bourgeois, Henri. Walipana: carnets d'un fils de l'école de la République au service d'un empire qui se mourait. Antony: 17 Av. de la Marquise-du-Deffand, 92160, 1997.
BOURGUIGNON
Bourguignon, G. "Contribution à l'étude des rites secrets des gazas de l'Oubangui." Congo (Brussels), 2, 4 (1930):499-506.
BOUSCAYROL
Bouscayrol, René. "Rapport politique Lobaye 1949. Mbaiki, 25 février 1950." Archives de la Sous-Préfecture de Mongoumba (R.C.A.), 51 pp. 1 map.
BOURDARIE
Bourdarie, Paul. "La Mission Liotard, Marchand, de Bonchamp
et la question du Nil." Armée et Marine. (1899). Renseignements
coloniaux du bulletin du C.A.F. (1903):161-193.
Bourdarie, Paul. « Au Congo français. Organisation et perception
de l’impôt. La mission Bobichon », BCAT, 1906 : 50-57.
Bourdarie, Paul. « Mpoko et la Haute-Sangha », Revue indigène
(1908) :43-51.
BOURGET Cf. CUYPERS
BOUSSARD (economics)
Boussard, Claude. Les Industries Centrafricaines. Etudes et statistiques... ???:1970.
BOUTEILLIER
Bouteillier, G. Les Concessions et le Congo Français. Albi: Imprimerie Pezous, 1903.
BOUT
Victor Bout
Bangui serves as a vital platform for criminal networks arming a variety of
rebel groups in Africa and elsewhere. These networks may profit occasionally
from diamonds although this is not their primary business. One such network
was run by Victor Bout (alias Butt), a renowned arms trafficker who has supplied
UNITA and the MLC in central Africa, the Liberian government in violation of
UN sanctions, as well as armed groups in Afghanistan. The CAR authorities brought
a court case against 'Victor Butt' (sic) in June 2000, charging him with numerous
cases of fraudulent aircraft registration, and calling for an international
arrest warrant. Additional arrest warrants have been issued, one in Belgium
in 2002. Bout is said to have run Centrafricain Airlines with Ronald de Smet,
who was also the director and CEO of Trans Aviation Network Group with Bout
in Belgium, according to the company's founding documents in 1995.
BOUTIN (agriculture, flora)
Boutin, Michael E. 2002. "Casava: an annotated bibliography." SIL Electronic Working Papers 2003-001. http://www.sil.org/silewp/abstract.asp?ref=2003-001.
BOUTIN
Lieutenant Boutin, French administrator of the Panaland region in 1931
The natives [Pana people], commanded by a fetisher...forbids all the chiefs to submit [to French rule]. Those who do not listen are the object of reprisals and bands of pillagers (pillards), who leave the mountains of the Panas... [and] attack the villages which have submitted, burning their huts, carrying away their women, children to leading them into captivity... Due to the uncertainty they live in, the natives hide their women, their children, their cattle... the prudence of the natives, which makes them avoid all combat with the pillards, fortunately prevents deaths, casualties, and [the taking of] prisoners. ("Rapport Boutin," 1 February 1931, cited in Françoise Nozati, Les Pana de Centrafrique, p. 234 [Trans. Bradshaw]).
All impregnated as they were with a magical mentality, the villagers, when fighting with the army, could not but realize the paralysis of the powers of their prophets; legends were born after the facts. At the time, the exploded head of Mbaybela was enough to prove the absurdity of the belief that bullets were transformed into water. Lieutenant Boutin pretended that his compatriots - horrified by what they had just seen and heard... had refused to let Mbaybela hide in the caves. (Nozati, Les Pana de Centrafrique, p. 236 [Trans. Bradshaw].
BOUTRAIS (1941-)
Boutrais, Jean. Des Peuls en savanes humides: développement pastoral dans l'Ouest centrafricain. Paris : Ed. de l'ORSTOM, 1988. 383p. illus. Printer: ORSTOM, 92-Bondy. Collection: Études et thèses, Institut français de recherche scientifique pour le développement en coopération, ISSN 0767-2888.
BOUYGUES DRAGAGES CAMEROUN
French businessmen complain that payment delays are making it difficult to continue with certain project contracts. In June [1989] Bouygues Dragages Cameroun, an affiliate of the large French construction group, had still received no payments from the government for work begun on Bangui hospital in September 1998. The problem is that the African Development Bank (ADB) is only paying 75 per cent of the hospital's cost, and the government has to find the balance. Anothr sign of the payment problems is that France's export credit insurance agency Coface disbursed more than three times as much in claims on unpaid sales to the country in 1988 as it earned in premiums on new contracts. As a result, Coface is now refusing to insure any new public sector contracts, except those which are financed internationally. If foreign suppliers are feeling the strain in this way, then the payment pressure on local private sector suppliers, who rely heavily on government business, must be even greater. (EIU Country Report, "Central African Republic," 4th Quarter 1989, p. 23)
BOUVRESSE
Bouvresse, Marie-Odile. Bibliographie de la République Centrafricaine.
Bangui: 1975.
Bouvresse, Marie-Odile. "Coopération ou Dépendence: L'exemple
de la coopération culturelle Franco-Centrafricaine. Aix: Thèse
de Droit, 1982. 158p.
BOYD
Boyd, Raymond. “Adamawa-Ubangi.” In J. Bendor-Samuel,
ed. The Niger-Congo Languages. New York: University Press of America. 1989.
Boyd, Raymond. "Etudes zandé (langue oubanguienne, dialecte de la
République centrafricaine). Thèse de 3ème cycle, Université
de Paris V, 1980.
Boyd, Raymond. “Le kpatiri ou gbayi, une nouvelle langue du groupe ngbandi,”
In Y. Moñino, ed. Lexque comparatif des langues oubanguienne. Paris:
Laboratoire de langues et civilisations à tradition orale. 1988.
Boyd, S., P. Andersson and C. Thornell. “Patterns of incorporations of
lexemes in language contact: language typology or sociolinguistics.” In
Papers for the Symposium on Code-switching in Bilingual societies, Theory, Significance
and Perspective 2. Strasbourg: ESF Scientific Networks. 1991.
BOYKOTA-ZOUKETIA
...the former Director-General of SOCATEL, M. Joseph Boykota-Zouketia... former MLPC deputy was named director of the project, Modernization and Extension of the Telephone Network (Modernisation et Extension du Réseau Téléphonique, MERT) on 13 December 1983, during Kolingba's rule. This project, which cost 6 billion CFA, was financed by BAD, BDEAC and the Caisse Centrale de Coopération Française, become the Agence Française de Développement. The project MERT finished ten months before its projected date and there was 1.5 billion CFA left over. The director of MERT, M. Boykota-Zouketia who managed, at that time, the interests of France Cable Radio, made a report of the work completed and sent it to the Minister of Finance, Mr. Dieudonné Ouazoua. Today he is accused of having embezzled public funds... of [the communications company] SOCATEL without any proof being presented. (M. MCN. "Centrafrique: Les Coups d'Etat Imaginaires Gâtent la Transition." Le Confident, 3 August 2004). [trans. Bradshaw]
BOYELDIEU (1948) (languages, anthropology, vie social, etc.)
Boyeldieu, P. “Structures sociales et particularismes linguistiques en pays de langue ngbandi.” In P. Boyeldieu & M. Diki-Kidiri, eds. Le domaine ngbandi. Paris: Société d’études linguistiques et anthropologiques de France. 1982.
Boyeldieu, Pascal. Les Langues fer ("kara") et yulu du Nord centrafricain: esquisses descriptives et lexiques. Pub. par le Département Langues et parole en Afrique centrale du Laboratoire de langues et civilisations à tradition orale. Paris : P. Geuthner, 1987. 280p. Bibliogr. pp. 273-275. Printer, Impr. de la Manutention, 53-Mayenne.
Boyeldieu, Pascal. "Phonologie du Yakoma." In Problèmes de Phonologie. Paris: SELAF, ???, pp. 11-72.
Boyeldieu, Pascal. Etudes Yakoma, Langue du groupe oubanguien (R.C.A.). Paris: SELAF, 1975.
Boyeldieu, P. and M. Diki-Kidiri. “Le groupe ngbandi-sango-kpatiri.” In Y. Moñino, ed. Lexique comparatif des langues oubanguienne. Paris: Laboratorie de langues et civilisations à tradition orale, 1988.
Boyeldieu, Pascal and France Cloarec-Heiss. "Dialectométrie lexicale dans le domaine oubanguien." In G. Guarisma and W. Möhlig, eds. La méthode dialectométrique appliquéé aux languages africaines. Berlin: Dietrich Reimer Verlag, 1987, pp. 331-393.
BOYER
Boyer, J. and A. Combeau. "Etude de la stabilité structurale de quelques sols ferralitiques de République Centrafricaine." Sols Africains, 1 (1960):??
Boyer, Lentz and Wesneat. "Etudes des marchés de Bangui: rapport final." Projet de Développement des Entreprises Rurales. Bangui: A.F.R.I.C.A.R.E., 1991.
BOYER D'AGEN
Boyer d'Agen. "Victor Liotard." Le monde illustré (Paris). (22 octobre 1898):324.
BOZANGA Cf. DIALOGUE NATIONAL CENTAFRICAIN
Webmaster Serge Simon Bozanga http://dialogue.national.free.fr/
Note: This "National Dialogue" took place from 9 September to 15 October
Pendant près d'un mois les protagonistes de la «chose
politique» débattront des orientations politiques, économiques
et sociales de notre pays. Pareille réunion semble être devenue
un rituel. Déjà en 1980, ce fût le «Séminaire
National»; puis «Le Grand Débat National» en 1992 et
plus tard «les réunions du Comité de Concertation»
entre 1996 et 1997, et en 1998 «la Conférence de Réconciliation
Nationale».
(http://dialogue.national.free.fr/)
Bozanga, Serge Simon. "LES CENTRAFRICAINS SOUS L’
ARBRE A PALABRE"
Depuis le 9 Septembre 2003, le Dialogue National Centrafricain a été
ouvert officiellement par le Président de la République, le Général
François BOZIZE.
Cette nouvelle rencontre sous l’ arbre à palabre centrafricain,
l’ Assemblée National, donne l’ occasion à toutes
les filles et fils du pays d’ exorciser le mal centrafricain qui gangrène
notre pays depuis l’ indépendance acquise le 13 Août 1960.
Les recommandations ainsi que leurs applications permettront la reconstruction
effective des fondations de la maison Centrafrique sur lesquelles seront bâtis
l’ Unité, la Paix, la Démocratie et le Développement
économique et Social.
Une fois de plus nous, Centrafricains, nous recourons au Dialogue et à
la concertation pour trouver des solutions aux différentes crises politiques,
politico-militaires et économiques et sociales qui nous ont secouées
ces deux dernières décennies.
Rappelons nous par exemple :
- du Séminaire National en décembre 1980 ;
- du Grand Débat National en 1992
- des Réunions pour la mise en place du Protocole d’ Accord Politique
et du Programme Minimum Commun en 1996
- de la Réunion du Comité de concertation et de Dialogue en Janvier
1997
- de la Conférence de Réconciliation en 1998.
Les questions suivantes s’ imposent donc tout naturellement à nous
:
Pourquoi toutes ces différentes rencontres n’ ont elles pas été
couronnées de succès ?
Comment expliquer l’ échec puis la descente progressive de notre
pays aux enfers sous nos regards amorphes et complices ?
Est-ce que l’ irresponsabilité, l’ hypocrisie, la démagogie,
l’ égoïsme, le tribalisme, la course au pouvoir ou le maintient
au pouvoir par la force et la haine ethnique ont pris le pas sur les nombreuses
bonnes résolutions émises et les poignées de main de réconciliation
serrées à la fin de toutes ces rencontres ?
A nous de trouver les vraies réponses à ces questions pour que
cette nouvelle concertation puisse porter ses fruits et permettre ainsi à
la République Centrafricaine de sortir du cercle vicieux et infernal
des crises à répétition.
Notons que le Dialogue National qui se déroule actuellement a été
réclamé depuis ces dernières années par toutes les
composantes de la nation Centrafricaine. Elles l’ ont fait savoir au président
déchu M. Patassé par diverses manifestations pacifiques dans les
rues, lors des meetings et des journées villes mortes. Malheureusement,
ce dernier, fit la sourde oreille aux demandes pressantes de ces compatriotes.
C’ est ainsi que, venant au secours des voix qui s’ exprimaient
dans les rues, la voix des armes s’est faite entendre plus insistante
à partir du 25 octobre 2002 par l’ intermédiaire du Général
François BOZIZE, rentré en rébellion depuis novembre 2001
contre la régime dictatorial de Patassé.
Comme il le dira dans son appel depuis Paris : « c’est pour contraindre
le Président Patassé à dialoguer afin de sortir notre pays
du chaos et de le remettre sur les rails .»
Ce n’est qu’au bout du canon que Patassé acceptera d' initier
le Dialogue National. Malheureusement pour lui le Conseil National de Transition
a décidé de sa non participation à ses assises à
cause des poursuites judiciaires dont il fait l’ objet. Toutefois il est
libre de rentrer en Centrafrique conscient que la justice centrafricaine fera
son travail.
Après avoir mis en place les institutions de la Transition, le Président
de la République, le Général François BOZIZE a lancé
officiellement le Dialogue National qui figure en bonne place dans le processus
de la Transition consensuelle qu’ il dirige depuis le 15 Mars 2003.
Les délégués qui participent à ces assises auront
deux rôles à jouer :
Celui de médecin et plus tard celui de patient .
Médecin parce que les délégués devront d’abord
diagnostiquer l’état de santé de notre pays et chercher
à comprendre pourquoi nous en sommes arrivés là et ensuite
recommander la thérapeutique nécessaire à appliquer pour
son rétablissement.
Patient parce qu’ il nous appartiendra, nous Centrafricains, d’
appliquer les recommandations que nous aurons prises lors de ces assises du
Dialogue National pour permettre la Renaissance de notre cher et beau pays.
Il serait dommage que toutes ces bonnes intentions finissent, comme les précédentes,
au fond d’ un tiroir, couvertes de poussière et qu’on exhumera
pour une énième rencontre.
Les trois cent cinquante (350) délégués sont répartis
au sein de six commissions que sont :
I – Commission Vérité et Réconciliation.
II – Commission Politique et Diplomatie.
III – Commission Défense et Sécurité.
IV – Commission Economie et Finances.
V – Commission Education social, Culture, Jeunesse et Sports.
VI – Commission Organisation et Logistique.
En visitant le site du Dialogue National vous trouverez les informations concernant
les Commissions, les travaux en plénières, des documents de travail,
les discours, photos ainsi que les propositions et les recommandations.
Le site Internet du Dialogue National permettra non seulement de conserver tout
l’ énorme travail qui aura été produit, lors de ses
assises, par les délégués et les experts, mais aussi d’
être consulter à tout moment.
Les mises à jour du site se feront progressivement, en fonction de l’obtention
des documents officiels.
L’ avenir se construit aujourd’hui en tenant compte du passé.Une
fois de plus nous, centrafricains, nous avons donc rendez-vous avec notre histoire.
Affrontons notre passé, notre histoire avec courage en toute responsabilité
et avec un désintéressement total.
Les pays voisins, l’Afrique toute entière et la communauté
international nous observent. La réussite du Dialogue National Centrafricain
peut servir d’exemple en cas de réussite ou de leçons en
cas d’ échec.
Notre vœux à tous, centrafricaines et centrafricains, est que cette
nouvelle concertation, sous notre arbre à palabre, à travers le
Dialogue National, nous offre l’ occasion de nous réconcilier,
de rester unis, d’ être revigorer pour travailler à la reconstruction
de la maison Centrafrique.
C’ est maintenant le moment propice pour qu’ensemble nous écrivons
les nouvelles pages de l’ histoire de la République Centrafricaine.
Nous sommes convaincus que nos vœux, nos convictions, nos efforts sincères
et inlassables créeront les conditions nécessaires à l'
avènement d' une nouvelle ère de Paix, de Justice de Démocratie
et de Développement Economique et Social dans notre pays la République
Centrafricaine. (Serge Simon BOZANGA)
BOZIZE Cf. PATASSÉ, DIALLO, DOKOSSI, MABOUA, MBAIKOUA
Gen. Bozize, president of the CAR in 2003, minister of information who supported
Patassé's coup attempt in 1982, etc.
1987
On September 25 [1987] François Dougbia, a local teacher, was arrested
in Bangui on similar charges and accused of having six kg of explosives in his
possession. Rumours linking Mr Dougbia to Libyan intelligence have been interpreted
in some quarters as an attempt by the president to curry favour with France
and the USA. 50 followers of General François Bozize, the leader of the
banned Mouvement Centrafricain pour la Libération Nationale, who is alleged
to have joined Libya's Islamic Legion, are in prison in Bangui. General Bozize,
a member of the Gbaya ethnic group, as well as Idi Lala, another opposition
leader, are in exile in Libya, but little, if any, Libyan activity appears to
exist in Gbaya areas of the CAR. (EIU Country Report, "Central African
Republic," 1st Quarter 1988, p. 20)
1988
... the day after his return from France [in February 1988, President Kolingba]
appointed Colonel Yambhala the president of the High Court in Bangui. Paris
sources suggest that the Colonel [Yambhala] had sought unsuccessfully to persuade
General Bozize, the organizer of a coup attempt in 1982 and now exiled leader
of the Tripoli based Mouvement Centrafricain pour la Libération Nationale
(MCLN), to return to Bangui. Taken in conjunction with President Kolingba's
rumoured contacts with another MCLN leader, Idi Lala, this would appear to indicate
that French policy is to create a broader ethnic and political base within the
ruling circles in the CAR. The French government seemed determined to remind
the president [Kolingba] of the value of close ties with Paris. It is significant
that the visit was proposed after French officials learnt that the president
was planning trips to China and Israel. The proposed China trip was later abandoned.
(EIU Country Report, "Central African Republic," 2nd Quarter 1988,
p. 20)
1990
General Bozize is president of the Rassemblement Populaire pour la Reconstruction
de Centrafrique (RPRC). In the past he [was] linked with both Libya and with
the Mouvement Centrafricain pour la Libération Nationale (MCLN). In early
September [1990] he managed to get a handwritten letter telling of his arrest
[in Benin] to the Abidjan correspondent of Radio France Internationale. The
made clear that six other members of the RPRC had [also] been arrested in Benin,
as well as five members of another opposition group, the Front Patriotique Oubanguien-Parti
du Travail (FPO-PT), led by Abel Goumba. (EIU Country Report, "Central
African Republic," 1st Quarter 1990, p. 22)
President Kolingba's personal adviser Octave Oudegbe, himself of Beninois origin and rumoured to be a distant kinsman of President Kérékou, is said to have negotiated the extradition [of Bozize and other opposition leaders in Benin to the CAR]. Central African dissidents claim that General Bozize's movement had been infiltrated by the Kolingba's secret agents. They supposedly discovered that the group had hired two elite men to help in a coup attempt. Paris sources suggest that Zaire's President Mobutu Sese Seko, who is close to President Kolingba, sent an army Hercules transport plane to Cotonou to deliver the prisoners, to Central Africa's autonomous armoured unit (EBA) in Bangui, which is dominated by the president's own Yakoma tribe. (EIU Country Report, "Central African Republic," 1st Quarter 1990, p. 23)
Jones, Lucy. "Profile of Francois Bozize." BBC News Online, 16 March 2003, news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/africa/2854669.stm
An intellectual and reportedly deeply religious man, he is
also no stranger to coups.
During the military dictatorship of Andre Kolingba from 1981 to 1993 he was
an opposition figure, leading an unsuccessful coup attempt in 1983. He suffered
grotesque torture at the hands of officials and, like President Ange-Felix Patasse,
spent many years in exile in Togo. Indeed, it was during his time in exile that
he is thought to have formed a strong relationship with the president.
Ambition
For many years, he was considered a staunch supporter of Mr Patasse and help
him rebuff rebels during the mutinies which plagued the country in 1996 and
1997. But the short, pot-bellied general has always had political ambition;
he stood for president in the country's first democratic elections in 1993,
but lost against Mr Patasse. It was perhaps for this reason that he was suspected
of being involved in a coup attempt in May 2001 which was put down with the
help of Libyan troops. The much-feared investigation commission into the rebellion
ordered Mr Bozize to answer questions. He refused and in November 2001 took
over control of the north of Bangui before fleeing to Chad with about 300 supporters.
He stayed there for much of 2002; there were reports that his men launched several
attacks on the CAR from Chad and were responsible for looting and banditry.
Then, in October 2002, his supporters launched an attack on the capital. But
they were driven back to the north of the country by the army supported by reinforcements
from Libya and a Congolese rebel group - the Movement for the Liberation of
Congo (MLC) which controls the north of the Democratic Republic of Congo. Mr
Patasse accused Chad of backing the rebels - a charge his Chadian counterpart,
Idriss Deby, denies. Observers always expected Mr Bozize to return.
Supporters
Many people have been anxiously awaiting his arrival, hoping he would be able
to sort out the country's severe economic crisis. Civil servants and the army
have not been paid for months and negotiations for a long-anticipated World
Bank loan recently stalled. Mr Bozize is also widely-respected for being a simple
man and could often be seen chugging around Bangui in a battered Citron car
waving to people he knew. Reports of people dancing on the streets suggest the
"new president", as General Bozize's spokesman referred to him on
national radio this Sunday, is welcome. What happens politically remains to
be seen. Mr Bozize is from the north - like Mr Patasse - so splits his former
ally's power base. The support of the army will be crucial, although so far
Mr Bozize's supporters have met very little resistance.
"Central African Republic commits to Kimberley process." Israel Diamonds, August, 2003. www.findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_hb3015/is_200308/ai_n7661570
The Central African Republic has pledged its commitment to the Kimberley Process, said the country's new leader, General Francois Bozize who rose to power following a military coup on [15 March 2003]. Speaking to a conference on the country's mining industry, Bozize said, "The Central African Republic is committed to the Kimberley Process and agrees to abide by it." Since coming to power, Bozize has committed himself to restoring the weak economy of the Central African Republic. ("Central African Republic commits to Kimberley process." Israel Diamonds, August, 2003. www.findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_hb3015/is_200308/ai_n7661570)
A coup d'état was attempted by Patassé's supporters on 3 March
[1982]. Gen. Bozize, Minister of Information and a supporter of Patassé,
went to the radio to accuse Kolingba of treason, and called for resistance against
an attempt by the Deputy Chief of Staff, Col Diallo, to take over the government
with the backing of Zaire. (A frequent theme of Patassé's is that Mobutu
supports the tribes of the Chari [sic: should be Ubangi River area - such as
Kolingba's Yakoma and Diallo's M'Baka [Ngbaka] - against the Northern tribes.)
This allegation was shortly denied by Diallo himself, and Kolingba replied in
a speech in which he recalled the reasons for the military takeover and appealed
for calm. Demonstrations and riots followed, during which Patassé's supporters
erected barricades in the streets of Bangui. Three to five people were killed,
30 wounded and c. 100 arrested. No firm basis of support for the coup appeared
to exist, and it was crushed in a few hours. When a call for a general strike
on 5 March was not heeded, the coup leaders fled in the immediate aftermath
of the events. The authorities tried to play down the whole affair. No curfew
or other special measure was introduced, while the purging of conspirators from
the government was described as a "slight reshuffle." Two main instigators,
Bozize and Gen. Mbaikoua (Justice), lost their posts, as did two others - Lt.
Col Dokossi (Industry and Commerce) and Major Maboua (Economy and Finance).
(ACR, 1983, B350-351)
2005
"CAR gets multimillion euro French aid." PanaPress, 1 July 2005. www.panapress.com/paysindexlat.asp
France plans to grant an additional four million euro in financial aid to the
Central African Republic whose President François Bozize Monday began
a weeklong working visit to Paris, official sources said here. (www.panapress.com/paysindexlat.asp)
Central African Republic elections, 2005 (From Wikipedia).
Presidential and parliamentary elections were held in the Central African Republic
on March 13, 2005 (first round) and May 8, 2005 (second round), marking the
end of the transitional process that began with the seizure of power by François
Bozizé in a March 2003 coup. Bozizé ran in the election in an
attempt to win a five-year term after two years as transitional leader, and
ten other candidates also ran. Former president Ange-Félix Patassé,
who was overthrown by Bozizé, was excluded from running. In the concurrent
parliamentary elections, the 105 seats in the new parliament were contested.
The elections, the country's first since a victory by Patassé in the
September 1999 presidential election, followed a new constitution that took
effect in late December 2004, having been approved by the people in a referendum.
A run-off election between Bozizé, who won the most votes in the first
round according to official results, and Martin Ziguélé, a former
prime minister under Patassé, was held, and Bozizé won this second
round with 64.6 % of the vote. He was inaugurated on June 11.
Contents
[hide]
• 1 Date of the election
• 2 Candidates
• 3 Events and controversy
• 4 First round aftermath
• 5 Second round
• 6 Official results
o 6.1 Presidential Election
o 6.2 Legislative Election
• 7 References Date of the election
A specific date for the elections, previously planned for December 2004 or January
2005, was announced on August 28, 2004: January 30, 2005, with a run-off date
of February 27.1 The elections were, however, subsequently delayed to February
13 by a decree of president Bozizé in mid-December 2004. [1] In late
January 2005, they were delayed further by one month to March 13.2 They were
held on this date, and the second round of the elections, initially scheduled
for May 1, took place on May 8.
François Bozizé
After taking power with the seizure of the capital, Bangui, on March 15, 2003,
Bozizé said that his rule would mark a transitional period prior to future
elections, and he initially indicated that he would not run for president in
those elections. In 2004, however, speculation increased that he intended to
run, and many of his supporters called on him to stand in the election. Eventually,
following a referendum on a new constitution on December 5, 2004, Bozizé
announced his candidacy in the presidential election as an independent candidate
on December 11, 2004, while speaking to supporters. He cited what he considered
the will of the people in his decision:
After thinking thoroughly, and being deeply convinced and keeping in mind the
nation's interest, I grasped the deep sense of my people's calls. As a citizen,
I'll take my responsibility.
I'll contest the election to achieve the task of rebuilding the country, which
is dear to me and according to your wish.3
Ten other candidates also contested the presidential election, including one
former president and three former prime ministers. André Kolingba, who
ruled the Central African Republic from 1981 until his defeat by Ange-Félix
Patassé in the 1993 election, was the candidate of the Central African
Democratic Rally (Rassemblement démocratique centrafricain). He came
in second in the September 1999 election, although Patassé defeated him
by a wide margin. The elderly Abel Goumba also ran as the candidate of the Patriotic
Front for Progress (Front patriotique pour le progrès); a long-time politician,
he served as prime minister in the late 1950s and again from March to December
2003, following Bozizé's seizure of power, subsequently becoming vice-president
under Bozizé until being dismissed shortly after the election. Additionally,
Martin Ziguélé, who was prime minister from 2001 to 2003 (Patassé's
last prime minister prior to his ouster), contested the election, along with
Jean-Paul Ngoupandé of the National Unity Party (Parti de l'unité
nationale), who was prime minister from 1996 to 1997.
The other candidates were former defense minister Jean-Jacques Démafouth,
the lawyer Henri Pouzère, Charles Massi of the Democratic Forum for Modernity
(Forum démocratique pour la modernité), Olivier Gabirault of the
Alliance for Democracy and Progress (l'Alliance pour la démocratie et
le progrès), Auguste Boukanga of the Union for Renewal and Development
(l'Union pour la Renaissance et le développement) and Pasteur Josué
Binoua.
Events and controversy
In late March 2004, the National Transitional Council voted by a large majority
in favor of a bill setting up a body to oversee the planned elections, the Commission
électorale mixte indépendante (CEMI), which was initially planned
to have 45 to 60 members. [2] This was re-examined by National Transitional
Council at the government's request in April 2004, and on April 30, Bozizé
issued the decree promulgating it. On May 24, 2004, Bozizé approved 30
members of CEMI who had been chosen by three groups: political parties, professional
groups, and the national administration. Each of these three groups chose 10
of the members, although the country's 44 parties took some time to reach a
compromise on who should be their 10 members.4 The 31st and last member of CEMI,
its president, was not named at this time, however. The 30 members were sworn
in on June 4. Jean Willybiro-Sako was subsequently chosen as president of the
commission, selected out of four candidates, two of whom were nominated by the
prime minister and two by the president of the National Transitional Council.
Earlier in the year, Alpha Oumar Konaré, the chairman of the commission
of the African Union and former president of Mali, reportedly urged Bozizé
not to stand for election. Bozizé gave an interview to Radio France Internationale
on May 17 in which he refused to say whether or not he would run, but he confirmed
that Konaré had spoken to him about it, while criticizing Konaré
for what he called interference in the country's affairs, and wondering whether
he had consulted the opinions of the Central African people before getting involved.
He stressed that the matter would depend on the will of the people. Some of
his supporters campaigned prominently for him to stand. Thousands walked in
Bangui on June 19 to support his candidacy; Bozizé thanked them and asked
for time to reflect. [3]
An electoral census was conducted from October 16 to October 29, 2004; it was
initially planned to end on October 24 but was extended for several days.
In November 2004, former president Ange-Félix Patassé, who presently
lives in exile in Togo following his 2003 ouster by Bozizé, was nominated
as the presidential candidate of his party, the Movement for the Liberation
of the Central African People (Mouvement pour la Libération du Peuple
Centrafricain, MLPC).5 In December, Abel Goumba and Henri Pouzère submitted
applications to run.6
On December 30, the transitional constitutional court decided that all but five
candidates—Bozizé, André Kolingba, Abel Goumba, Henri Pouzère,
and former minister Auguste Boukanga—would be excluded from running for
various reasons. Patassé was among the seven who were barred, which the
court said was due to problems with his birth certificate, as well as with his
land title.7 In rejecting the candidacy of Jean-Jacques Démafouth, it
said that there was a conflict between the date of birth given on his birth
certificate (October 3, 1950) and that given in his declaration of candidacy
and criminal record (October 3, 1959). [4] The other candidates who were rejected
were Martin Ziguélé, Jean-Paul Ngoupandé, Charles Massi,
Olivier Gabirault, and Pasteur Josué Binoua.7
Prior to the court's decision, three of the 15 initial candidates had already
withdrawn from the race, leaving only 12 candidacies to judge. Fidèle
Gouandjika, who took less than 1% of the vote in the 1999 presidential election,
[5] withdrew in favor of Bozizé about a week before the decision. [6]
Joseph Bendounga, a former mayor of Bangui and an opponent of Bozizé's
transitional government, also withdrew;7 he had been named as a candidate by
his party, the Democratic Movement for Renewal and Development in Central Africa,
in May 2004.8 Enoch Dérant-Lakoué, who was prime minister for
several months in 1993 and took a little more than 1% in the 1999 election,
[7] withdrew as well.7
The court's decision caused controversy and was followed by demands for the
annulment of the decision and the dissolution of the court. Although the chairman
of the court, Marcel Malonga, reaffirmed the decision on state radio on January
3, 2005, Bozizé made a conciliatory gesture on January 4 by announcing
that three of the disqualified candidates would be permitted to run: Jean-Paul
Ngoupandé, Martin Ziguélé, and Charles Massi. In this decision,
he invoked presidential powers available to him according to the new constitution,
citing Article 22.9 At the same time, however, he maintained the exclusion of
the remaining four candidates, and in a reference to Patassé, who is
accused of stealing 70 billion CFA francs from the national treasury, he said
that he thought candidates who were "the subject of judicial proceedings,
for violent and economic crimes, should be permanently rejected".10 This
did not resolve the dispute, however, and the three he approved refused to accept
his validation of their candidacies, accusing Bozizé of trying to divide
the opposition. All seven of the initially barred candidates continued to demand
the dissolution of the court and also put forward a request for the invalidation
of Bozizé's own candidacy.10 For his part, Bozizé sharply criticized
the seven in a speech in the city of Mobaye on January 15, which was carried
on state radio, accusing them of "nothing more or less than sorcery"
and "madness, bad faith, coupled with a dose of misinformation". He
further said that, in contrast to them, his policy "does not aim at destroying
the country, it is not based on violence, lies, betrayal, manipulation or strikes".11
Amidst this tension and controversy, the seven excluded candidates, along with
the originally accepted candidates Kolingba and Goumba, called for the mediation
of Gabonese president Omar Bongo.12 On January 22, the matter was effectively
resolved through the signing by Bozizé and his rivals of an agreement
in Libreville, which allowed all the candidates except Patassé to participate
and brought the total number of candidates to 11.2 According to the agreement,
Patassé would remain barred because he was the subject of judicial proceedings.12
The date of the election was also delayed to March 13, and it was agreed that
the constitutional court would not be dissolved, but that its power regarding
the election would be transferred to the independent election committee.13 Subsequently,
although Patassé rejected the agreement—saying that he had not
authorized Luc Apollinaire Dondon, the first vice-president of the MPLC, to
sign it—the MLPC announced that it would support the candidacy of Ziguélé,13
who had previously been running as an independent. [8]
An official list of candidates, including 11 of them and excluding only Patassé,
was published by the election commission on January 26, following the agreement.14
Elections were also held to fill the 105 seats of the national assembly, whose
members will serve five-year terms. Initially, 261 of 970 candidates were barred
from running by the electoral commission on January 10, but on January 21 a
court ruling permitted 219 of the 261 to run, bringing the number of candidates
to 928. Bozizé's wife Monique was among the 709 candidates who were initially
approved on January 10. [9]
The 2005 election marked the first time that the country's voters used a single
ballot in each of the two polls, presidential and parliamentary, and an awareness
campaign about this was launched on February 2. Previously, a multiple ballot
system had been used in elections. The information campaign continued until
February 26. [10] Subsequently, the campaign for the elections began on the
morning of February 26 and lasted until midnight on March 11. [11]
First round aftermath
Partial results (28.9 % of polling stations, or 1,198 out of 4,145 stations)
from the election on March 18 put Bozizé in the lead with about 55 %
of the votes, according to the election commission: 184,734 out of 334,732 votes
counted were for Bozizé. This was over 140,000 votes more than his nearest
rivals, Ziguélé and Kolingba, who took 12.86 % (43,058 votes)
and 12.65 % (42,374 votes) of the vote respectively.15
The opposition Union of Active Forces of the Nation (l'Union des forces vives
de la Nation, UFVN), a grouping of Bozizé's rivals, has denounced the
elections on the grounds of alleged fraud and irregularities, and it has called
for the elections to be declared null. On the other hand, election observers
have endorsed the vote as free and fair.16
Martin Ziguélé
On March 31, official results were announced: Bozizé came in first with
just under 43 % of the votes, while Ziguélé came in second with
23.5 %. Turnout among voters was said to have been 68.27 %. [12] Since Bozizé
did not win a majority, a second-round presidential vote was required between
him and Ziguélé.
In the parliamentary elections, contested by a total of 909 candidates, 17 of
the 105 seats were won outright in the first round; the remainder will be decided
by the results of the second round. Convergence Kwa Na Kwa, the coalition supporting
Bozizé, did not win any seats in the first round. Among those who did
win seats were Jean-Paul Ngoupandé, also a presidential candidate, and
Mireille Kolingba, the wife of presidential candidate André Kolingba.
Three of the presidential candidates who were defeated in the first round, Abel
Goumba, Charles Massi, and Henri Pouzère, ran in the parliamentary second
round. [13]
Second round
The run-off between Bozizé and Ziguélé, initially scheduled
to take place on May 1, was postponed to May 8. The reason for the postponement
was to avoid interference with the marking of Labour Day on May 1. Campaigning
took place from April 23 to May 6.17
Theoretically, as all the opposition candidates (except Auguste Boukanga) are
part of the UFVN, there was, based on the mathematical results of the first
round, a majority against Bozizé. However, support for Ziguélé
in the UFVN was not unconditional. Josué Binoua refused to endorse either
candidate, [14] while Ngoupandé and Massi backed Bozizé,18 as
well as Goumba. Kolingba, the third place finisher, did not endorse either candidate.
Early results from CEMI on May 12 showed Bozizé with a strong lead. In
Bangui, he was said to have received 103,446 votes, while Ziguélé
took 42,959. He also was credited with 79.5 % of the vote in Ombella-M'Poko
province (where his wife Monique also won the seat she was contesting, constituency
Bimbo 2) and 93.7 % in Lobaye province.19 Subsequently, partial results from
CEMI on May 16 showed Bozizé with slightly more than 60 % of the total
vote, according to results from 1,698 of the country's 4,161 polling stations.
The head of CEMI, Jean Willybiro Sako, said that CEMI had 15 days from the election
to make the final results public, and that the inauguration of the winner would
follow 45 days after the results are proclaimed. [15] (CEMI's mandate will also
come to an end at that time.)
In mid-May, there were riots in Bangui after CEMI said that the speaker of the
transitional parliament (which is being replaced by the current parliamentary
elections), Nicolas Tiangaye, had been narrowly defeated in his constituency
by a candidate of the pro-Bozizé Kwa Na Kwa party. Tiangaye called for
calm among his supporters "to avoid a bloodbath."20
On May 24, Jean Willybiro Sako announced that Bozizé had won the presidential
election with 64.6 % of the vote. [16] Turnout in the second round was 64.63
%, slightly down from the first round. Ziguélé tried to have Bozizé's
victory invalidated, claiming that soldiers had forced or intimidated people
into voting for Bozizé, but this was rejected by the constitutional court.
[17]
In the legislative elections, Kwa Na Kwa won the most seats in the new parliament,
taking 42 out of 105. 34 independent candidates were elected. Ziguélé
and Patassé's party, the MLPC, received only 11 seats, while Kolingba's
party, the RDC, took eight. The Social Democratic Party took four seats, Goumba's
party, the FPP, took two seats, the Alliance for Democracy took two seats, and
the Londo association took one. Goumba and Henri Pouzère lost the races
for the seats they were contesting. [18] The vote for one seat, in the south,
was cancelled due to fraud, and a new vote will have to be held there.
The new parliament met for the first time on June 3. Subsequently it elected
Célestin Gaombalet, the prime minister, as its speaker. He defeated Luc-Apollinaire
Dondon Konamabaye of the MLPC. [19] Bozizé was sworn in on June 11 by
the head of the constitutional court, Marcel Malonga. Gaombalet resigned as
prime minister after Bozizé's inauguration to take up his new post, and
Elie Doté was appointed to replace him. [20]
Official results
Presidential Election
Summary of the 13 March and 8 May 2005 Central African Republic presidential
election resultsedit
Votes
1st round % Votes
2nd round %
François Bozizé (Independent) 382,241
42.97% 610,903
64.60%
Martin Ziguélé (Movement for the Liberation of the Central African
People) 209,357 23.53% 334,716
35.40%
André Kolingba (Central African Democratic Rally) 145,495
16.36% -
-
Jean-Paul Ngoupandé (National Unity Party) 45,182
5.08% -
-
Charles Massi (Democratic Forum for Modernity) 28,618
3.22% -
-
Abel Goumba (Patriotic Front for Progress) 22,297
2.51%
- -
Henri Pouzère (Independent) 18,647
2.10% -
-
Josué Binoua (Independent) 13,559
1.52% -
-
Jean-Jacques Démafouth (Independent) 11,279
1.27% -
-
Auguste Boukanga (Union for Renewal and Democracy) 7,085
0.80% -
-
Olivier Gabirault (Alliance for Democracy and Progress) 5,834
0.66%
- -
Total 889,594 945,619
Invalid votes 57,022 32,111
Total votes 946,616 977,730
Registered voters 1,302,930 1,452,211
Voter turnout 72.7% 67.3%
Source: African Elections Database[edit]
Legislative Election
Summary of the 13 March and 8 May 2005 Central African Republic National Assembly
(Assemblée Nationale) parliamentary election resultsedit
Votes % Seats
National Convergence "Kwa Na Kwa" (Convergence Nationale "Kwa
Na Kwa") 42
Movement for the Liberation of the Central African People (Mouvement pour la
Libération du Peuple Centrafricain) 11
Central African Democratic Rally (Rassemblement Démocratique Centrafricain)8
Social Democratic Party (Parti Social Démocratique)4
Patriotic Front for Progress (Front Patriotique pour le Progrès)2
Alliance for Democracy and Progress (Alliance pour la Démocratie et le
Progrès) 2
Löndö Association (Association Löndö)1
Non partisans 34
Invalidated 1
Total (turnout %) 105
References
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IRIN, "Run-off polls set for 8 May", April 14, 2005.
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AFP, "Bozize takes Central Africa's capital on early poll results",
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AFP, "Opposition supporters riot after partial Central African vote result",
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Angus Reid Consultants - Election Tracker
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BOZIZE INFORMATION SUPPORT
Bozize Information Support
In French. Site does not work in older Netscape browsers. Site for Général François Bozizé whose supporters staged a coup March 16, 2003. Interviews with Bozizé. Maintained by the Bozize Support Group, based in the Washington, D.C. area. http://www.bozize.info
BRACHIEL (languages, Sango)
Brachiel, G.H. Vocabulaire Sangho (Haut-Oubangui). Paris: Boyard, 1909. 173p.
BRADSHAW, MARY
Bradshaw, Mary. “A preliminary description and analysis of Suma personal pronouns.” M.A. thesis, Ohio University, 1988.
Bradshaw, Mary. “Suma Personal Pronouns: A Preliminary
Description and Analysis,” pp. 17-34 in Z. S. Bond and James M. Coady,
eds., Ohio University Working Papers in Linguistics and Language Teaching, 10
(Spring 1989).
Bradshaw, Mary. “Tone on Suma Verbs,” pp. 255-271 in A. Akinlabi,
ed., Theoretical Approaches to African Linguistics (Trenton: 1995),
Bradshaw, Mary. “The Independent Development of Mid Tone in Suma,” in Elizabeth Hume, Robert Levine, and Halyna Sydorenko, eds., Studies in Synchronic and Daichronic Variation (Columbus, OH, 1995), 1-15.
BRADSHAW, RICHARD
Bradshaw, Richard. History of the Central African Republic. Westport, Ct. & London: Greenwood Press (Series: Greenwood Histories of Modern Nations), forthcoming.
Bradshaw, Richard and Juan Fandos-Rius. “The Central African Republic. Recent History by Pierre Englebert. Revised for the 2006-2007 edition by Richard Bradshaw and Juan Fandos-Rius.” In The Europa World Year Book, Vol. I: Africa South of the Sahara. New York, US: Routledge, Taylor and Francis, Group, p. 1-7. www.europaworld.com
Bradshaw, Richard and Juan Fandos-Ruis. "Bibliographic Reference Encyclopedia of the Central African Republic."
Bradshaw, Richard. "Database of Plants in the Central African Republic with ethnic names, descriptions, pictures, distribution, uses, etc."
Bradshaw, Richard. “Virtual Herbarium of Plants and Their
Use by the Suma People of the Central African Republic.”
Bradshaw, Richard and Gaston Youkouyema, eds. Flore Centrafricaine avec illustrations
et emplois. 5 Vols. Bangui: Mission St. Paul, 1984.
Classification by Families
- Volume I: Acanthacées à Apocynacées, 303 pp.
- Volume II: Balanophoracées à Euphorbiacées, 315 pp.
- Volume III: Connaracées à Irvingiacées, 309 pp.
- Volume IV: Lauracées à Moracées, 149 pp.
- Volume V: Papilionacées, 98 pp.
Classification by Alphabetical Order:
- Volume I: Abrus canescens à Ipomea velutipes, 292 pp.
- Volume II: Jacquemontia tamnifolia à Zornia latifolia, 173 pp.
Bradshaw, Richard. "Central African Republic." In Encyclopedia of Twentieth-Century African History, eds. Paul Tiyambe Zeleza and Dickson Eyoh. London & New York: Routledge, 2003.
Bradshaw, Richard. “Ending a Central African Mutiny,” Christian Science Monitor, 11 January 1998.
Bradshaw, Richard. “The Distribution of Dictylostelids in Disturbed and Undisturbed Soils of the Central African Republic.” Biotropica, 25, 2 (1993):xx-xx. Co-authors R.J. Cavender, T. Damio, and P. Regner.
Bradshaw, Richard. "The Suma and their Sorghum: Ethnology and Economics." In Peter Goldblatt and Porter P. Lowry II, eds., Modern Systematics in African Botany (Lawrence, KA: Allen Press, 1988, pp. 323-29.
Bradshaw, Richard. “Central African Republic: Boganda, Barthélemy.” In Kevin Shillington, ed. Encyclopedia of African History, London: Fitzroy Dearborn, 2005.
Bradshaw, Richard. “Gbaya, Banda, Zande.” In Kevin Shillington, ed. Encyclopedia of African History, London: Fitzroy Dearborn, 2005.
Bradshaw, Richard. “Bangui in the Central African Republic.” In Melvin and Carol Ember (Yale University Human Relations Area Files, Inc.), eds. Encyclopedia of Urban Cultures: Vol 1. Scholastic/Grolier, 2002.
Bradshaw, Richard. “Review of Dark Age: The Political Odyssey of Emperor Bokassa by Brain Titley,” International Journal of African Historical Studies. 31, 1 (1999):xx.
Bradshaw, Richard. “Mercenaries, Merchants and Marauders: West African Auxiliaries in the Early French Colonial History of the Ubangui-Shari Basins (1880-1920).” M.A. thesis, Ohio University, 1986.
Bradshaw, Richard. “Making a Million in Central Africa,”
Maboko na Maboko [Hand in
Hand] Spring 1997. Describes the way in which a Lebanese entrepreneur made more
than a million dollars in the CAR during the late 1970s by importing goods from
Nigeria. Contact bradshaw @ centre.edu
Bradshaw, Richard. "Behavior vs. Belief: Conflict Between Brethren Churches in the Central African Republic." Manuscript. Contact bradshaw@centre.edu
Bradshaw, Richard. The Life of Kill Kin: Conflict and Community in Central Africa. Contact bradshaw@centre.edu
Bradshaw, Richard. The Ethnobotanical Education of a Central African. Contract bradshaw @ centre.edu
Bradshaw, Richard and Lévy Konowan. “Un prêt de FMI à la veille des éléctions Présidentielles” (A loan from the IMF on the eve of Presidential elections). Sango ti Kodoro 1, 8 (Nov 1998), 3-5.
Bradshaw, Richard “Making a Million in Central Africa,” Maboko na Maboko [Hand in Hand] Spring 1997.
Bradshaw, Richard "President Patassé's ‘Kodoro’,” Maboko na Maboko [Hand in Hand] Fall 1997.
Bradshaw, Richard, Joel-Justin Namgbei & Gwenaëlle Fabrve. Sango Texts about Suma Ethnobotany in the Central African Republic. Vol. 1. Contract bradshaw @ centre.edu
Bradshaw, Richard, Joel-Justin Namgbei & Gwenaëlle Fabrve. Sango Texts about Suma Ethnobotany in the Central African Republic. Vol. II. Contract bradshaw @ centre.edu
BRANDEL
Brandel, Rose. The Music of Central Africa. An Ethnomusicological study. La Hague: 1961. 272p.
BRASSEUR
Brasseur, Paule and Maurel. Les Sources Bibliographiques, AOF, AEF. University of Dakar, 1970. 70p.
BRASWELL
Braswell, Bobby H., Jr. “Global Terrestrial Biogeochemistry:
Perturbations, Interactions, and Time Scales (Chemical Preturbations, Carbon
Dioxide, Optical Reflectance,
Remote Sensing).” Ph.D. diss. University of New Hampshire, 1996.
BRAUD
Braud, M. "La fertilisation minérale du cotonnier en République Centrafricaine." Coton et Fibres tropicales. 17, 1 (1962):11-22.
Braud, M., J. Dubernard and A. Fritz. "Contribution à l'étude des rotations dans les zones de savanes de la République Centrafricaine." Coton et Fibres tropicales. 25 (1970):419-434.
BRAUNS (religion, education, etc.)
Braun, Rayment Albert (1894-1962) & Braun, Lillian Isabelle (Young) (1901-1975)
Cf. BILLY GRAHAM CENTER ARCHIVES, Wheaton, Illinois, USA
www.wheaton.edu/bgc/archives/GUIDES/552.htm
Papers of Raymond A. and Lillian Braum, Collection 552.
"Brief Description. Correspondence and other papers of the Brauns, missionaries
with Baptist Mid-Missions in the Central African Republic between 1926 and 1972.
Corres-pondence predominates, much of it describing the Brauns' everyday life
and work.
Braun, Raymond Albert; 1894-1962 and Braun, Lillian Isabelle (Young); 1901-1975
Collection 552 [June 21, 2001], Papers; 1923-1975, 3 DC (1.1 cubic feet), Photographs.
BRAZZA
Brazza, Pierre Savorgnan de. L'Oeuvre de M. de Brazza dans la Haute Sangha de 1892 à 1894. A Travers le Monde (Paris), pp.21-23.
Le Commissaire Général du Gouvernement [Pierre Savorgnan de Brazza] to Monsieur le Sous-Secrétaire d'État des Colonies, 23 November 1891, CAOM, Gabon-Congo III. Cf. Archives.
BRAZZAVILLE DECLARATION
In February 1944, with de Gaulle's approval, a conference of 'Free French' colonial governors met at Brazzaville and discussed the future. Their Declaration of Brazzaville spoke of the need for new policies of respect for African rights and dignity. But it also spoke against any real concessions. Its key passage said: the colonising work of France makes it impossible to accept any idea of autonomy for the colonies, or any possibility of developing outside the French empire. Even at a distant date, there will be no self-government for the colonies. (Davidson, Modern Africa, p. 109)
BRAZZAVILLE GROUP
The Brazzaville group consisted of the twelve French-speaking sub-Saharan states: the Central African Republic, Cameroon, Chad, Congo [Brazzaville], Dahomey, Gabon, Ivory Coast, Malagasy Republic, Mauritania, Niger, Upper Vola [later Burkina Faso], and Senegal.
BRÉGEON
Brégeon, Jean-Joël. Un rêve d'Afrique: administrateurs en Oubangui-Chari, la cendrillon de l'Empire. Paris: Denoël, 1998. 327p.
BRETHERICK
Bretherick, Dona. Central African Republic.
BRETHREN cf. BRETHREN CHURCH, GRACE BRETHREN, EVANGELICAL BRETHREN, FGBC, FELLOWSHIP OF GRACE BRETHREN CHURCHES
Durnbaugh, Donald F. "Brethren, 1708-1883." In Meet the Brethren, ed. by Donald F. Durnbaugh. Elgin, IL: The Brethren Press for The Brethren Encyclopedia, Inc., 1984, pp. 9-27.
The Brethren movement began in August 1708, in an obscure German principality, Sayn-Wittgenstein-Hohenstein. Five men and three women...took there a solemn covenant of "good conscience with God, to take up all the commandments of Jesus Christ as an easy yoke, and thus to follow the Lord Jesus... even unto the blessed end." Primarily of Reformed Church background, the eight individuals had been influenced by the radical wing of the pietist renewal (Radical German Pietism). (Durnbaugh, "Brethren, 1708-1883," p. 10).
The Reformed churches are a group of Christian Protestant denominations historically related by a similar Zwinglian or Calvinist system of doctrine but organisationally independent. Each nation in which the Reformed movement was originally established had its own church government....Commitment to teaching the original Calvinism usually continues to be reflected in their official definitions of doctrine, but in some cases is no longer necessarily typical of these churches. (en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reformed_Church)
Pietism was a movement in the Lutheran Church, lasting from the late-17th century to the mid-18th Century. It proved to be very influential throughout Protestantism and Anabaptism, inspiring not only Anglican priest John Wesley to begin the Methodist movement, but also Alexander Mack to begin the Brethren movement. The Pietist movement combined the Lutheran emphasis on Biblical doctrine with the Reformed, and especially Puritan, emphasis on individual piety, and a vigorous Christian life.
The direct originator of the movement was Philipp Jakob Spener.
Born at Rappoltsweiler, in Alsace on [13 January 1635], trained by a devout
godmother, who used books of devotion like Arndt's True Christianity, Spener
was convinced of the necessity of a moral and religious reformation within German
Lutheranism. He studied theology at Strassburg, where the professors at the
time (and especially Sebastian Schmidt) were more inclined to practical Christianity
than to theological disputation. He afterwards spent a year in Geneva, and was
powerfully influenced by the strict moral life and rigid ecclesiastical discipline
prevalent there, and also by the preaching and the piety of the Waldensian professor,
Antoine Leger, and the converted Jesuit preacher, Jean de Labadie. During a
stay in Tübingen Spener read Grossgebauer's Alarm Cry, and in 1666 he entered
upon his first pastoral charge at Frankfurt, with a profound opinion that the
Christian life within Evangelical Lutheranism was being sacrificed to zeal for
rigid orthodoxy. Pietism, as a distinct movement in the German Church, was then
originated by Spener by religious meetings at his house (collegia pietatis)
at which he repeated his sermons, expounded passages of the New Testament, and
induced those present to join in conversation on religious questions that arose.
This gave rise to the name "Pietists." In 1675 Spener published his
Pia desideria or Earnest Desires for a Reform of the True Evangelical Church
in this publication he made six proposals as the best means of restoring the
life of the Church:
the earnest and thorough study of the Bible in private meetings, ecclesiolae
in ecclesia ("a church within the church").
the Christian priesthood being universal, the laity should share in the spiritual
government of the Church
a knowledge of Christianity must be attended by the practice of it as its indispensable
sign and supplement
instead of merely didactic, and often bitter, attacks on the heterodox and unbelievers,
a sympathetic and kindly treatment of them
a reorganization of the theological training of the universities, giving more
prominence to the devotional life
a different style of preaching, namely, in the place of pleasing rhetoric, the
implanting of Christianity in the inner or new man, the soul of which is faith,
and its effects the fruits of life.
The main difference between the new Pietistic Lutheran school and the orthodox Lutherans arose from the Pietist's conception of Christianity as chiefly consisting in a change of heart and consequent holiness of life. Orthodox Lutherans rejected this viewpoint as a gross simplifification, stressing the need for theological and philosophical debate. Spener died in 1705 but, the movement, guided by Francke, fertilized from Halle the whole of Middle and North Germany. Among its greatest achievements, apart from the philanthropic institutions founded at Halle, were the organization of the Moravian Church in 1727 by Count von Zinzendorf, Spener's godson and a pupil in the Halle Orphanage, and the establishment of the great Protestant missions, Ziegenbalg and others being the pioneers of an enterprise which until this time Protestantism had strangely neglected. Pietism, of course, had its weaknesses. The very earnestness with which Spener had insisted on the necessity of a new birth, and on a separation of Christians from the world, led to exaggeration and fanaticism among followers less distinguished than himself for wisdom and moderation. Many Pietists soon maintained that the new birth must always be preceded by agonies of repentance, and that only a regenerated theologian could teach theology, while the whole school shunned all common worldly amusements, such as dancing, the theatre, and public games. There thus arose a new form of justification by works. Its ecclesiolae in ecclesia also weakened the power and meaning of church organization. Through these extravagances a reactionary movement arose at the beginning of the 18th century one of the most distinguished leaders of which was Loeschel superintendent at Dresden. (en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pietism)
The outcome of their religious quest was explusion by the state from their homes in several German states, France, and Switzerland. They sought and found refuge in Wittgenstein after 1700. As they there studied the Scriptures, read church history, and discussed doctrines, they came to agreement on a view of the church consonant with that developed by the 16th-century Anabaptists, with whose descendants, the Mennonites, they had close contact. Thus the Brethren were formed at the confluence of basic Protestant faith, pietist reform, and anabaptist ecclesiology. (Durnbaugh, "Brethren, 1708-1883," p. 10).
The first Brethren baptism took place in the Eder River near Schwarzenau.
The Schwarzenau (German Baptist) Brethren, originated in Germany, the outcome of one of many Pietistic movements of the 17th century. In Germany they became known as Neue Täufer (New Baptists), in distinction from the older Anabaptist groups. In the United States they became popularly known as Dunkers, Dunkards or Tunkers, corruptions of the German verb tunken, to dip.
The Schwarzenau Brethren was founded in 1708 by Alexander
Mack (1679-1735) of Schwarzenau, Germany, and seven of his followers. They believed
that both the Lutheran and Reformed churches were taking liberties with the
literal teachings of the Scriptures, and rejected infant baptism. The Brethren
were compelled by persecution to take refuge in Friesland, in The Netherlands.
In 1719 Peter Becker brought a group to Pennsylvania. In 1720 forty Brethren
families settled in Surhuisterveen in West Friesland. They settled among the
Mennonites and remained there until 1729, when all but a handful emigrated to
America. The first American congregation was organized at Germantown, Pennsylvania
on December 25, 1723 by Peter Becker. In 1743 Christopher Sauer, an early pastor
and a printer by trade, printed the first Bible published in America in a European
language. In 1782 the Brethren forbade slaveholding by its members. These Brethren
adopted the title German Baptist Brethren at their Annual Meeting in 1871. From
Pennsylvania they spread chiefly westward, and by 1908 were most numerous in
Pennsylvania, Maryland, Virginia, Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Iowa, Missouri, Nebraska,
Kansas and North Dakota. Alexander Mack and his followers were influenced and
encouraged by Ernest Christopher Hochmann von Hochenau, a traveling pietist
minister. Mack, while living in Schriesheim, invited Hochmann to come and minister
there. Hochmann considered the pure church to be spiritual, and did not believe
that an organized church was necessary. This was the main point of difference
between Hochmann and Mack, who believed in the necessity of the visible church
with clergy and ordinances. (en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Schwarzenau_Brethren)
The beliefs of the Schwarzenau Brethren include one self-existing supreme ruler
of the universe; the Godhead of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit; trine
baptism, which provides that the candidate kneel in water and be immersed, face
first, three times in the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit; the
New Testament as the infallible guide in spiritual matters; communion service
celebrated in the evening, accompanied by the love feast; the ceremony of the
washing of feet; the salutation of the holy kiss; prayer and anointing with
oil over the sick; and non-resistance.
The church officers are bishops, ministers, teachers, deacons, and deaconesses,
though this may vary slightly in the various branches. Elder (or bishop) is
the highest office in the church. Ministers and deacons are elected by the members
of the congregation where they hold membership. Ministers preach the word, baptize,
assist elders in anointing, solemnize marriages, and officiate at communion.
Deacons serve the church in the capacity of stewards.
The first schism from the general body of German Baptist Brethren occurred in
1728. They became the Seventh Day Dunkers, whose distinctive principle was that
the seventh day was the true Sabbath. They were founded by Johann Conrad Beissel
(1690-1768). In 1732 a semi-monastic community with a convent and a monastery
was established at Ephrata, in what is now Lancaster County, Pennsylvania. The
monastic feature was gradually abandoned, and in 1814 the Society was incorporated
as the Seventh Day German Baptist Church (which continued until 1934)... In
1882 the Progressives, who stressed evangelism and objected to distinctive dress
and to the supremacy of the annual conferences, formed the Brethren Church...The
Brethren Church experienced a schism in 1939 with the departure of those who
formed the National Fellowship of Brethren Churches (now Fellowship of Grace
Brethren Churches). In 1992, due to doctrinal disagreements in the FGBC, the
Conservative Grace Brethren Churches, Inter-national was formed (with headquarters
in Mansfield, Ohio). In the 21st century there are 7 or 8 bodies descended from
the Schwarzenau Brethren of Germany. (en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Schwarzenau_Brethren)
The Brethren are any of several Christian denominations, most of which are Anabaptist-Pietist. The Brethren Church shares its early heritage with the Church of the Brethren but was separated in 1881, being the most progressive of the three groups resulting from this split at the time of H. R. Holsinger. The most conservative of the groups (the Old Order, centered in Dayton, OH) is now known as the German Baptist church. The current Church of the Brethren was the middle (or conservative) group. This split was not really about doctrine (at the time, though the groups have drifted apart since) but over such things as the starting of Sunday Schools, the holding of revival meetings, and the use of an indoor baptistry rather than a river. The progressive group (Brethren Church) includes a denomination with headquarters in Ashland, Ohio. In 1939 the Progressives split into two denominations, with those seeking a liberal arts educational basis and an open position to the issue of eternal security maintaining the name Brethren Church, and those seeking a liberal arts educational base that applied Biblical values to Character, Competence and Service and a firm affirmation of eternal security becoming the Fellowship of Grace Brethren Churches, commonly called the Grace Brethren Church, headquartered in Winona Lake, Indiana. The Grace Brethren experienced a split in the 1990's, with a small number of conservative churches forming the Conservative Grace Brethren Church. (en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brethren)
[The Schwarzenau Brethren]...did not wish their community
to be called after any individual; in fact, they chose no name at all, referring
to themselves simply as "brethren." Since baptism of adults was considered
rebaptism (they had all received Reformed [Calvinist] or Lutheran baptism as
infants) and was illegal under the laws of the Holy Roman Empire... when rulers
of surrounding territories heard of the [baptism] event they registered immediate
protest with Wittgenstein's sovereign, Count Henrich Albrecht. He, however,
was of pietist inclination and defended the recent settlers. The neighboring
rulers then denounced the new religious dissenters to the imperial authorities.
The latter proceeded so slowly that inquiry was not completed until 1720, after
the Brethren left the area.
...clear that early members [of the young congregation in Schwarzenau] generated
great evangelical fervor. Large meetings were held in Schwarzenau and surrounding
villages. So many attended meetings in Schwarzenau that these were often held
outdoors on a lawn still know as the "Anabaptist yard." Brethren sent
out evangelists to make converts in other parts of Germany, Switzerland, and
the Netherlands. A large branch congregation was founded... northeast of Frankfurt/-Main...
left in 1715 and found asylum in the town of Krefled on the lower Rhine River.
Mennonites enjoyed toleration there because of their economic contribution to
textile industry. Brethren were so similar to Mennonites in belief and practice
that they were considered just another variant of Mennonites. However, whereas
Mennonites were content to perpetuate their belief within their own families,
the aggressive Brethren reached out to convert not only the host Mennonites
but also members of the established churches, inviting repression... (Durnbaugh,
"Brethren, 1708-1883," p. 11).
[in 1715] Alexander Mack, Sr., wrote a doctrinal treatise, Rechte und Ordnungen (Rights and Ordinances), which presented the Brethren position on controversial issues, using the format of a dialogue between father and son... When a coregent, Count August, took office in Wittgenstein in 1719, intense pressure was placed on the Brethren... In 1720 forty Brethren families moved to...West Friesland aided by funds from Dutch Collegiants. They remained there until 1729, when almost all of the group emigrated to North America... The Mack-led group was not the first to leave Europe....Some twenty families from the Krefeld congregation had left for Pennsylvania in 1719... Most settled in Germantown, north of Philadelphia, a village founded in 1683 by Mennonites/Quakers from Krefeld... It was not until Christmas Day, 1723, that Peter Becker, chosen as their leader, officiated at the first Brethren baptisms and love feast in the New World. (Durnbaugh, "Brethren, 1708-1883," p. 12).
The first settlement of Brethren in Kentucky was along the Hinkston Creek in 1789...The exodus of the Wolfe family has been used to epitomize Brethren migration. From a settlement in Western Fayette Co., PA, George Wolfe I and his family traveled by river flatboat in 1800 to Logan Co., KY... (Durnbaugh, "Brethren, 1708-1883," p. 20).
It was by district initiative in Illinois that the first foreign missionaries were sent to Denmark in 1876. Opponents were distrustful of the money-raising efforts and organizational changes which support for such ministries would entail and suggested that there were still great needs at home which could be met with traditional means. Brethren had long resisted the use of revival methods, such as the "protracted" or extended series of meetings and were suspicious of the emotionalism inherent in revival preaching. Joining the church was a serious and sober decision, affecting one's entire future life, and should not be made under pressure, they believed. In the 1870s, however, this type of preaching was introduced... By the end of the 1870s feelings ran high in the brotherhood. There were three chief factions. The traditionalists, nicknamed the "Old Orders," had their stronghold in the Miami Valley of Ohio. The liberals, nicknamed the Progressives, saw Henry Holsinger as their spokesman. Those in the middle, called "Conservatives," attempted to balance the appeals from right and left and were chiefly concerned to keep church unity. In 1881 perhaps four to five thousand of the Old Order left the church... taking the name Old German Baptist Brethren. They wished to follow the old ways and were opposed to the innovations which had entered the church since 1850... a congregation led by Holsinger...organization of in 1882-83 of the Brethren Church, with perhaps five to six thousand adherents. The larger middle group, continuing the official name German Baptist Brethren and numbering nearly 60,000, still contained within its ranks those leaning toward conservatism and those leaning toward progressivism. (Durnbaugh, "Brethren, 1708-1883," p. 26).
BRETHREN CHURCH cf. BRETHREN, FGBC, FELLOWSHIP OF GRACE BRETHREN CHURCHES, EVANGELICAL BRETHREN CHURCH
Jerry F. Flora, "Brethren Church," In Meet the Brethren, ed. by Donald F. Durnbaugh. Elgin, IL: The Brethren Press for The Brethren Encyclopedia, Inc., 1984, pp. 41-52.
The Brethren Church, with headquarters in Ashland, OH, one wing of the Progressive Brethren movement of the 1870s and 1880s. With a membership of 15,485 in the USA (1980), the 123 Brethren Church congregations are most heavily concentrated in Indiana, Ohio, and Pennsylvania... In the General Conference of the first fifteen years (1882-97) leaders adopted a series of basic principles which continue to guide the Brethren Church. During these years Brethren Church fortunes were tied particularly to Ashland College, which, after considerable financial struggle, managed to remain open under the leadership of J. Allen Miller, president, 1898-1906. Lingering uncertainties in polity were resolved when A Manuel of Procedure for the Brethren Church was adopted in 1915. (Flora, "Brethren Church," p. 41).
In the Brethren Church...the first third of the 20th century was marked by controversy over Fundamentalism, Liberalism, Modernism, and the Social Gospel. In this context the National Ministerial Association (BC) accepted a document outlining for Brethren elders the central areas of doctrine. This "Message of the Brethren Ministry" was not adopted by the General Conference lest such action give the impression of establishing a creed other than the New Testament for the church. (Flora, "Brethren Church," p. 44).
controversies continued to trouble the Brethren Church... with the result that some ministers left the denomination during the 1920s because it seemed too conservative while others pressed for greater defenses against the threat perceived in Liberalism and Modernism. The latter group came to be led by Louis S. Bauman and Alva J. McClain, dean of Ashland Theological Seminary, 1933-37, who espoused a more protective stance in educational philosophy and life-style at Ashland College and a modified dispensational Fundamentalism in theology. They accused the "Ashland Brethren" of legalism, making obedience to all Christ's commands (discipleship) appear necessary for salvation, and of Moderism, tolerating non-Brethren ideas and conduct at Ashland College. The Ashland group charged the "Grace Brethren" with ignoring the centrality of Sermon on the Mount ethnics and teaching antinomianism in their emphasis on salvation soley by grace with its corrollary of eternal (i.e. unconditional) security. (Flora, "Brethren Church," p. 45).
The issues were not resolved. A power struggle involvement strong personalities resulted in the division of 1939 General Conference. The Ashland Brethren retained control of the college and seminary; the Grace Brethren (later recognized as the National Fellowship of Grace Brethren Churches) retained the foreign mission program and established a new seminary and college at Winona Lake, IN (cf. Grace Schools). Because most of the young pastors educated at Ashland under Dean McClain followed him into the Fellowship of Grace Brethren Churches, the Brethren Church lost much of its leadership for the next generation. (Flora, "Brethren Church," p. 45).
A Foreign Missionary Society, which began in 1900, sent [missionaries] to Argentina as the first permanent placements in 1908. While the Argentine work grew slowly, a second field was opened in Oubangui-Chari in west-central Africa by James and Florence Newberry Gribble, Estella Myers, and others, 1918-21. A program of home missions also was launched during this period when George and Ada Drushal began the Riverside Institute at Lost Creek, KY, a school and church program that soon received support from the Missionary Board. (Flora, "Brethren Church," pp. 43-44).
The communion service... is a threefold rite consisting of feet-washing, the act of cleansing and service; a common meal (in Greek, agape), the act of fellowship; and eucharist, the act of thanksgiving. Normally, it is held in the evening, the covered supper being on the table at the beginning of the service, the feetwashing proceeding according to the "single mode" followed at once by the kiss of peace, and the eucharist employing unleavened bread and unfermented grape juice. The menu of the meal varies from congregation to congregation. (Flora, "Brethren Church," p. 51)
Baptism is administered by triune immersion only, signifying the role of each member of the trine godhead in Christian salvation and the believer's relationship to each. Congregations have the privilege... of receiving into membership believers previously immersed in a baptism other than triune immersion, but all Brethren Church baptisms are performed by this mode. (Flora, "Brethren Church," p. 51)
BRETHREN CHURCH IN THE CAR cf. EVANGELICAL BRETHREN CHURCH
The communion service... is a threefold rite consisting of feet-washing, the act of cleansing and service; a common meal (in Greek, agape), the act of fellowship; and eucharist, the act of thanksgiving. Normally, it is held in the evening, the covered supper being on the table at the beginning of the service, the feetwashing proceeding according to the "single mode" followed at once by the kiss of peace, and the eucharist employing unleavened bread and unfermented grape juice. The menu of the meal varies from congregation to congregation. (Flora, "Brethren Church," p. 51)
Baptism is administered by triune immersion only, signifying the role of each member of the trine godhead in Christian salvation and the believer's relationship to each. Congregations have the privilege... of receiving into membership believers previously immersed in a baptism other than triune immersion, but all Brethren Church baptisms are performed by this mode. (Flora, "Brethren Church," p. 51)
"... patient submission paid off...Confidence was gained and...practically every request and application made to the government [of Ubangi-Shari and the CAR] has received administrative approbation when we met the conditions. On many occasions statutes have been relaxed and exceptions granted in order to meet the Mission's needs. (Jobson, Conquering Oubangui-Chari, p. 103.)
BRETHREN CHURCH (AND LATER GRACE BRETHREN) MISSIONARIES
A list of Evangelical Brethren missionaries in the CAR until 1956 and their dates of service can be found in Orville D. Jobson, Conquering Oubangui-Chari (Winona Lake, IN: The Brethren Missionary Herald Company, 1957), pp. 156-158.
Chronological List of Missionaries
No. Name Sailing Date Notes
James S. Gribble Jan. 1918 Died in Africa, 4 June 1923. Buried at Bassai.
Florence N. Gribble Jan. 1918 Died in Africa, 31 Mar 1942. Buried at Bassai.Wrote
Undaunted Hope, Stranger Than Fiction
Estella C. Myers Jan. 1918 Died in Africa, 1 Nov. 1956. Buried at Bassai.
Myrtle M. Snyder Jan. 1918 Died 28 Aug. 1920. Buried in Belgian Congo.
Mary G. Rollier Dec 1918 Died 16 Sept 1919. Buried at Ikelemba, Congo.
Antoine E. Rollier Dec 1918 Returned to USA in 1920 with his two children.
Charlotte H. Jobson May 1921
Orville D. Jobson Sep 1921 Wrote Conquering Oubangui-Chari for Christ &
Twenty-Five Years in Oubangui-Chari, 1921-
Allen Lee Bennett Apr 1922 Died in Africa, 17 Jan 1923. Buried at Gazele.
Minnie Deeter Sep 1922 Served on term.
John. W. Hathaway Oct 1922 Served three terms
Carrie E. Hathaway Oct 1922 Served three terms
Chauncey B. Sheldon Oct 1922
Florence N. Bickel Jan 1923
Hattie C. Sheldon Sep 1924
Mary L. Emmert Sep 1924 Published Some African Links
Lester W. Kennedy Jan 1925 Died in Africa, 5 Nov 1931. Buried at Bassai.
Matilda S. Kennedy Jan 1925
Floyd W. Taber Sep 1927 Studied in France, arrived in Africa May 1937.
Ada Z. Taber Sep 1927 Studied in France, arrived in Africa May 1937.
Grace Byron Sep 1928
Edna Patterson Oct 1929 Became ill. Died in the United States.
Mabel Crawford Feb 1931 Became Mrs. B. Hamilton. Served one term.
Benjamin A. Hamilton Jul 1946 Married Mabel Crawford. Served one term. Published
Mary Cripe Sep 1949 Died
William Samarin Oct 1951 See list of publications under Samarin
Ruth Samarin Oct 1951
Donald Miller Nov 1951
Mary Ann Habegger Aug 1952 Served at Boguila during the 1970s
Charles Taber Oct 1952 Published
Betty Taber Oct 1952
Donald Hocking Nov 1955
Betty Hocking Nov 1955
Donald Spangler Aug 1956
Margaret Spangler Aug 1956
BRETHREN EVANGELIST Cf. BRETHREN MISSIONARY (HERALD)
Periodical about Brethren Missions, 1935-1939-, LVII-LXI.
BRETHREN HISTORICAL LIBRARY AND ARCHIVES
www.brethren.org/genbd/bhla/GuideResearchBrethrenHistory.html
Note: This site includes a useful history of Brethren churches. It also lists
the following books about the history of Brethren missions: Church of the Brethren,
Our Churches in Other Lands (1952-53), 63p.; Crouse, B. Merle, Bread Upon the
Waters (1976), 24p.; Gribble, Florence L., Stranger Than Fiction (Winona Lake,
IN: Brethren Missionary Herald Co., 1957), 249p.; Moyer, Elgin, Missions in
the Church of the Brethren (1931), 301p.; Royer, Galen B., Thirty-Three Years
of Missions in the Church of the Brethren (1913), 482p.
Cf. Donald F. Durnbaugh, "Resources for Brethren History." Revised, 2000. www.brethren.org/genbd/bhla/GuideResearchBrethrenHistory.html
BRETHREN MISSIONARY Cf. BRETHREN EVANGELIST
Periodical about Brethren Missions, 1917-1935-, I-XVII.
The [second decision of the Brethren Church foreign board
meeting of 1917] was to commence immediate publication of a magazine which would
be devoted exclusively to a presentation of the foreign-mission program of the
church.... implemented by the appearance of the Brethren Missionary in October
1917, under the editorship of Louis S. Bauman. This magazine began as a quarterly
but was later stepped up to a monthly publication. It continued through seventeen
years as the official organ of the foreign missionary arm of the church. (Jobson,
Conquering Oubangui-Chari, p. 12).
J. Allen Miller, the first and only president of the board for thirty-five years,
sounded the need for and stated the policy of the new magazine in the first
article.
Missionary intelligence is the key that unlocks the stores of reserve power
within the whole church. The missionary church is the growing church; she is
also the church of resourceful service and of loyal enthusiasms for the program
of Jesus. Lack of information is to be blamed for the indifference of the multitudes
of men and women of the church in their relation to the Great Commission. We
must know the will of God about missions. We must know what he says about preaching
the gospel and bearing witness to the ends of the earth. We must know what the
gospel will do for a man, a lost man. We must know the needs of the vast and
untouched fields by missionary endeavor. We must be brought face to face with
our personal obligations both as to giving and going. We pledge the Brethren
Missionary to a program of education and the spreading of all the information
possible relating to this greatest work of all. (J. Allen Miller, "Greetings
from Our President," Brethren Missionary, vol. 1, no. 1 (October 1917),
cited in Jobson, Conquering Oubangui-Chari, p. 12).
Alva J. McClain, "James Gribble, Pioneer Missionary." Brethren Missionary, 7 (1924?):685-686.
BRETHREN MISSIONARY HERALD cf. BRETHREN EVANGELIST
Periodical about Brethren Missions, 1940-, I-.
In 1935, the Brethren Missionary merged with the Brethren Evangelist, a weekly denominational paper, which henceforth carried a monthly foreign-mission number, edited by the foreign board in the interest of the foreign missions. In 1940, the Brethren Missionary Herald succeeded the Brethren Evangelist and continued the same arrangement of publishing a foreign-mission number monthly. (Jobson, Conquering Oubangui-Chari, pp. 13-14).
Martha Snell Nicolson. "James Gribble in Glory." Brethren Missionary Herald, 7 (1945):196.
BRETHREN MISSIONARY HERALD BOOKS
“Orville Jobson (1900-1974).” In Robert Cover, Sr., Viki Rife, Ashley
Woodworth, and Sarah Pratt, Heroes Who Live On. Vol 2. Winona Lake: IN: Brethren
Missionary Herald Books, 2005, pp. 51-55.
“Noel Gaiwaka (1910-1996).” In Robert Cover, Sr., Viki Rife, Ashley Woodworth, and Sarah Pratt, Heroes Who Live On. Vol 2. Winona Lake: IN: Brethren Missionary Herald Books, 2005, pp. 74-79.
“Allen Bennet (1899-1923).” In Robert Cover, Sr., Viki Rife, Ashley Woodworth, and Sarah Pratt, Heroes Who Live On. Vol 2. Winona Lake: IN: Brethren Missionary Herald Books, 2005, pp. 42-48.
“Florence N. Gribble (1879-1942).” In Robert Cover, Sr., Viki Rife, Mallory Nixon and Holly Jones, Heroes Who Live On. Vol 1. Winona Lake: IN: Brethren Missionary Herald Books, 2005, pp. 16-23.
“James S. Gribble (1883-1923).” In Robert Cover, Sr., Viki Rife, Mallory Nixon and Holly Jones. Heroes Who Live On. Vol 1. Winona Lake: IN: Brethren Missionary Herald Books, 2005, pp. 26-33.
“Estella Myers (1884-1956).” In Robert Cover, Sr., Viki Rife, Mallory Nixon and Holly Jones. Heroes Who Live On. Vol 1. Winona Lake: IN: Brethren Missionary Herald Books, 2005, pp. 36-42.
BRETHREN MISSIONS
Cf. Church of the Brethren, Our Churches in Other Lands. 1952-53. 63p.
Crouse, B. Merle, Bread Upon the Waters. 1976. 24p.
Moyer, Elgin, Missions in the Church of the Brethren. 1931. 301p.
Royer, Galen B., Thirty-Three Years of Missions in the Church of the Brethren.
1913. 482p.
The two other territories of the Federation, Oubangui-Chari and the Tchad, remained practically unreached by Protestant missions until 1921, when the government granted permission to begin evangelization in this areas. It was for this very permission that the Brethren pioneer party prayed and waited for three long years. Early in 1921, the party proceeded to Western Oubangui-Chari and established the first mission station in that area. (Jobson, Conquering Oubangui-Chari, p. 15).
BRETON
Breton, Jean Marie. "L’acte constitutionel du 27 septembre 1979 portant
sur l’organisation des pouvoirs publics en R.C.A. [République Centrafricaine]."
Revue juridique de politiques. Indépendence et Coopération 2 (Oct.-Dec.
1981):555-561.
Breton, Jean Marie. "La constitution du 1 févier 1981 et la tentative
de rénovation des institutions politiques en République Centrafricaine."
Revue juridique de politiques. Indépendence et Coopération 4 (Oct.-Dec.
1981):867-882.
Breton, Jean Marie. Manuel de Droit Administratif applicable en Centrafrique.
Bangui: University, 1982. 355p.
BREUIL
Breuil, Abbé Henri. "Pierres taillées venant du plateau de
Mouka, Oubangui-Chari (Afrique équatoriale française)." l'Anthropologie.
43 (1933):222-223.
BRIA
mining town of Bria in northeastern CAR
Troops of the Economic Community of Central Africa States (CEMAC) were deployed on Saturday to the Central African Republic's northeastern town of Bria to help combat banditry, which has increased sharply across the country's provinces, according to a CEMAC official. "The CEMAC troops deployed in Bria will be fully operational by Monday," Gen Auguste Bibaye, head of the multinational force, said on national radio in the capital, Bangui. The soldiers, whose exact number could not be immediately established, left Bangui on Friday in a convoy. A senior national army official from the Central African Republic (CAR), who requested not to be named, said that about 100 CEMAC troops had been deployed. Bibaye said Saturday's deployment was in accordance with the force's new mandate decreed by CEMAC leaders in June at a meeting in Malabo, capital of the Spanish-speaking Equatorial Guinea. The force's mandate was extended by six months during this meeting. "Our new mandate covers security in both Bangui and the provinces," Bibaye said. He added that positive results had been achieved since CEMAC forces got involved in efforts to restore peace and security in the country. Bria is located in a mining zone of the province of Haute-Kotto. Several armed groups have emerged in the area, terrorising civilians. In September, bandits attacked several villages in the region and harassed businessmen involved in diamond prospecting. CAR military officials in Bangui say that although these armed groups are well-equipped, they are disorganised. So far no group or individual has claimed responsibility for any of the armed attacks that have occurred, mostly in the north of the country. On Sunday, Benoit Kombo, a diamond prospector in Bria, said, "These armed bandits are equipped with rocket launchers, AK-47s, grenades and other sophisticated weapons that I have never seen before." He claimed the armed groups also have satellite telephone communication. The proliferation of armed groups is linked to the large quantity of weapons in circulation in the country. Following the repeated military uprisings as well as several coup attempts since 1996, different factions distributed a significant amount of guns to civilians. Both the government and mutinying soldiers were accused of distributing weapons during such times; and officials say that more than 100,000 guns are still illegally circulating in the country. Kombo said the government had been slow to take action against the outlaws. As a result of the activities of these armed groups in the north, thousands of civilians have fled their homes and sought refuge in neighbouring Chad. Bibaye said CEMAC troops were first deployed out of Bangui on 19 August, when 80 soldiers were sent to Bozoum, northwest of the capital, to help the national army to restore security. Their mission was "to secure the CAR as highway robbers are fostering insecurity up country." Bozoum businessman Heny Layda said the situation seemed to have improved. "Security is returning," he said. "It is just the beginning of the process but it would be great to have CEMAC troops in the area for four more months to curb armed banditry in the region during the dry season." Leaders of six central African states established the multinational force, CEMAC, in 2000 to replace the UN Mission to the CAR, known as MINURCA, which had been in the country since 1997. The CEMAC troops were deployed to restore peace following military and political unrest at that time. Presently, CEMAC comprises troops from Chad, Gabon and the Congo. The force was to have included members of all CEMAC countries, but Cameroon and Equatorial Guinea declined to participate. CAR is the sixth CEMAC member. ("CEMAC Troops Deployed to Mining Town of Bria." UN Integrated Regional Information Networks 31 October 2005.)
BRIDE SERVICE Cf. BRIDE WEALTH
Ngandu males provide bride wealth rather than bride service to obtain a spouse, which means there is no temporary matrilocality among the Ngandu. If there is a divorce, the chldren belong to the patriclan and will usually stay with the father's family. Among the Aka, children decide with their parents whom they will live with. Ngandu and Aka infants always stay with their mother. (Hewlett, Intimate Fathers, p. 44).
BRIDE WEALTH AND BRIDE SERVICE
BRINK
Brink, Père Otto van Den.
BRITANNICA BOOK OF THE YEAR
Cf. 1997 Britannica Book of the Year, pp. 781-783. Estimates that c. 822,000 Catholics reside in the CAR. See Adherents.com for a list of different sources and their estimates.
BRITANNICA ONLINE / ENCYCLOPEDIA BRITANNICA
www.britannica.com/eb/article-75154
Cf. "Chadic languages"
BRITISH AMERICAN TOBACCO DOCUMENTS ARCHIVE
http://bat.library.ucsf.edu/search?dir=gf&start=0&index=index&outputFormat=HTML&encoding=ISO-8859-1&field=er%3A&display=brief&num=10&q=Central+African+Republic&x=18&y=7
Cf. various documents with references to the CAR
BRITISHCOLUMBIA.com Cf. CANADA, COMINCO, DIAMONDS
www.britishcolumbia.com/regions/towns/?townID=3520
Cf. COMINCO
BRIZARD
Brizard, Henri. “Le problème de la viande en Oubangui-Chari. Son évolution. Son importance économique et sociale” (The problem of meat in Ubangi-Shari: its evolution and economic and social importance.) Revue d'Elevage et de Médecine Vétérinaire des Pays Tropicaux, 6, 1 (January-March 1953):9-15.
BRGM (Paris)
Mestraud, J.L. "Carte géologique de la République Centrafricaine au 1/1.500.000." Paris: BRGM, 1964.
BROWN, E.
Brown, Ernest D. “Recording Reviews--Central African Republic: Music for Xylophones by Vincent Dehoux.” Ethnomusicology. 38, 3 (Fall 1994): 548.
BROWN, R.
Brown, R. and Cheneau, Yves. Staff appraisal report. Central African Empire. Livestock development project. Washington, DC. Banque Mondiale, 1978. 53p.
BROWNE, W. G.
Walter George Browne (1768-1813) was the author of the first English document
on what is today the Central African Republic. He called it Dar Koula. [instead
of Dar al-Kuti]
Browne, Walter George. Travels in Africa, Egypt and Syria from the Year 1792 to 1798. London: T. Cadell, Jr. and W. Davies, 1799.
BRUEL
Bruel, Georges. La France Equatoriale Africaine. Le pays, les habitants, la colonisation, les pouvoirs publics. Paris: Larose, 1935. 558p.
Bruel, Georges. "L'Oubangui. Voie de pénétration dans l'Afrique Centrale Française." Bibliothèque illustrée des voyages autour du monde 69, (1898):51-76. Paris: Plon et Nourrit. pp. 5-32???
Bruel, Georges. "L'Oubangui. Voie de pénétration dans l'Afrique Centrale Française." Bibliothèque illustrée des voyages autour du monde 69, (1899):5-32. Paris: Plon???
Bruel, Georges. Notes ethnographiques sur quelques tribus de l'A.E.F... -I. Les populations de la Moyenne Sangha. Pomo, Boumali, Babinga. Paris: Laroux (Extraits de la Revue d'Ethnographie et de Sociologie). 1911. 45pp.
Bruel, Georges. L'Afrique équatorial française, le pays, les habitants, la colonisation, les pouvoirs publics. Paris: Larose, 1918.
Bruel, Georges. "Les populations de la Moyenne-Sangha: les Babinga." Revue d'Ethnographie et de Sociologie. 5, 7 (1910):111-125.
Bruel, Georges. "Le Congo au point de vue économique." Conférence à l'Office Coloniale, 26 novembre 1908.
Bruel, Georges. Bibliographie de l'Afrique Equatoriale Française. Paris: Larose, 1914. 326pp.
Bruel, Georges. “Les basses vallées de l’Oubangui et de la Sangha.” La Geographie, 19 (1909):353-366.
BRUEL BIOGRAPHY cf. SORET
Soret, Marcel. « Georges Bruel (1871-1945). » Paris: Academie des
Sciences d'Outre-Mer, 1979, 54p.
http://www.bondy.ird.fr/pleins_textes/pleins_textes_5/b_fdi_16-17/22538.pdf
BRUG?RD (health, nutrition)
Brug?rd Konde, Sa. "Cassava leaves in the Central African Republic: nutrition in low income countries: an individual study." Uppsala: University, 1994.
BRUGGER
Brugger, Dewilder, Kocher, Rolleri and Wöhr. Vocabulaire français-abarambo et abarambo-français, 1912. Réédité par le Musée Royal de l'Afrique Centrale, Tervuren, 19??.
BRUGIERE
Brugiere, David, Denis Sakom and Annie Gautier-hion. "The conservation significance of the proposed Mbabrb-Bondingub national part, Central African Republic, with special emphasis on its primate community." Biodiversity and Conservation, 4, 2 (2005):502-522.
BRUN
Brun, L. Sur les pistes de Yoko et de Bérberati avec le Père L. Brun. Garganne, Esmenjaud, 1983.
BRUNWASSER
Matthew Brunwasser is a freelance journalist based in Bulgaria. He worked as
field producer on FRONTLINE/World's "Gunrunners" story.
Brunwasser, Matthew. "Victor Anatoliyevich Bout The Embargo
Buster: Fueling Bloody Civil Wars." /www.pbs.org/frontlineworld/stories/sierraleone/bout.html
Victor Bout is the poster boy for a new generation of post Cold War international
arms dealers who play a critical role in areas where the weapons trade has been
embargoed by the United Nations.
Now, as FRONTLINE/World reports in "Gunrunners," unprecedented U.N.
investigations have begun to unravel the mystery of these broken embargoes,
many of them imposed on African countries involved in bloody civil wars. At
the heart of this unfolding detective story is the identification of a group
of East European arms merchants, with Victor Bout the first of them to be publicly
and prominently identified. The U.N. investigative team pursued leads that a
Mr. Bout [pronounced "butt" in Russian] was pouring small arms and
ammunition into Angola, Rwanda, Sierra Leone and the Congo [and the Central
African Republic]
BRUNSCHWIG
Brunschwig, Henri. Cf. Brunschwig's many publications about French colonization.
BRUSSAUX
Brussaux, E. "Notes sur la race Baya." Bulletin et Mémoire de la Société d'Anthropologie de Paris, Série V (1908):79-105.
BRUSTIER
The first diamonds discovered in the region of Ubangi-Shari were found near Ippy (see map northeast of Bambari) in 1913 by an amateur geologist, Brustier (Kalck, Dictionary, 40).
BSP
BSP. Sangha-Ngoko rainforest area. Global Inventory Modeling and Mapping Studies. Washington, D.C.: Department of the Interior, 1990.
BUCHANAN
Buchanan, S.A. et al. Recherches écologiques dans le Parc National Manovo-Gounda-Saint-Floris. Trans. CTFT. Bangui: MEFCPT, 1979.
BUCK (education, history, philosphy, etc.)
Director of the Baptist Bible Institute at Fort Crampel c. 1956-1958.
Buck, Clell Raymond. “Development of the Philosophy of Education in the
Central African Republic.” Ph.D. diss. University of Kansas, 1967.
BUCKNER
Buckner, Margaret. "Singulariteé, “Le’possessif’ en Zandé: ‘parler au singulier’. (The ‘possessive case’ in Zandé: ‘speaking in the singular’.) Laboratoire d’ethnologie et de sociologie comparative, Université de Paris X. Paris: Plon, 1989.
Buckner, Margaret. "Modern Zande prophetesses." In D. Anderson and D. Johnson, eds., Revealing prophets. Prophecy in eastern African history. London: Currey, 1995, pp. 102-21.
Buckner, Margaret. “The 'Foot’ of the Matter: A Linguistic Approach to Illness Ethiology and Witchcraft Among the Zande (Central African Republic).” Paper presented at the 76th Annual Meeting of the Central States Anthropological Society, Chicago, Illinois, April 15-18, 1999.
BUDGET
BUDGETARY SUPPORT cf. FRANCE'S RELATIONS, CONDITIONALITY, DEVELOPMENT ASSISTANCE, FOREIGN AID
1989
It now seems likely that the government will move to tighten up collection of
the diamond tax, and a halving of the present 12 per cent rate to make legal
export channels more attractive is certainly in the cards. France has pledged
that it will not release the final tranche of this year's CFAfr bn ($12.2 mn)
budget support until the government has raised CFAfr 1.6 bn in diamond taxes.
The process should be given further impetus by the new computer systems being
installed to monitor tax and customs collection. The new element of conditionality
in French budgetary support is expected to influence government thinking, and
will become a growing theme in relations with the donor community. (EIU Country
Report, "Central African Republic," 3rd Quarter 1989, p. 7)
From the perspective of the CAR the most important part of [its] relationship [with France] is the continuing budgetary support provided by France, but also its continual development assistance (Webb, "Central African Republic," ACR 1989-1990, p. B173). cf. DEVELOPMENT ASSISTANCE
BUHOT-LAUNAY
Émile Buhot-Launay was acting Governor of Ubangui-Chari for 1 day in
1936.
Buhot-Launay. "Rapport de mission d'enquête dans les régions du Haut-Congo, Sangha, 1936." Archives Nationale de la France d'Outre-Mer (Dossier A.E.F. Gouvernement Général, carton D / 4 (2) / 69.)
BULLETIN DE L'AFRIQUE NOIRE
"Panorama de L'Economie Centrafricaine." Bulletin de l'Afrique Noire, 20 (December 1977):18, 309.
Millairds (Billions) Fr CFA 1961 1965
1970 1975 1976
Aide française globale 2.175
2.420 2.250 6.350
5.350 (Total French Aid)
Source: "Panorama de L'Economie Centrafricaine." Bulletin de l'Afrique
Noire, 20
(December 1977):18, 309.
BUREAU D'ACHAT Cf. DIAMONDS, BECDOR, IDV
There is no contention concerning the two percent tax [on diamonds] paid by the bureaux d'achat directly to the Independent Diamond Valuators (IDV). This represents IDV's fee for providing a counter-valuating service for BECDOR, as well as for training BECDOR staff, which began in March 2002. If the CAR officially exports US$60 million worth of diamonds annually, the IDV contract would gross US$1.2 million, or US$100,000 a month. This is a major concern for the bureaux d'achat who believe that IDV will over-estimate the value of exports in order to increase profits. Conversely, under the previous system, exporters could 'persuade' BECDOR employees to underestimate the value of diamonds, [thus] depriving the state of vital revenue. (Dietrich, "Diamonds in the Central African Republic," p. 3).
IDV has introduced its own price list for BECDOR valuations, during which an IDV diamond expert is present. This aims to reflect current Antwerp prices for rough diamonds. This value then determines government tax and the IDV's own fee. Naturally certain bureaux d'achat are adverse to the new price list as well as the increase level of scrutiny in BECDOR. IDV's evaluation export does not allow does not allow employees of the bureaux d'achats to be physically present during BECDOR's evaluation. This prevents haggling over prices and other types of influence, which seem to have been common previously. Thus the influence of bureaux d'achat in the valuation process appears to have been greatly diminished by the presence of the external valuator. (Dietrich, "Diamonds in the Central African Republic," p. 4).
...if a bureau d'achat exports US$10 million in diamonds annually, but is accustomed to having BECDOR under-value this by 20 percent, then the exporter saves US$200,000 in tax (US$10 million x .2 x .11). If the CAR's annual official exports of US$60 million were undervalued by 20 percent, then the government would lose over US$1 million in tax revenues. Conversely, if IDV were to over-value diamond exports by 20 percent, then the company's gross income from the CAR contract would increase by US$240,000 and the government would gain and additional US$1 million from higher taxes. (Dietrich, "Diamonds in the Central African Republic," p. 4).
Criticism has...been raised concerning the ability of a valuation company to maintain its independence while actively linked to the purchase or sale of diamonds. (Dietrich, "Diamonds in the Central African Republic," p. 4).
BUREAU D'ÉVALUATION DE DE CONTÔLE DE DIAMANT ET D'OR, Cf. BECDOR, DIAMONDS
BECDOR was established in 1982 to oversee the internal diamond market and to valuate official exports. BECDOR assesses the value of diamond parcels presented by the bureaux d'achats and companies operating under Autorisations Exceptionnelles in order to assess tax. BEDCOR also maintains a database concerning all diamond production in the country. It estimates that there are approximately 50,000 licensed diamond diggers, or creuzeurs, in the CAR. These diggers...sell to middlemen, or collecteurs, [who] number about 400 and operate independently, or in association with a bureau d'achat. Diggers may also sell directly to the bureaux d'achat, several of which finance alluvial mining operations. A digger will fill out a bordereau de production to formalize his production, and when a parcel of diamonds is sold to a middleman [collecteur] or bureau d'achat, a duplicate receipt is furnished, with copies held by the seller and buyer. (Dietrich, "Diamonds in the Central African Republic," p. 3).
IDV has introduced its own price list for BECDOR valuations, during which an IDV diamond expert is present. This aims to reflect current Antwerp prices for rough diamonds. This value then determines government tax and the IDV's own fee. Naturally certain bureaux d'achat are adverse to the new price list as well as the increase level of scrutiny in BECDOR. IDV's evaluation export does not allow does not allow employees of the bureaux d'achats to be physically present during BECDOR's evaluation. This prevents haggling over prices and other types of influence, which seem to have been common previously. Thus the influence of bureaux d'achat in the valuation process appears to have been greatly diminished by the presence of the external valuator. (Dietrich, "Diamonds in the Central African Republic," p. 4).
BUREAU INTERNATIONAL DE TRAVAIL Cf. BIT
Cf. Bonnefoy, P.A. Rapport au gouvernement de la R.C.A. sur les besoins en personnel d'encadrement moyen et subalterne et sa formation professionelle. Geneva: B.I.T., 1963. 46p.
BUREAU POUR LE DÉVELOPPEMENT DE LA PRODUCTION AGRICOLE (BDPA)
Chateau, Robert and Robert Pastor. Fiches d'Enseignment Agricole Pour Les Ecoles Primaires, Cours moyen 1ère année. RCA: Ministère de l'Education Nationale, Ministère de l'Agriculture and Bureau pour le développement de la Production Agricole, 1966.
Avant-projet de programmation régionale de la Préfecture de l'Ouham. Paris: B.D.P.A., 1964?. 300p.
Lemoine, J. Cl. "Reconnaissance pédologique dans la préfecture de l'Ouham." Paris: BDPA, 1964. 63p.
BURKINA FASO Cf. MINURCA, UN SECURITY COUNCIL
"MINURCA mandate extended." IRIN, 1 March 1999.
NAIROBI, 1 Mar 1999 (IRIN) - The UN Security Council on Friday ...decided to
review MINURCA’s mandate every 45 days. Troop-contributing countries to
the 1,350-strong force in 1998 included Burkina Faso, Canada, Chad, Cote d’Ivoire,
Egypt, France, Gabon, Mali, Senegal and Togo.
BURNHAM
Burnham, Philip. “Residential Organization and Social Change among the Gbaya of Meiganga, Cameroun” [Organisation residentielle et changement social chez les Gbaya de Meiganga, Cameroun]. Ph.D. dissertation, UCLA, 1972. Ann Arbor: University Microfilms.
Burnham, Philip. Opportunity and Constraint in a Savanna Society. London & New York: Academic Press, 1980. Although this study focuses on a small Gbaya group across the border in Cameroon, it begins with an exceptionally well-researched account of the history of the western Gbaya peoples, including those in the CAR.
Burnham, Philip."Permissive ecology and structural conservatism in Gbaya society." In Social and Ecological Systems, ed. by P. Burnham and R.F. Ellen. London & New York, 1979.
Burnham, Philip. “Notes on Gbaya History.” In Contribution de la recherche ethnologique à l’histoire des civilisations de Cameroun, ed. Claude Tardits, 1 (1981):121-130. Paris: CNRS.
Burnham, Philip. “The Gbaya and the Sudan Mission: 1924 to the Present” (Les Gbaya et la Mission du Soudan: de 1924 jusqu’a present). pp. 115-130 In Philip A. Noss, ed., Grafting Old Rootstock. Dallas, Texas: International Museum of Culture, 1982.
Burnham, Philip. “Political Relations on the Eastern Marches of Adamawa in the Late Nineteenth Century: A Problem of Interpretation.” In Ian Fowler and David Zeitlyn's African Crossroads: Intersections between History and Anthropology in Cameroon Providence & Oxford: Berghahn Books, 1996. Provides a revisionist account of early French motivations and activity in western CAR.
Burnham, Philip. “Raiders and Traders in Adamawa: Slavery as a Regional System.” In James L. Watson’s Asian and African Systems of Slavery. Berkeley & Los Angeles, 1980. Describes Fulbe slave raiding in western CAR and its impact on Gbaya societies.
Burnham, Philip. Gbaya. New York: The Rosen Publishing Group, Inc., 1997.
Burnham, Philip, Elisabeth Copet-Rougier, and Philip Noss. “Gbaya et Mkako: Contribution ethno-linguistique histoire à l’histoire de l’est Cameroun.” Paideuma 32 (1986):87-128.
Burnham, Philip and Thomas Christensen, “Karnu’s Message and the ‘War of the Hoe Handle’: Interpreting a Central African Resistance Movement.” Africa (London), 53, 4 (1983):3-22.
Burnham, Philip. "The Gbaya and the Sudan Mission: 1924 to the Present." In Grafting old Rootstock, ed. by Philip Noss (Dallas: 1982), pp. 115-130.
Burnham, Philip and Philip Noss. "L'Education Gbaya." In La Quête du Savoir. ed. by Céline Mercier-Trembaly. Montreal: 1982, pp. 208-229.
BURSSENS
Burssens, H. "Les peuplades de l'Entre Congo-Ubangi (Ngbandi, Ngbaka, Mbandja, Ngombe et Gens d'eau). Annales du Musée Royal du Congo Belge. Tervuen, 1958. Sciences de l'Homme, monographies ethnographiques, vol. 4.
Burssens, H. Les peuplades de l'entre Congo-Ubangi. Tervuren: Annales du Musée Royal du Congo Belge, Série in.8, Sciences de l'Homme, Monographies ethnographiques, 4. Pp. 102, 124-126, 141, 144-145 describe oracles and ordeals which are similar to those north of the Ubangi.
BUSH cf. US RELATIONS WITH THE CAR
George Herbert Walker Bush, 41st President of the United States (1989–1993),
and father of George W. Bush
1990
The USA seems particularly anxious to encourage more freedom for trade union
activity... it withdrew General System of Preferences (GSP) trading privileges
from the CAR [in 1989] because [the CAR] only allowed one officially sanctioned
union movement, although the World Bank had identified progress in this direction
because under earlier regulations no unions had been allowed at all....President
George Bush...made the point even more bluntly when the CAR's new ambassador
in Washington, Jean-Pierre Sohahong-Kombet, came to present his credentials:
"We appreciate the additional progress made by your government in laying
the legislative foundations for a renewal of trade union activity and look forward
with confidence to the growth of a free and vigorous labour movement."
(EIU Country Report, "Central African Republic," 1st Quarter 1990,
p. 24)
BUSHMEAT
The four principal game species exploited by local people [in the Bayanga area of southwestern CAR], for subsistence and for trade in bushmeat, are the brush-tailed porcupine (Atherurus africanus) and three duikers (Cephalophus callipygus, C. dorsalis, and C. monticola). Noss, "Duikers, Cables and Nets," p. 64).
The Bayaka are a seminomadic people who traditionally survive
by hunting and gathering the animals and plants of the rain forest. Among their
more revered traditions are the net hunt and its associated musical ceremony
(see sidebar). The net hunt traditionally secured enough meat to feed an entire
camp, but decades of logging and a subsequent increase in illegal hunting for
the bush-meat trade is emptying the forest of its resources, according to Richard
Carroll, the director of World Wildlife Fund's Africa program. (See bush-meat
photo galleries and news.) "This is a major issue for people like the Bayaka,"
Carroll said. "When those resources are depleted, they don't have an alternative
source [of food]. They don't have a place to go back to. No Social Security
will kick in and give them meals on wheels everyday." ... Carroll said,
a logging company will come in and make promises to hire hundreds of workers.
This spurs immigration from neighboring countries such as Cameroon. After a
few years the high costs to export the timber cause the logging companies to
go belly up, Carroll said, leaving hundreds of immigrants without jobs. To supplement
their income, the immigrants fan out into the forest to hunt wild animals to
supply the lucrative bush-meat trade...
Park and Reserve
In an attempt to reverse the trend of increased logging and bush-meat trade
in the Central African Republic and its impacts on the Bayaka, Carroll and WWF
helped in 1986 to establish the Dzanga-Sangha Dense Forest Special Reserve and
the Dzanga-Ndoki National Park. The reserve and park encompass more than 5,500
square miles (14,000 square kilometers). Though hunting and logging are prohibited
in the park, "in the reserve, hunting and use of the forest is allowed
by traditional means," Carroll said.
(John Roach, "African Pygmy Hunt Threatened by Logging, Animal Trade."
National Geographic News, 3 June 2005.
news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2005/06/0603_050603_bayaka_2.html)
BUSINESS AMERICA
"Central African Republic; steady progress continues; investment is encouraged - Business Outlook Abroad." Business America, 1 Sept 1986.
BUSINESS-HUMAN RIGHTS.org
www.business-humanrights.org/Categories/
RegionsCountries/Africa/CentralAfricanRepublic
BUSSIERES
Bussières, Capitaine André. “La République Centrafricaine sans Boganda” (The Central African Republic without Boganda). Paris: CHEAM, 1963. 148pp. (CHEAM Report no.3822).
Bussières, Capitaine André. “Les lignes de force de la politique centrafricaine” (The main themes of Central African Politics). Paris: CHEAM Report no. 4079, 1966. 13pp.
Bussières, André. La RCA sans Boganda. Paris: 1963. mimeographed.
BUTOR (health, statistics, demography)
Gelot, Dr. J.P, Dr. Soeur Côme Butor, M. François, and P. Dupoz. Étude sur le fonctionnement des centres de santé urbains de Bangui. Bangui: Ministère de Santé, n.d. but c. 1978. 29p.