FOR someone who was so universally reviled, Jean-Bedel Bokassa of the happily dendida Centra Empire had a good many friends.
*Zaire, for example, provided opposition demonstrations.
*South Africa, which offered to build a rail link to the floated the possibility of $250m worth of trade and investment over the riext ten years.
* West Germany, which was already collaborating on a coastal rail link.
*Libya, which had just embarked on a programme of aid to the Empire.
*Even the Soviet Union maintains a large embassy and hundreds of Onbanguians each year.
Fortunately for Bokassa it was his closest friend of all, finally removed him.
Central African Republic or Empire kept afloat by development aid from Paris. Massacre Not even the widely of schoolchildren HIRNAC this year could dampen enmustasiu. equally reported decision to cut off military aid meant nothing supplied no military aid to speak of!
did sway the however. was the tear that Bokassa would be toppled by mass opposition. The massacres January were answered by demonstrations and strikes whica would unthinkable in, say, Amin's Uganda.
African which down coast and eleteN France, which For years the French in a state of near insurrection. occasion reported were confined earlier French did trust widely army for France assassination attempt in April.
French, victoty began . student public service been before the seizure of power. New President David Dacko, implicated in Bokassa's worst excesses.
At times the capital of Bangui was On one 100 Imperial Guards were kiled with noisoned arrows as thev tried to restore order. Regular troops these disturbances, as the Emperor the army and had earlier. disarmed a large proportion of it. The reportedly an So the French decided to utilise military discontent to ore-emot the of the popular opposition. the French troops seem to have played a major part in the coup itelf — Freneh aircraft were concealed at the airport interest.
The timing of the coup to coincide with Bokassa's absence from the country suggests that the French may even have. warned him what was in store. Certainly his old ally Mobutu of Zaire seems to have been in on the the President, David Dacko, only The French aim - - so far successful was to maintain the political stracture of the country unchanged. Behind their concern — as well as recent South African overtures - are important uranium deposits in which French Atomic Energy mission (headed by President Giscard d'Estaing's cousin) has Although Daeko was ousted from power by Bokassa in 1966 he was court. He is thereby implicated Bokassa's worst excesses. And as if to prime minister to vice-president.
Intercontinental Press GROWING SUPPORT FOR PALESTINIAN STRUGGLE . U.S. Blacks Mee1 with Yasir Arotot THE latest Intercontinențal Press-Inprecor (Vol weeks 17, No 35) carries further material on Nicaragua (including an interview Hugo Blanco) featuring developments Salvador, Guyana, puchea, and elsewhere.
Individual copies cost 30p plus 10p post, suoscripion Com- much cheaper at Ell for a year (48 issues), f6 for six months (24 issues), large or £3 for 10 weeks. Cheques or POs should be made out to 'Intercontinental Press' and sent to: IP-I, PO Box 50, London NI 2XP.
(Camden Council)
Hackney to those arrested at Brom combined ih | NI)C'COI Salforu Sondanty wal ae •beaker PRESSURE MOUNTING King St (opp Co-op) issue of the weekly the as well E Kamwork. out Farringdon Road. London ECI Trades Labour Lane, s Q s calsa roll Laycı pool). гтоп opm. Bar extension. Adm, tl. To commemorar the second anniversary of the assassination ol KAR BENEFIT with Oxy & the Morons, Sat 6 ucl, opm ul lale at Ivddlesex Poly trent Pari site. Adm. fl; non-students £1.50. All proceeds Southall, Leicester, Wesa MANCHESTER Hands Off Ireland! rally in Game' and speakers from PSF and HOI. Weds Sunnorl ot iricn Priconers ot war cimaso 7pm, AUEW Hall, 43 The Crescent, CON S S0. T0an, CA 2 Cr 1.30pm station forecourt assembly. . Called by AN HALANE Doclalsl crdlenze zrowo mecli revolacion in Nicaragu: l urnOl]. CINIL • FONUL• commurcee recenuvm vcararual , E nur Jo wI om. britannia bud. mare sl, ro HAM bocahst u nslenre oroun meeine the lessons of 1972 for todas Speaker: Mike Smith (ex-convenor, Ferrantis).
Sergeant-at-Arms pub.
FREEDOM FOR ASTRID PROLL.
Rio Cinema ]107 Kingsland High Rd, E8] Sunday 7 October, 3pm This film and video event remembers Stammheim murders on 1977 marks the beginning of the trial of Astrid Proll in West Germany. TONY GIFFORD (Russell Tribunal) will speak on the current situation, and a speaker from the FRIENDS OF ASTRID PROLL will talk about her trial.
For details phone Rio, 254 6677. For hire of FAP video contact Liberation films, 01-450 7855.
Socialist Challenge 4 October 1979 Page 13
----- pull-quotes -----
prove it, he has maintained Bokassa's government intact and promoted his