FILE: Seleka rebel leader Michel Djotodia proclaims himself president after ousting Francois Bozize

Record ID: 187249

  • Title: FILE: Seleka rebel leader Michel Djotodia proclaims himself president after ousting Francois Bozize
  • Date: 25th March 2013
  • Summary: LIBREVILLE, GABON (FILE - JANUARY 10, 2013) (REUTERS) ***PART AUDIO AS INCOMING*** CENTRAL AFRICAN REPUBLIC PRESIDENT FRANCOIS BOZIZE WALKING DOWN AIRPLANE STEPS BOZIZE WALKING UP TO PODIUM WITH MINISTER OF HIGHER EDUCATION BOZIZE GREETING MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC VARIOUS OF CROWD SHOUTING IN FRENCH "WE WANT PEACE! WE WANT PEACE!" SELEKA REBEL ALLIANCE CHIEF, MICHEL DJOTODIA (ON THE RIGHT) SHAKING HANDS WITH THE MINISTER OF DISARMAMENT FOR CENTRAL AFRICAN REPUBLIC, SYLVESTRE YANGOUNGOU SELEKA REBEL ALLIANCE CHIEF MICHEL DJOTODIA STANDING NEXT TO SELEKA MEMBER GENERAL DAFANNE (IN UNIFORM) SELEKA REBEL ALLIANCE CHIEF MICHEL DJOTODIA TALKING TO A CENTRAL AFRICAN REPUBLIC OFFICIAL SELEKA MEMBER GENERAL DAFANNE, SEATED VARIOUS OF HEADS OF STATE SEATED AT TABLE / CENTRAL AFRICAN REPUBLIC PRESIDENT FRANCOIS BOZIZE AMONG THEM LIBREVILLE, GABON (FILE - JANUARY 11, 2013) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF SELEKA REBEL COALITION LEADER MICHEL DJOTODIA (WEARING RED TIE) SIGNING PEACE DEAL WITH CENTRAL AFRICAN REPUBLIC OFFICIALS SELEKA REBEL COALITION LEADER MICHEL DJOTODIA AND CENTRAL AFRICAN REPUBLIC PRESIDENT FRANCOIS BOZIZE SHAKING HANDS VARIOUS OF CENTRAL AFRICAN REPUBLIC PRESIDENT, FRANCOIS BOZIZE, SEATED AT TABLE CHAD PRESIDENT IDRISS DEBY, GABON PRESIDENT ALI BONGO, AND CENTRAL AFRICAN REPUBLIC PRESIDENT FRANCOIS BOZIZE TALKING (SOUNDBITE) (French) CHAD PRESIDENT IDRISS DEBY, SAYING: "The mandate of President Francois Bozize is a constitutional question. The constitution of the Central African Republic wasn't the subject of our debate. President Bozize is elected for a mandate of five years. And he should go to the end of his mandate in 2016. If the affairs of the Central African state mean that the right conditions are created in 12 months for legislative elections, so much the better. That's what we are looking for." CHAD PRESIDENT IDRISS DEBY, GABON PRESIDENT ALI BONGO, AND CENTRAL AFRICAN REPUBLIC PRESIDENT FRANCOIS BOZIZE SEATED NEXT TO EACH OTHER (SOUNDBITE) (French) CHAD PRESIDENT IDRISS DEBY, SAYING: "The new transitional government which will be set up will need our support, from us, the region. It will need our solidarity not only from the sub-region but outside the region, and we will turn to our traditional partners, on a multilateral as well as bilateral level." GENERAL DAFFANE, A MEMBER OF THE SELEKA REBELS, SEATED PRIESTS SEATED AT CEREMONY CONGO REPUBLIC PRESIDENT DENIS SASSOU-NGUESSO SEATED NEXT TO CHAD PRESIDENT IDRISS DEBY
  • Embargoed: 9th April 2013 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Gabon
  • Country: Gabon
  • Topics: Conflict,Politics
  • Reuters ID: LVA9KE5W3N1RBIDVGG4SHADZ962K
  • Story Text: The leader of rebels in Central African Republic pledged to name a power-sharing government in a bid to defuse international criticism of Sunday's coup that killed 13 South African soldiers and plunged the mineral-rich nation into chaos.
    Regional peacekeepers said that leader of the Seleka rebel coalition, self-proclaimed President Michel Djotodia, appealed for their help in restoring order after his own men joined in a second day of looting in the riverside capital Bangui.
    The rebels' ouster of President Francois Bozize was swiftly condemned by the United Nations and the African Union. But in a sign of pragmatism, the United States, France and regional powerbroker Chad called on the insurgents to respect a January peace deal creating a unity government.
    Some 5,000 Seleka fighters swept into the capital on Sunday (March 24) after a lightning offensive in which they fought their way from the far north to the presidential palace in four days after a the collapse of the power-sharing agreement signed in the Gabonese capital Libreville.
    Neighbouring Cameroon confirmed on Monday that Bozize had arrived there but said it was not giving him permanent refugee.
    The removal of Bozize, who himself seized power in a 2003 coup backed by Chad, was just the latest in a series of rebellions since the poor, landlocked country won independence from France in 1960.
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