Former CAR president named rebel leader

LOME, Togo

The six armed rebel groups of the Coalition of Patriots for Change (CPC) have appointed Francois Bozize as coordinator of the rebellion against Faustin Touadera, the recently elected president of the Central African Republic (CAR), sources said Monday.

"We chose General Bozize, who is an experienced military man. We took our grievance to this leader, who responded favorably to our call," Serge Bozanga, the coalition's spokesman, told Anadolu Agency.

To "seize this opportunity," Bozize, a former president of the Central African Republic, agreed to resign as president of his political party the Kwa Na Kwa (KNK) because he could not manage it and coordinate military actions at the same time, he added.

"Responding to their call, I measure the importance of the trust placed in me and the scope of the mission they have entrusted to me,” Bozize told Anadolu Agency.

He said he considers that the CPC is committed to achieving security, peace, social cohesion and the return of true democracy to the country.

But a number of observers think the new coordinator of the rebellion should be arrested, including the Russian ambassador to the Central African Republic, Vladimir Titorenko, who considers him a "criminal." In a recent interview with an international media outlet, he said that no dialogue should be held with criminals and that Bozize must be arrested and tried by the laws of his country or by the International Criminal Court (ICC).

In his address to the nation on March 18 this year, Touadera announced that a national dialogue would be held on the country’s security crisis in a short time. However, the president has always ruled out the idea of talks with armed groups united with the CPC.

Yet "everyone should be part of these conversations, including the rebels," a top official of the Economic and Monetary Community of Central Africa (CEMAC) told Anadolu Agency on condition of anonymity due to restrictions on speaking to the media.

According to him, it will be difficult to ignore the rebels because they are asking to participate in the dialogue.

He said it is important to know exactly what they want and how their demands could help bring back peace to the country.

For him, the fact that Bozize is joining the rebellion does not bode well for the country.

"It is a rather delicate situation that presages the continuation of the series of instability. It also shows that in the near future, there is a risk of renewed insecurity and conflict," he said.

"The retreat of the rebels in some cities of the country to position themselves in certain places such as the northeast of the country is a tactic. Similarly, the strategic position taken by Bozize is not really in line with the stability of the country, let alone the sub-region," the diplomat added.