Rebels, CAR peace talks delayed
2013-01-08 08:38
Bangui - Talks between Central African Republic's government
and the rebels who now control much of the country's north are being delayed
until Friday, the president of Republic of Congo announced late on Monday.
Delegations were expected to travel to Gabon in time to
begin talks on Tuesday, though a plane carrying the government delegation along
with members of the country's political opposition failed to leave Bangui, the
capital, as scheduled.
President Denis Sassou N'Guesso of Republic of Congo met on Monday
with the embattled leader of Central African Republic, Francois Bozize.
Sassou-Nguesso declined to comment on reports the rebels are
still seeking Bozize's ouster as a condition of the talks. "In our
capacity as mediator, we can't interpret the declarations of others," he
said. "The fact that we hold to is that all the parties have agreed that
we are going to negotiations."
The rebel alliance claims it could still take the
government-fortified city of Damara or Bangui but were holding back out of
concern for the 700 000 people who live there.
"If we wanted to take Damara, it would already be done.
We have the means to take Damara and also to take Bangui today, but we don't
want the capital to suffer attacks," rebel spokesperson Eric Massi told
The Associated Press in Paris on Monday.
The president of Republic of Congo on Monday urged the
rebels to hold their positions at the demarcation line already established.
Meanwhile, a plane carrying members of the government
delegation, the country's political opposition and other scheduled participants
did not take off as scheduled on Monday evening.
Technical problem
The passengers were told the flight was cancelled due to a
"technical problem" and would fly to Gabon early on Tuesday, said
Abdoulaye Issene, president of the CPJP, a rebel group that signed a peace
agreement with the government who says he is not part of the alliance behind
the recent offensive.
This week's scheduled meetings between rebels, the
government and the country's political opposition in Libreville, Gabon, come a
month after fighters from several armed groups began their rebellion against a
government that has wielded little power over its vast and sparsely populated
north.
While the rebels - who call themselves Seleka, which means
alliance in the local Sango language - have halted their advance toward Bangui,
they now hold a dozen cities and towns. The rebellion poses the greatest threat
to Bozize's presidency since he himself seized power in 2003.
Bozize already has offered up the possibility of a coalition
government, a proposal the rebels have dismissed. A rebel spokesperson has said
the fighters want Bozize gone, a stipulation that could derail talks
altogether.
The government's chief mediator, Willibiro Sako, said the
objective of the talks is "to try to look into the problems of our country
and find solutions for the peace, security and development of Central African
Republic".
"We have to start to enter into dialogue even if at
times there were some who did not agree with each other," he said on
Monday.
In this nation of 4.4 million, many have little faith the
government will be able to reach a lasting agreement with the rebels, especially
because multiple peace accords already have been signed over the years with
several different groups.
"Even if the rebel leaders reach an agreement with the
Bangui government, their people on the ground will not get their piece of
cake," said Henry Yenzapa, 42, a history professor at the University of
Bangui.
Military aid
While the rebels had vowed to halt their advance pending the
negotiations, residents said two towns were seized over the weekend. Massi, the
Paris-based spokesperson, accused Bozize of planning to use those towns as
jumping off points to spy on Seleka forces.
"We were simply securing our position in taking these
two towns and preventing these acts of espionage," said Massi, who
identifies himself as Seleka's spokesperson, though others within Central
African Republic also say they speak for the alliance.
Residents in the capital have been reassured by the presence
of regional troops from Gabon, Cameroon, Republic of Congo, and Chad to help
stabilise the country. South Africa also has said it is sending 400 soldiers to
help support national forces here.
"The military aid provided by the (10-nation) Economic
Community of Central African States reassures us that the rebels are not going
to continue their advance in the direction of Bangui," said Patrick
Bangui, a 27-year-old student.
Meetings were set to begin Tuesday, with high-level
discussions due to take place later in the week.
The shaky rebel alliance, Seleka, is made up of four rebel
groups all known by their French acronyms - UFDR, FDPC and CPSK and a faction
of CPJP.
The rebels "are going to have zero confidence in many
promises that Bozize makes", said Jennifer Cooke, director of the Africa
program at the Washington-based Center for Strategic and International Studies.
Still, she had a scrap of optimism.
"There's a possibility of an agreement - the question
is building confidence on both sides, particularly the rebel side, and
maintaining it going forward," Cooke said.
- SAPA
