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UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs

CENTRAL AFRICAN REPUBLIC: CEMAC troops disperse strikers in Bangui suburb

BANGUI, 18 June 2003 (IRIN) - Soldiers of the Economic and Monetary Community of Central African States (CEMAC) force dispersed on Tuesday a group of former fighters loyal to Central African Republic leader Francois Bozize, who had barricaded the road leading from the capital, Bangui, to the north of the country, CEMAC spokesman Col Augustin Bibaye told IRIN on Wednesday.

A driver was reported to have been shot dead as he attempted to run a roadblock put up by the strikers.

Bibaye said that a CEMAC troops were sent to secure PK12 suburb, about 12 km from the city centre, after the strikers fired a rocket into a private home and shot in the air using small arms.

There was no confrontation, he said.

A former rebel, who was among the strikers and who requested anonymity, told IRIN that they were demanding to be paid by the government.

In the ensuing three-hour confusion, which began at 11 am (13:00 GMT), residents of PK12 fled their homes. However, they returned later when calm was restored. The whereabouts of the strikers remained unknown.

During his six-month war against former President Ange-Felix Patasse’s troops, Bozize's fighters comprised Chadians and CAR youths, some of whom had no military training. After Bozize ousted Patasse on 15 March, the former fighters were reported to have been disarmed and cantoned in a military base at PK12.

"We are surprised because those people were supposed to have been disarmed," Bibaye said.

He added the former fighters free to leave the base any time. Former rebels have been blamed for armed robberies in Bangui. Early in June, CEMAC troops disarmed and cantoned in its base 229 of the former combatants. They were handed over the government after identification.

Theme(s): (IRIN) Conflict

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