2002 Central African Republic coup attempt
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| 2002 Central African Republic coup attempt | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| |||||||
| Belligerents | |||||||
 Central African GovernmentMLC .svg){kind=small} Libya |
Bozize loyalists | ||||||
| Commanders and leaders | |||||||
|
Ange-Félix Patassé Abdoulaye Miskine[1] Jean-Pierre Bemba | Francois Bozizé | ||||||
| Strength | |||||||
| 200 Libyan troops | |||||||
The 2002 Central African Republic coup attempt was a failed military coup d'état in the Central African Republic (CAR) led by forces loyal to dismissed Army Chief of Staff Francois Bozizé, with the goal of overthrowing President Ange-Félix Patassé. The coup attempt lasted for six days, starting on October 25 when rebel forces assaulted the capital - Bangui - and ending by the end of the month on October 31, when they were driven out and the government regained control of the capital. The Patassé government received crucial help from the Gaddafi regime in Libya, who deployed 200 Libyan troops and a small fleet of fighter jets to their aid. They were also aided by Jean-Pierre Bemba's Movement for the Liberation of the Congo (MLC), who contributed over a thousand fighters to help. According to Amnesty International, government forces and their foreign allies committed severe human rights abuses during and after the coup attempt.
From its independence in 1960 from France until the 1990s, the Central African Republic was ruled by authoritarian leaders who were each ousted in military coups. After the end of the Cold War in 1991, the West became less tolerant of dictatorships in the developing world, including the Kolingba regime.[2] Facing mounting international pressure, Andre Kolingba was forced to democratize the country by July 1991 after years of one-party rule. In 1993, the country's first ever multiparty elections were held, with Ange-Félix Patassé winning the majority of the popular vote.[3]
However, his presidency was soon marred by unrest within the military. Dissenting factions of the military attempted multiple times to overthrow the new president, including in 1996 and 1997.[2] Army Chief of Staff Francois Bozize helped in suppressing these army mutinies. After a third coup attempt in 2001, however, Bozize's loyalty to the president was questioned, with suspicions of his involvement in the plot.[4] As a result, Bozize was dismissed as the Army Chief of Staff on October 26.[4] Though Bozize attempted to resist his removal, he was ultimately forced into exile in Southern Chad by November.[4]
