During my work with President Francois Bozizé of the Central
African Republic (CAR) – from 2008 to 2010 – I always felt that he was too inclined
to indiscriminately follow Idriss Déby’s positions. For me, and I said it several times, it was
not good politics to be so much dependent on the Chadian President.
First, Chad and CAR
are too very different socio-political realities. Even Southern Chad, that at
the surface could be considered similar to CAR, is distinct and cannot be
easily compared with the reality south of the border.
Second, Déby is a man from the Sahel and his views about
Central Africa are not necessarily the most appropriate ones.
Third, the support Bozizé was looking for in N’Djamena had a
negative impact on CAR’s domestic politics: leveraged by Chad, Bozizé did not
see the critical relevance and urgency of moving faster on the issues of
national reconciliation and power-sharing.
But Bozizé had a different view.
Now, things have changed. He has been ousted from power. And
from his temporary refuge in Cameroon, today Bozizé accused the President of
Chad of being behind the rebels that chased him from the presidency and the
country.
As they say, quite often in politics the lessons are learned
when it is already too late.
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