Freedom in the World 1999 - Central African Republic

1999 Scores

Status: Partly Free
Freedom Rating: 3.5
Civil Liberties: 4
Political Rights: 3

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Central African Republic receives an upward trend arrow for holding peaceful and free presidential elections following years of political instability.

Overview

President Ange-Félix Patassé won presidential elections in September 1999 for another six-year term, defeating a former military ruler, André Kolingba, the most prominent of nine candidates vying to oust Patassé. The incumbent narrowly won the first round, eliminating the need for a runoff. United Nations peacekeepers watched over the voting, and international observers judged the vote to be free, although there were reports of irregularities such as ballot shortages in some areas with a strong opposition following. Kolingba and other candidates claimed fraud.

Sporadic violence preceded the poll. Two ruling party supporters were killed and dozens injured in an attack by Kolingba supporters during a rally called by Patassé's Movement for the Liberation of the Central African People. A number of political activists were arrested on illegal weapons charges.

Some opposition members have joined the new cabinet, which also includes military officers and representatives from civil society. Kolingba's opposition coalition, Union of Forces for Peace, said it would not take part in the new government. At least two parties have withdrawn from the coalition. The election and formation of a broad-based government, among other measures, are intended to resolve a political and economic crisis that helped touch off three army mutinies in 1996 and 1997 that wracked the capital. Order was restored only through a vigorous French military intervention. A UN mission in April replaced an African force that helped maintain security following the army uprisings. The UN mandate expires in February 2000 but additional UN military and police advisers could be sent in subsequently to help consolidate peace.

The UN Security Council expressed concern in July over what it said was "minimal progress" in implementing key political and economic reforms and highlighted the need to form a multiethnic army. Profound divisions linger within the security forces that could reverse steps made toward peace. Patassé's own presidential guard, the Special Forces for the Defense of Democratic Institutions, is largely drawn from his base in the north, while the southern-dominated military still loyal to Kolingba, is waiting for pension and severance payments.

The CAR, a sparsely populated country, gained independence from France in 1960 after a period of particularly brutal colonial exploitation. Colonel Jean-Bedel Bokassa seized power in 1967 and, as self-declared emperor, imposed an increasingly bizarre personal dictatorship on the renamed Central African Empire. After Bokassa began to murder schoolchildren, French forces finally ousted him in 1979. A French-installed successor was deposed by General Kolingba in 1981. Kolingba accepted a transition to a multiparty system that led to democratic elections in 1993, which Patassé won.

Political Rights and Civil Liberties

Presidential and legislative elections were held in 1993 in line with the 1986 constitution, giving the CAR's people their first opportunity to choose their leaders in an open and democratic manner. President Patassé's triumph was not matched by his party in the December 1998 national assembly elections, which produced a nearly even split between his supporters and his opponents. Political tensions rose early in 1999 when allegations surfaced that a politician had been bribed to switch sides to the ruling party, giving it the majority in parliament.

Open public discussion is permitted, but constitutionally guaranteed freedom of assembly is not always honored by authorities. A labor leader was detained in January 1999 for organizing a demonstration and strike supported by the opposition over the parliamentary bribery issue. Authorities barred organizers from holding further meetings. Several human rights and other nongovernmental organizations operate unhindered. Broad prohibitions against "fundamentalism" are widely considered to be aimed at Islamist tendencies and could provide scope for official restrictions on worship. Religious groups must register with the government, although religious freedom is respected in practice.

Corruption, political interference, and lack of training hinder the efficiency and impartiality of judicial institutions. Limitations on searches and detention are often ignored. Conditions for prisoners, including many long-term pretrial detainees, are extremely difficult and sometimes life-threatening. Police brutality is also a serious problem, and security forces act with impunity. The UN is to help restructure the military, which would involve the demobilization of about 800 soldiers and the presidential guard, and train 180 new police recruits. Extrajudicial executions of criminal suspects are reported, and robbery and other abuses by various military factions have become a serious problem in the capital. More than 20 suspected criminals were executed without trial in 1999, and some died in prison as a result of torture.

The UN-sponsored Radio Minurca provides nonpartisan civic and voter educational programming, as well as rebroadcasts of international news. Other broadcast media are dominated by the state and offer little coverage of opposition activities. Radio call-in shows were taken off the air ahead of the presidential elections. The only licensed private radio stations are music- or religion-oriented. Private print media have suffered little from direct governmental interference, but several journalists have been sued under draconian criminal libel laws for printing accusations of official malfeasance. The editors of four independent newspapers were questioned by military judicial authorities in November following reports that implicated the presidential guard in the killings of two soldiers. In December, President Patassé warned that action would be taken against media "that has a tendency to incite rebellion."

Societal discrimination in many areas relegates women to second-class citizenship, especially in rural areas, and constitutional guarantees for women's rights are generally not enforced. However, women have made some gains in the political sphere; three cabinet ministers are women, and 80 women contested the national assembly elections in 1998. Eight now hold seats. Female genital mutilation is still practiced, but is reportedly diminishing.

The CAR's largest single employer is the government, and government employee trade unions are especially active. Worker rights to form or join unions are legally protected, and five labor federations compete for union affiliates. Before unions may call strikes, a conciliation process is required. Wage guidelines are set by the government in consultation with employers and unions, but unions sometimes reach agreements with employers through collective bargaining. A broad privatization program is underway, but corruption and economic mismanagement have stifled growth. Most of the country's people are subsistence farmers.