Jean-Bédel Bokassa: Difference between revisions

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Bokassa was born on 22 February 1921 as one of 12 children to Mindogon Mgboundoulou, a village chief, and his wife Marie Yokowo in [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bobangui Bobangui], a large [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/M%27Baka M'Baka] village in the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lobaye Lobaye] basin located at the edge of the equatorial forest, then a part of colonial [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/French_Equatorial_Africa French Equatorial Africa], some 80 kilometres (50 mi) southwest of [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bangui Bangui]. Mgboundoulou was forced to organise the rosters of his village people to work for the French Forestière company. After hearing about the efforts of a prophet named Karnu to resist French rule and forced labour, Mgboundoulou decided that he would no longer follow French orders. He released some of his fellow villagers who were being held hostage by the Forestière. The company considered this to be a rebellious act, so they detained Mgboundoulou, and took him away bound in chains to [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mba%C3%AFki Mbaïki]. On 13 November 1927, he was beaten to death in the town square just outside the prefecture office. A week later, Bokassa's mother, Marie Yokowo, unable to bear the grief of losing her husband, committed suicide.

Bokassa's extended family decided that it would be best if he received a French-language education at the ''Ecole Sainte-Jeanne d'Arc'', a [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mission_%28Christian%29 Christian mission] school in Mbaïki. As a child, he was frequently taunted by his classmates about his orphanhood. He was short in stature and physically strong. In his studies, he became especially fond of a French grammar book by an author named Jean Bedel. His teachers noticed his attachment, and started calling him "Jean-Bedel". During his teenage years, Bokassa studied at ''Ecole Saint-Louis'' in Bangui, under Father Grüner. Grüner educated Bokassa with the intention of making him a priest, but realized that his student did not have the aptitude for study or the piety required for this occupation. He then studied at Father Compte's school in [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brazzaville Brazzaville], where he developed his abilities as a cook. After graduating in 1939, Bokassa took the advice offered to him by his grandfather, M'Balanga, and Father Grüner, by joining the French [~~http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Colonial_troops~~ colonial troops] as a [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tirailleur tirailleur] (rifleman) on 19 May 1939.

Bokassa's extended family decided that it would be best if he received a French-language education at the ''Ecole Sainte-Jeanne d'Arc'', a [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mission_%28Christian%29 Christian mission] school in Mbaïki. As a child, he was frequently taunted by his classmates about his orphanhood. He was short in stature and physically strong. In his studies, he became especially fond of a French grammar book by an author named Jean Bedel. His teachers noticed his attachment, and started calling him "Jean-Bedel". During his teenage years, Bokassa studied at ''Ecole Saint-Louis'' in Bangui, under Father Grüner. Grüner educated Bokassa with the intention of making him a priest, but realized that his student did not have the aptitude for study or the piety required for this occupation. He then studied at Father Compte's school in [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brazzaville Brazzaville], where he developed his abilities as a cook. After graduating in 1939, Bokassa took the advice offered to him by his grandfather, M'Balanga, and Father Grüner, by joining the French [[Colonialism|colonial troops]] as a [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tirailleur tirailleur] (rifleman) on 19 May 1939.

==Military career==

While serving in the Second ''bataillon de marche'', Bokassa became a [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Corporal corporal] in July 1940 and a sergeant major in November 1941. After the occupation of France by [[Nazi Germany]], Bokassa served with an African unit of the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Free_French_Forces Free French Forces] and took part in the capture of [[Vichy France]]'s capital at Brazzaville. On 15 August 1944, he participated in the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Allies_of_World_War_II Allied Forces]’ landing in [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Provence Provence], France, in [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Operation_Dragoon Operation Dragoon] and fought in southern France and in Germany in early 1945 before Nazi Germany was toppled. He remained in the French Army after the war, studying [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Transmission_%28telecommunications%29 radio transmissions] at an army camp in the French coastal town of [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fr%C3%A9jus Fréjus]. Afterwards, he attended [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Officer_training officer training] school in [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint-Louis,_Senegal Saint-Louis, Senegal]. On 7 September 1950, Bokassa headed to [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indochina Indochina] as the transmissions expert for the battalion of [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cholon,_Ho_Chi_Minh_City Saigon-Cholon]. Bokassa saw some combat during the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/First_Indochina_War First Indochina War] before his [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tour_of_duty tour of duty] ended in March 1953. For his exploits in battle, he was honored with membership of the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/L%C3%A9gion_d%27honneur Légion d'honneur], and was decorated with [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Croix_de_guerre_des_th%C3%A9%C3%A2tres_d%27op%C3%A9rations_ext%C3%A9rieures Croix de guerre]. During his stay in Indochina, he married a 17-year-old Vietnamese girl named Nguyen Thi Hué. After Hué bore him a daughter, Bokassa had the child registered as a French [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nationality national]. Bokassa left Indochina without his wife and child, as he believed he would return for another tour of duty in the near future. Upon his return to France, Bokassa was stationed at Fréjus, where he taught radio transmissions to African recruits. In 1956, he was promoted to [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Second_Lieutenant Second Lieutenant] and two years later to [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lieutenant Lieutenant]. Bokassa was then stationed as a military technical assistant in December 1958 in [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brazzaville Brazzaville], and in 1959 after a twenty year absence he was posted back to his homeland in [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bangui Bangui]. He was promoted to the rank of [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Captain_%28OF-2%29 Captain] on 1 July 1961.

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Bokassa sought recognition for his status as leader of the army. He frequently appeared in public wearing all his military decorations, and in ceremonies, he often sat next to President Dacko to display his importance in the government. Bokassa frequently got into heated arguments with Jean-Paul Douate, the government's chief of protocol, who admonished him for not following the correct order of seating at presidential tables. At first, Dacko found his cousin's antics amusing. Despite the number of recent military coups in Africa, Dacko publicly dismissed the likelihood that Bokassa would try to take control of the country. At an official dinner, he said, "Colonel Bokassa only wants to collect medals and he is too stupid to pull off a coup d'état". Other members of Dacko's cabinet believed that Bokassa was a genuine threat to the regime. Jean-Arthur Bandio, the minister of interior, suggested Dacko name Bokassa to the Cabinet, which he hoped would both break the colonel's close connections with the CAR army and satisfy the colonel's desire for recognition. To combat the chance that Bokassa would stage a coup, Dacko created the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gendarmerie gendarmerie], an armed police force of 500 and a 120-member presidential security guard, led by [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jean_Izamo Jean Izamo] and Prosper Mounoumbaye, respectively.

==Tensions rise between Dacko and Bokassa==

Dacko's government faced a number of problems during 1964 and 1965: the economy experienced [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Economic_stagnation stagnation], the bureaucracy started to fall apart, and the country's boundaries were constantly breached by [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Patrice_Lumumba Lumumbists] from the south and the rebel [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sudan_People%27s_Liberation_Army Sudan People's Liberation Army] from the east. Under pressure from political radicals in the ''Mouvement pour l'évolution sociale de l'Afrique noire'' (Movement for the Social Evolution of Black Africa or [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MESAN MESAN]) and in an attempt to cultivate alternative sources of support and display his ability to make foreign policy without the help of the French government, Dacko established diplomatic relations with [[Mao Zedong]]'s [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/People%27s_Republic_of_China People's Republic of China] (PRC) in September 1964. A delegation led by Meng Yieng and agents of the Chinese government toured the country, showing [~~http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Propaganda_in_the_People%27s_Republic_of_China~~ communist propaganda films]. Soon after, the PRC gave the CAR an interest-free loan of one billion [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/CFA_franc CFA francs] (20 million [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/French_franc French francs]); however, the aid failed to subdue the prospect of a financial collapse for the country. Widespread corruption by government officials and politicians added to the country's list of problems. Bokassa felt that he needed to take over the CAR government to solve all the country's problems—most importantly, to rid the country from the influence of communism. According to Samuel Decalo, a scholar on African government, Bokassa's personal ambitions played the most important role in his decision to launch a coup against Dacko.

Dacko's government faced a number of problems during 1964 and 1965: the economy experienced [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Economic_stagnation stagnation], the bureaucracy started to fall apart, and the country's boundaries were constantly breached by [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Patrice_Lumumba Lumumbists] from the south and the rebel [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sudan_People%27s_Liberation_Army Sudan People's Liberation Army] from the east. Under pressure from political radicals in the ''Mouvement pour l'évolution sociale de l'Afrique noire'' (Movement for the Social Evolution of Black Africa or [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MESAN MESAN]) and in an attempt to cultivate alternative sources of support and display his ability to make foreign policy without the help of the French government, Dacko established diplomatic relations with [[Mao Zedong]]'s [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/People%27s_Republic_of_China People's Republic of China] (PRC) in September 1964. A delegation led by Meng Yieng and agents of the Chinese government toured the country, showing [[Propaganda|communist propaganda films]]. Soon after, the PRC gave the CAR an interest-free loan of one billion [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/CFA_franc CFA francs] (20 million [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/French_franc French francs]); however, the aid failed to subdue the prospect of a financial collapse for the country. Widespread corruption by government officials and politicians added to the country's list of problems. Bokassa felt that he needed to take over the CAR government to solve all the country's problems—most importantly, to rid the country from the influence of communism. According to Samuel Decalo, a scholar on African government, Bokassa's personal ambitions played the most important role in his decision to launch a coup against Dacko.

Dacko sent Bokassa to Paris as part of the country's delegation for the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bastille_Day Bastille Day] celebrations in July 1965. After attending the celebrations and a 23 July ceremony to mark the closing of a military officer training school he had attended decades earlier, Bokassa decided to return to the CAR. However, Dacko forbade his return, and the infuriated Bokassa spent the next few months trying to obtain supporters from the French and Central African armed forces, who he hoped would force Dacko to reconsider his decision. Dacko eventually yielded to pressure and allowed Bokassa back in October 1965. Bokassa claimed that Dacko finally gave up after French [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Presidents_of_the_French_Republic President] [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charles_de_Gaulle Charles de Gaulle] had personally told Dacko that "Bokassa must be immediately returned to his post. I cannot tolerate the mistreatment of my companion-in-arms".

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The "friendly and fraternal" cooperation with France—according to Bokassa's own terms—reached its peak with the imperial coronation ceremony of Bokassa I on 4 December 1977. The French Defence Minister sent a battalion to secure the ceremony; he also lent 17 aircraft to the new Central African Empire's government, and even assigned French Navy personnel to support the orchestra. The coronation ceremony lasted for two days and cost 10 million [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/GBP GBP], more than the annual budget of the Central African Republic. The ceremony was organized by French artist Jean-Pierre Dupont. Parisian jeweller Claude Bertrand made his crown, which included diamonds. Bokassa sat on a two-ton throne modeled in the shape of a large eagle made from solid gold.

On 10 October 1979, the ''[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Canard_Encha%C3%AEn%C3%A9 Canard Enchaîné]'' satirical newspaper reported that President Bokassa had offered the then [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Minister_of_Finance Minister of Finance] Valéry Giscard d'Estaing two diamonds in 1973. This soon became a major political scandal known as the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diamonds_Affair Diamonds Affair], which contributed significantly to Giscard d'Estaing's losing his reelection bid. The Franco-Central African relationship drastically changed when France's [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Renseignements_G%C3%A9n%C3%A9raux Renseignements Généraux] intelligence service learned of Bokassa's willingness to become a partner of [~~http://real-life-villains.wikia.com/wiki/Muammar_Gaddafi~~ Muammar Gaddafi] of Libya.

On 10 October 1979, the ''[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Canard_Encha%C3%AEn%C3%A9 Canard Enchaîné]'' satirical newspaper reported that President Bokassa had offered the then [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Minister_of_Finance Minister of Finance] Valéry Giscard d'Estaing two diamonds in 1973. This soon became a major political scandal known as the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diamonds_Affair Diamonds Affair], which contributed significantly to Giscard d'Estaing's losing his reelection bid. The Franco-Central African relationship drastically changed when France's [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Renseignements_G%C3%A9n%C3%A9raux Renseignements Généraux] intelligence service learned of Bokassa's willingness to become a partner of [[Muammar Gaddafi]] of Libya.

After a meeting with Gaddafi in September 1976, Bokassa converted to [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Islam Islam] and changed his name to Salah Eddine Ahmed Bokassa, but in December 1976 he converted back to [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Catholicism Catholicism]. It is presumed that his conversion to Islam was a ploy calculated to ensure ongoing Libyan financial aid. When no funds promised by Gaddafi were forthcoming, Bokassa abandoned his new faith—which was also incompatible with his plans to be crowned emperor in the Catholic cathedral in [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bangui Bangui].

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During Bokassa's seven-year of exile, he wrote his memoirs after complaining that his French military pension was insufficient. But the French courts ordered that all 8,000 copies of the book be confiscated and destroyed after his publisher claimed that Bokassa said that he shared women with President Valéry Giscard d'Estaing, who has been a frequent guest in the Central African Republic. Bokassa also claimed to have given Giscard a gift of diamonds worth around a quarter of a million dollars in 1973 while the French president was serving as finance minister. Giscard's next presidential reelection campaign failed in the wake of the scandal. Bokassa's presence in France proved embarrassing to many government ministers who supported him during his entire rule.

==Trial and death==

Bokassa had been sentenced to death ''[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/In_absentia in absentia]'' in December 1980 for the murder of numerous political rivals. However, he returned from exile in France on 24 October 1986. Bokassa was immediately arrested by the Central African authorities in the Ngaragba prison as soon as he stepped off the plane and was tried for 14 different charges, including [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Treason treason], murder, [~~http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cannibalism~~ cannibalism], illegal use of property, assault and battery, and [~~http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Embezzlement~~ embezzlement]. Now that Bokassa was unexpectedly in the hands of the Central African Republic government, they were required by law to try him in person, granting him the benefit of defence counsel.

Bokassa had been sentenced to death ''[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/In_absentia in absentia]'' in December 1980 for the murder of numerous political rivals. However, he returned from exile in France on 24 October 1986. Bokassa was immediately arrested by the Central African authorities in the Ngaragba prison as soon as he stepped off the plane and was tried for 14 different charges, including [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Treason treason], murder, [[cannibalism]], illegal use of property, assault and battery, and [[embezzlement]]. Now that Bokassa was unexpectedly in the hands of the Central African Republic government, they were required by law to try him in person, granting him the benefit of defence counsel.

The trial began on 15 December 1986, taking place in the hot and humid, non-air conditioned chambers of the ''Palais de Justice'' in Bangui. Bokassa hired two French lawyers, François Gilbault and Francis Szpiner, which faced a panel composed of six jurors and three judges, presided over by High Court Judge Edouard Franck, which was modelled after the legal system in France itself. A fair jury trial of a former head of state was unprecedented in the history of post-colonial Africa where previous dictators had been tried and executed after show trials. New, too, was public access to the trial which the courtroom was constantly filled with standing-room-only spectators as well as live French-language broadcasts by Radio Bangui and local TV news crews which was broadcast all over the country, as well as neighbouring French-speaking African countries. The trial was listened to and watched by all those in the Central African Republic and in neighbouring countries by those who had access to any type of radio or TV set.

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 Bokassa was born on 22 February 1921 as one of 12 children to Mindogon Mgboundoulou, a village chief, and his wife Marie Yokowo in [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bobangui Bobangui], a large [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/M%27Baka M'Baka] village in the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lobaye Lobaye] basin located at the edge of the equatorial forest, then a part of colonial [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/French_Equatorial_Africa French Equatorial Africa], some 80 kilometres (50 mi) southwest of [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bangui Bangui].<span style="font-size:11px;line-height:0px;"> </span>Mgboundoulou was forced to organise the rosters of his village people to work for the French Forestière company. After hearing about the efforts of a prophet named Karnu to resist French rule and forced labour, Mgboundoulou decided that he would no longer follow French orders. He released some of his fellow villagers who were being held hostage by the Forestière. The company considered this to be a rebellious act, so they detained Mgboundoulou, and took him away bound in chains to [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mba%C3%AFki Mbaïki]. On 13 November 1927, he was beaten to death in the town square just outside the prefecture office. A week later, Bokassa's mother, Marie Yokowo, unable to bear the grief of losing her husband, committed suicide.
-Bokassa's extended family decided that it would be best if he received a French-language education at the ''Ecole Sainte-Jeanne d'Arc'', a [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mission_%28Christian%29 Christian mission] school in Mbaïki. As a child, he was frequently taunted by his classmates about his orphanhood. He was short in stature and physically strong. In his studies, he became especially fond of a French grammar book by an author named Jean Bedel. His teachers noticed his attachment, and started calling him "Jean-Bedel". During his teenage years, Bokassa studied at ''Ecole Saint-Louis'' in Bangui, under Father Grüner. Grüner educated Bokassa with the intention of making him a priest, but realized that his student did not have the aptitude for study or the piety required for this occupation. He then studied at Father Compte's school in [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brazzaville Brazzaville], where he developed his abilities as a cook. After graduating in 1939, Bokassa took the advice offered to him by his grandfather, M'Balanga, and Father Grüner, by joining the French [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Colonial_troops colonial troops] as a [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tirailleur tirailleur] (rifleman) on 19 May 1939.
+Bokassa's extended family decided that it would be best if he received a French-language education at the ''Ecole Sainte-Jeanne d'Arc'', a [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mission_%28Christian%29 Christian mission] school in Mbaïki. As a child, he was frequently taunted by his classmates about his orphanhood. He was short in stature and physically strong. In his studies, he became especially fond of a French grammar book by an author named Jean Bedel. His teachers noticed his attachment, and started calling him "Jean-Bedel". During his teenage years, Bokassa studied at ''Ecole Saint-Louis'' in Bangui, under Father Grüner. Grüner educated Bokassa with the intention of making him a priest, but realized that his student did not have the aptitude for study or the piety required for this occupation. He then studied at Father Compte's school in [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brazzaville Brazzaville], where he developed his abilities as a cook. After graduating in 1939, Bokassa took the advice offered to him by his grandfather, M'Balanga, and Father Grüner, by joining the French [[Colonialism|colonial troops]] as a [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tirailleur tirailleur] (rifleman) on 19 May 1939.
 ==Military career==
 While serving in the Second ''bataillon de marche'', Bokassa became a [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Corporal corporal] in July 1940 and a sergeant major in November 1941.<span style="font-size:11px;line-height:0px;"> </span>After the occupation of France by [[Nazi Germany]], Bokassa served with an African unit of the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Free_French_Forces Free French Forces] and took part in the capture of [[Vichy France]]'s capital at Brazzaville. On 15 August 1944, he participated in the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Allies_of_World_War_II Allied Forces]’ landing in [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Provence Provence], France, in [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Operation_Dragoon Operation Dragoon] and fought in southern France and in Germany in early 1945 before Nazi Germany was toppled. He remained in the French Army after the war, studying [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Transmission_%28telecommunications%29 radio transmissions] at an army camp in the French coastal town of [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fr%C3%A9jus Fréjus].<span style="font-size:11px;line-height:0px;"> </span>Afterwards, he attended [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Officer_training officer training] school in [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint-Louis,_Senegal Saint-Louis, Senegal]. On 7 September 1950, Bokassa headed to [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indochina Indochina] as the transmissions expert for the battalion of [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cholon,_Ho_Chi_Minh_City Saigon-Cholon]. Bokassa saw some combat during the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/First_Indochina_War First Indochina War] before his [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tour_of_duty tour of duty] ended in March 1953. For his exploits in battle, he was honored with membership of the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/L%C3%A9gion_d%27honneur Légion d'honneur], and was decorated with [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Croix_de_guerre_des_th%C3%A9%C3%A2tres_d%27op%C3%A9rations_ext%C3%A9rieures Croix de guerre]. During his stay in Indochina, he married a 17-year-old Vietnamese girl named Nguyen Thi Hué. After Hué bore him a daughter, Bokassa had the child registered as a French [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nationality national]. Bokassa left Indochina without his wife and child, as he believed he would return for another tour of duty in the near future.<span style="font-size:11px;line-height:0px;"> </span>Upon his return to France, Bokassa was stationed at Fréjus, where he taught radio transmissions to African recruits. In 1956, he was promoted to [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Second_Lieutenant Second Lieutenant] and two years later to [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lieutenant Lieutenant].<span style="font-size:11px;line-height:0px;"> </span>Bokassa was then stationed as a military technical assistant in December 1958 in [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brazzaville Brazzaville], and in 1959 after a twenty year absence he was posted back to his homeland in [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bangui Bangui]. He was promoted to the rank of [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Captain_%28OF-2%29 Captain] on 1 July 1961.
@@ Line 30: / Line 30: @@
 Bokassa sought recognition for his status as leader of the army. He frequently appeared in public wearing all his military decorations, and in ceremonies, he often sat next to President Dacko to display his importance in the government. Bokassa frequently got into heated arguments with Jean-Paul Douate, the government's chief of protocol, who admonished him for not following the correct order of seating at presidential tables. At first, Dacko found his cousin's antics amusing.<span style="font-size:11px;line-height:0px;"> </span>Despite the number of recent military coups in Africa, Dacko publicly dismissed the likelihood that Bokassa would try to take control of the country. At an official dinner, he said, "Colonel Bokassa only wants to collect medals and he is too stupid to pull off a coup d'état".<span style="font-size:11px;line-height:0px;"> </span>Other members of Dacko's cabinet believed that Bokassa was a genuine threat to the regime. Jean-Arthur Bandio, the minister of interior, suggested Dacko name Bokassa to the Cabinet, which he hoped would both break the colonel's close connections with the CAR army and satisfy the colonel's desire for recognition. To combat the chance that Bokassa would stage a coup, Dacko created the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gendarmerie gendarmerie], an armed police force of 500 and a 120-member presidential security guard, led by [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jean_Izamo Jean Izamo] and Prosper Mounoumbaye, respectively.
 ==Tensions rise between Dacko and Bokassa==
-Dacko's government faced a number of problems during 1964 and 1965: the economy experienced [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Economic_stagnation stagnation], the bureaucracy started to fall apart, and the country's boundaries were constantly breached by [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Patrice_Lumumba Lumumbists] from the south and the rebel [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sudan_People%27s_Liberation_Army Sudan People's Liberation Army] from the east. Under pressure from political radicals in the ''Mouvement pour l'évolution sociale de l'Afrique noire'' (Movement for the Social Evolution of Black Africa or [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MESAN MESAN]) and in an attempt to cultivate alternative sources of support and display his ability to make foreign policy without the help of the French government, Dacko established diplomatic relations with [[Mao Zedong]]'s [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/People%27s_Republic_of_China People's Republic of China] (PRC) in September 1964. A delegation led by Meng Yieng and agents of the Chinese government toured the country, showing [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Propaganda_in_the_People%27s_Republic_of_China communist propaganda films]. Soon after, the PRC gave the CAR an interest-free loan of one billion [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/CFA_franc CFA francs] (20 million [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/French_franc French francs]); however, the aid failed to subdue the prospect of a financial collapse for the country. Widespread corruption by government officials and politicians added to the country's list of problems. Bokassa felt that he needed to take over the CAR government to solve all the country's problems—most importantly, to rid the country from the influence of communism. According to Samuel Decalo, a scholar on African government, Bokassa's personal ambitions played the most important role in his decision to launch a coup against Dacko.
+Dacko's government faced a number of problems during 1964 and 1965: the economy experienced [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Economic_stagnation stagnation], the bureaucracy started to fall apart, and the country's boundaries were constantly breached by [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Patrice_Lumumba Lumumbists] from the south and the rebel [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sudan_People%27s_Liberation_Army Sudan People's Liberation Army] from the east. Under pressure from political radicals in the ''Mouvement pour l'évolution sociale de l'Afrique noire'' (Movement for the Social Evolution of Black Africa or [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MESAN MESAN]) and in an attempt to cultivate alternative sources of support and display his ability to make foreign policy without the help of the French government, Dacko established diplomatic relations with [[Mao Zedong]]'s [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/People%27s_Republic_of_China People's Republic of China] (PRC) in September 1964. A delegation led by Meng Yieng and agents of the Chinese government toured the country, showing [[Propaganda|communist propaganda films]]. Soon after, the PRC gave the CAR an interest-free loan of one billion [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/CFA_franc CFA francs] (20 million [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/French_franc French francs]); however, the aid failed to subdue the prospect of a financial collapse for the country. Widespread corruption by government officials and politicians added to the country's list of problems. Bokassa felt that he needed to take over the CAR government to solve all the country's problems—most importantly, to rid the country from the influence of communism. According to Samuel Decalo, a scholar on African government, Bokassa's personal ambitions played the most important role in his decision to launch a coup against Dacko.
 Dacko sent Bokassa to Paris as part of the country's delegation for the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bastille_Day Bastille Day] celebrations in July 1965. After attending the celebrations and a 23 July ceremony to mark the closing of a military officer training school he had attended decades earlier, Bokassa decided to return to the CAR. However, Dacko forbade his return, and the infuriated Bokassa spent the next few months trying to obtain supporters from the French and Central African armed forces, who he hoped would force Dacko to reconsider his decision. Dacko eventually yielded to pressure and allowed Bokassa back in October 1965. Bokassa claimed that Dacko finally gave up after French [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Presidents_of_the_French_Republic President] [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charles_de_Gaulle Charles de Gaulle] had personally told Dacko that "Bokassa must be immediately returned to his post. I cannot tolerate the mistreatment of my companion-in-arms".
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 The "friendly and fraternal" cooperation with France—according to Bokassa's own terms—reached its peak with the imperial coronation ceremony of Bokassa I on 4 December 1977. The French Defence Minister sent a battalion to secure the ceremony; he also lent 17 aircraft to the new Central African Empire's government, and even assigned French Navy personnel to support the orchestra. The coronation ceremony lasted for two days and cost 10 million [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/GBP GBP], more than the annual budget of the Central African Republic. The ceremony was organized by French artist Jean-Pierre Dupont. Parisian jeweller Claude Bertrand made his crown, which included diamonds. Bokassa sat on a two-ton throne modeled in the shape of a large eagle made from solid gold.
-On 10 October 1979, the ''[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Canard_Encha%C3%AEn%C3%A9 Canard Enchaîné]'' satirical newspaper reported that President Bokassa had offered the then [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Minister_of_Finance Minister of Finance] Valéry Giscard d'Estaing two diamonds in 1973. This soon became a major political scandal known as the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diamonds_Affair Diamonds Affair], which contributed significantly to Giscard d'Estaing's losing his reelection bid. The Franco-Central African relationship drastically changed when France's [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Renseignements_G%C3%A9n%C3%A9raux Renseignements Généraux] intelligence service learned of Bokassa's willingness to become a partner of [http://real-life-villains.wikia.com/wiki/Muammar_Gaddafi Muammar Gaddafi]<span style="font-size:24px;line-height:18.99147605895996px;"> </span><span style="font-size:13px;line-height:21px;">of Libya</span><span style="font-size:13px;line-height:21px;">.</span>
+On 10 October 1979, the ''[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Canard_Encha%C3%AEn%C3%A9 Canard Enchaîné]'' satirical newspaper reported that President Bokassa had offered the then [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Minister_of_Finance Minister of Finance] Valéry Giscard d'Estaing two diamonds in 1973. This soon became a major political scandal known as the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diamonds_Affair Diamonds Affair], which contributed significantly to Giscard d'Estaing's losing his reelection bid. The Franco-Central African relationship drastically changed when France's [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Renseignements_G%C3%A9n%C3%A9raux Renseignements Généraux] intelligence service learned of Bokassa's willingness to become a partner of [[Muammar Gaddafi]]<span style="font-size:24px;line-height:18.99147605895996px;"> </span><span style="font-size:13px;line-height:21px;">of Libya</span><span style="font-size:13px;line-height:21px;">.</span>
 After a meeting with Gaddafi in September 1976, Bokassa converted to [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Islam Islam] and changed his name to Salah Eddine Ahmed Bokassa, but in December 1976 he converted back to [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Catholicism Catholicism]. It is presumed that his conversion to Islam was a ploy calculated to ensure ongoing Libyan financial aid. When no funds promised by Gaddafi were forthcoming, Bokassa abandoned his new faith—which was also incompatible with his plans to be crowned emperor in the Catholic cathedral in [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bangui Bangui].
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 During Bokassa's seven-year of exile, he wrote his memoirs after complaining that his French military pension was insufficient. But the French courts ordered that all 8,000 copies of the book be confiscated and destroyed after his publisher claimed that Bokassa said that he shared women with President Valéry Giscard d'Estaing, who has been a frequent guest in the Central African Republic. Bokassa also claimed to have given Giscard a gift of diamonds worth around a quarter of a million dollars in 1973 while the French president was serving as finance minister. Giscard's next presidential reelection campaign failed in the wake of the scandal. Bokassa's presence in France proved embarrassing to many government ministers who supported him during his entire rule.
 ==Trial and death==
-Bokassa had been sentenced to death ''[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/In_absentia in absentia]'' in December 1980 for the murder of numerous political rivals. However, he returned from exile in France on 24 October 1986. Bokassa was immediately arrested by the Central African authorities in the Ngaragba prison as soon as he stepped off the plane and was tried for 14 different charges, including [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Treason treason], murder, [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cannibalism cannibalism], illegal use of property, assault and battery, and [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Embezzlement embezzlement]. Now that Bokassa was unexpectedly in the hands of the Central African Republic government, they were required by law to try him in person, granting him the benefit of defence counsel.
+Bokassa had been sentenced to death ''[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/In_absentia in absentia]'' in December 1980 for the murder of numerous political rivals. However, he returned from exile in France on 24 October 1986. Bokassa was immediately arrested by the Central African authorities in the Ngaragba prison as soon as he stepped off the plane and was tried for 14 different charges, including [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Treason treason], murder, [[cannibalism]], illegal use of property, assault and battery, and [[embezzlement]]. Now that Bokassa was unexpectedly in the hands of the Central African Republic government, they were required by law to try him in person, granting him the benefit of defence counsel.
 The trial began on 15 December 1986, taking place in the hot and humid, non-air conditioned chambers of the ''Palais de Justice'' in Bangui. Bokassa hired two French lawyers, François Gilbault and Francis Szpiner, which faced a panel composed of six jurors and three judges, presided over by High Court Judge Edouard Franck, which was modelled after the legal system in France itself. A fair jury trial of a former head of state was unprecedented in the history of post-colonial Africa where previous dictators had been tried and executed after show trials. New, too, was public access to the trial which the courtroom was constantly filled with standing-room-only spectators as well as live French-language broadcasts by Radio Bangui and local TV news crews which was broadcast all over the country, as well as neighbouring French-speaking African countries. The trial was listened to and watched by all those in the Central African Republic and in neighbouring countries by those who had access to any type of radio or TV set.