Jean-Bédel Bokassa: Difference between revisions

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'''Jean-Bedel Bokasa''' (February 22, 1921 - November 3, 1996) was the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Head_of_state head of state] of the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Central_African_Republic Central African Republic] and its successor state, the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Central_African_Empire Central African Empire], from his [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coup_d%27%C3%A9tat coup d'état] on 1 January 1966 until 20 September 1979. Of this period, he served almost eleven years (1 January 1966 – 4 December 1976) as [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/President president] ([http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/President_for_life president for life] in 1972–1976), and for almost three years he reigned as [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Emperor_of_Central_Africa emperor] (4 December 1976 – 20 September 1979).<ref name = Emperor>[https://www.nytimes.com/1977/12/05/archives/bokassa-crowns-himself-emperor-in-rich-central-african-pageant.html Bokassa Crowns Himself Emperor In Rich Central African Pageant], ''The New York Times''</ref> Following his overthrow, the Central African Republic was restored. Although Bokassa was formally crowned in December 1977, his imperial title did not achieve worldwide diplomatic recognition.

Born in [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/French_Equatorial_Africa French Equatorial Africa], the son of a village chief, Jean-Bedel Bokassa was orphaned at age 12. Educated in mission schools, he joined the French colonial army in 1939 as a private. He distinguished himself in the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/First_Indochina_War war in Indochina], winning medals and rising to the rank of captain. When French Equatorial Africa gained its independence as the Central African Republic in 1960, the new president [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_Dacko David Dacko] invited Bokassa to head the armed forces. In 1966, Bokassa used his position to oust Dacko and declared himself president. He then began a reign of terror, taking all important government posts for himself. He personally supervised judicial beatings and introduced a rule that thieves would have an ear cut off for the first two offenses and a hand for the third.<ref name = gooddays>[http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/mobile/africa/7803421.stm 'Good old days' under Bokassa?], ''BBC News''</ref> In 1977, in emulation of his hero [[Napoleon Bonaparte]], he crowned himself emperor of the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Central_African_Empire Central African Empire] in a ceremony costing $20 million<ref name = Emperor></ref>, practically bankrupting the country. His diamond-encrusted crown alone cost $5 million.<ref name = coronation>[https://time.com/archive/6878938/central-africa-mounting-a-golden-throne/ CENTRAL AFRICA: Mounting a Golden Throne], ''~~Time~~''</ref> In 1979 he had hundreds of schoolchildren arrested for refusing to wear uniforms made in a factory he owned, and personally supervised the massacre of 100 of the schoolchildren by his Imperial Guard.<ref name = massacre>[https://www.nytimes.com/1979/05/15/archives/central-african-empire-accused-of-killing-students-at-least-50-may.html Central African Empire Accused of Killing Students], ''The New York Times''</ref>

Born in [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/French_Equatorial_Africa French Equatorial Africa], the son of a village chief, Jean-Bedel Bokassa was orphaned at age 12. Educated in mission schools, he joined the French colonial army in 1939 as a private. He distinguished himself in the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/First_Indochina_War war in Indochina], winning medals and rising to the rank of captain. When French Equatorial Africa gained its independence as the Central African Republic in 1960, the new president [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_Dacko David Dacko] invited Bokassa to head the armed forces. In 1966, Bokassa used his position to oust Dacko and declared himself president. He then began a reign of terror, taking all important government posts for himself. He personally supervised judicial beatings and introduced a rule that thieves would have an ear cut off for the first two offenses and a hand for the third.<ref name = gooddays>[http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/mobile/africa/7803421.stm 'Good old days' under Bokassa?], ''BBC News''</ref> In 1977, in emulation of his hero [[Napoleon Bonaparte]], he crowned himself emperor of the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Central_African_Empire Central African Empire] in a ceremony costing $20 million<ref name = Emperor></ref>, practically bankrupting the country. His diamond-encrusted crown alone cost $5 million.<ref name = coronation>[https://time.com/archive/6878938/central-africa-mounting-a-golden-throne/ CENTRAL AFRICA: Mounting a Golden Throne], ''TIME''</ref> In 1979 he had hundreds of schoolchildren arrested for refusing to wear uniforms made in a factory he owned, and personally supervised the massacre of 100 of the schoolchildren by his Imperial Guard.<ref name = massacre>[https://www.nytimes.com/1979/05/15/archives/central-african-empire-accused-of-killing-students-at-least-50-may.html Central African Empire Accused of Killing Students], ''The New York Times''</ref>

On 20 September 1979, French paratroopers deposed him and re-installed Dacko as president.<ref name = overthrown>[https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/politics/1979/09/22/french-troops-negotiations-pushed-bokassa-off-throne/a43fa464-4c17-45b5-847c-edbd5a1efda0/ French Troops, Negotiations Pushed Bokassa Off Throne], ''The Washington Post''</ref> Bokassa went into exile in [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/France France] where he had chateaux and other property bought with the money he had embezzled. After his overthrow in 1979, Central Africa reverted to its former name and status as the ''Central African Republic''. In his absence, he was tried and sentenced to death.<ref name = death>[https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1987-06-13-mn-6870-story.html Bokassa Guilty; Death Sentence for Ex-Emperor], ''Los Angeles Times''</ref> He returned to the Central African Republic in 1986 and was put on trial for treason and murder. In 1987, he was cleared of charges of [[cannibalism]], but found guilty of the murder of schoolchildren and other crimes. The death sentence was later commuted to life in solitary confinement, but just six years later, in 1993, he was freed. He lived a private life in his former capital, [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bangui Bangui], and died in November 1996.

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 '''Jean-Bedel Bokasa''' (February 22, 1921 - November 3, 1996) was the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Head_of_state head of state] of the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Central_African_Republic Central African Republic] and its successor state, the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Central_African_Empire Central African Empire], from his [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coup_d%27%C3%A9tat coup d'état] on 1 January 1966 until 20 September 1979. Of this period, he served almost eleven years (1 January 1966 – 4 December 1976) as [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/President president] ([http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/President_for_life president for life] in 1972–1976), and for almost three years he reigned as [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Emperor_of_Central_Africa emperor] (4 December 1976 – 20 September 1979).<ref name = Emperor>[https://www.nytimes.com/1977/12/05/archives/bokassa-crowns-himself-emperor-in-rich-central-african-pageant.html Bokassa Crowns Himself Emperor In Rich Central African Pageant], ''The New York Times''</ref> Following his overthrow, the Central African Republic was restored. Although Bokassa was formally crowned in December 1977, his imperial title did not achieve worldwide diplomatic recognition.
-Born in [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/French_Equatorial_Africa French Equatorial Africa], the son of a village chief, Jean-Bedel Bokassa was orphaned at age 12. Educated in mission schools, he joined the French colonial army in 1939 as a private. He distinguished himself in the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/First_Indochina_War war in Indochina], winning medals and rising to the rank of captain. When French Equatorial Africa gained its independence as the Central African Republic in 1960, the new president [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_Dacko David Dacko] invited Bokassa to head the armed forces. In 1966, Bokassa used his position to oust Dacko and declared himself president. He then began a reign of terror, taking all important government posts for himself. He personally supervised judicial beatings and introduced a rule that thieves would have an ear cut off for the first two offenses and a hand for the third.<ref name = gooddays>[http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/mobile/africa/7803421.stm 'Good old days' under Bokassa?], ''BBC News''</ref> In 1977, in emulation of his hero [[Napoleon Bonaparte]], he crowned himself emperor of the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Central_African_Empire Central African Empire] in a ceremony costing $20 million<ref name = Emperor></ref>, practically bankrupting the country. His diamond-encrusted crown alone cost $5 million.<ref name = coronation>[https://time.com/archive/6878938/central-africa-mounting-a-golden-throne/ CENTRAL AFRICA: Mounting a Golden Throne], ''Time''</ref> In 1979 he had hundreds of schoolchildren arrested for refusing to wear uniforms made in a factory he owned, and personally supervised the massacre of 100 of the schoolchildren by his Imperial Guard.<ref name = massacre>[https://www.nytimes.com/1979/05/15/archives/central-african-empire-accused-of-killing-students-at-least-50-may.html Central African Empire Accused of Killing Students], ''The New York Times''</ref>
+Born in [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/French_Equatorial_Africa French Equatorial Africa], the son of a village chief, Jean-Bedel Bokassa was orphaned at age 12. Educated in mission schools, he joined the French colonial army in 1939 as a private. He distinguished himself in the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/First_Indochina_War war in Indochina], winning medals and rising to the rank of captain. When French Equatorial Africa gained its independence as the Central African Republic in 1960, the new president [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_Dacko David Dacko] invited Bokassa to head the armed forces. In 1966, Bokassa used his position to oust Dacko and declared himself president. He then began a reign of terror, taking all important government posts for himself. He personally supervised judicial beatings and introduced a rule that thieves would have an ear cut off for the first two offenses and a hand for the third.<ref name = gooddays>[http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/mobile/africa/7803421.stm 'Good old days' under Bokassa?], ''BBC News''</ref> In 1977, in emulation of his hero [[Napoleon Bonaparte]], he crowned himself emperor of the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Central_African_Empire Central African Empire] in a ceremony costing $20 million<ref name = Emperor></ref>, practically bankrupting the country. His diamond-encrusted crown alone cost $5 million.<ref name = coronation>[https://time.com/archive/6878938/central-africa-mounting-a-golden-throne/ CENTRAL AFRICA: Mounting a Golden Throne], ''TIME''</ref> In 1979 he had hundreds of schoolchildren arrested for refusing to wear uniforms made in a factory he owned, and personally supervised the massacre of 100 of the schoolchildren by his Imperial Guard.<ref name = massacre>[https://www.nytimes.com/1979/05/15/archives/central-african-empire-accused-of-killing-students-at-least-50-may.html Central African Empire Accused of Killing Students], ''The New York Times''</ref>
 On 20 September 1979, French paratroopers deposed him and re-installed Dacko as president.<ref name = overthrown>[https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/politics/1979/09/22/french-troops-negotiations-pushed-bokassa-off-throne/a43fa464-4c17-45b5-847c-edbd5a1efda0/ French Troops, Negotiations Pushed Bokassa Off Throne], ''The Washington Post''</ref> Bokassa went into exile in [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/France France] where he had chateaux and other property bought with the money he had embezzled. After his overthrow in 1979, Central Africa reverted to its former name and status as the ''Central African Republic''. In his absence, he was tried and sentenced to death.<ref name = death>[https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1987-06-13-mn-6870-story.html Bokassa Guilty; Death Sentence for Ex-Emperor], ''Los Angeles Times''</ref> He returned to the Central African Republic in 1986 and was put on trial for treason and murder. In 1987, he was cleared of charges of [[cannibalism]], but found guilty of the murder of schoolchildren and other crimes. The death sentence was later commuted to life in solitary confinement, but just six years later, in 1993, he was freed. He lived a private life in his former capital, [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bangui Bangui], and died in November 1996.