Opposition critical of French attacks on Central Africa rebels

FRENCH attacks against rebels in the Central African Republic were harshly criticised by the French opposition yesterday after reports from Bangui spoke of dozens of deaths, including several civilians.

"I fear an increase of anti French feeling in Central Africa," Mr Lionel Jospin, the head of the Socialist Party, told a press conference here.

French troops had attacked dissident soldiers at three separate positions in Bangui, Central Africa, early on Sunday morning; the French government claimed only "about" 10 of the rebels were killed French politicians and newspaper editorials alleged that the long term goal of the French intervention, whose initial purpose was to avenge the murder of two French soldiers on Saturday, was unclear.

Was it to promote democracy in the poverty stricken Central African Republic, where President Ange Felix Patasse persists in imprisoning his political enemies while rewarding his friends from government coffers? True, Mr Patasse was democratically elected two years ago, but as noted by Mr Jospin, "President Patasse ... is not behaving democratically and has not been able to stabilise the situation in the country."

Or was the real reason for Sunday's battle, as well as for earlier French interventions in April and May 1996, a desire to safeguard France's military bases in the Central African Republic?

"The problem is knowing what missions our government sets for our soldiers," Mr Jospin said. "The defence agreement with the Central African Republic, which was invoked, is not a police accord. The French army should not be transformed into an internal security force or a presidential guard for President Patasse."

During the latest Rwandan crisis, President Jacques Chirac promised that the French army would take no more unilateral actions in Africa and the weekend attack was described as "self defence" by the French government. But many French citizens wondered why Mr Chirac was getting them mixed up in what looked like old fashioned colonial meddling.

French soldiers took some 50 rebels prisoner before turning them over to the Central African gendarmerie. They captured positions and weapons. It was a far cry from the declared mission of the 1,500 French soldiers deployed in Bangui in November; they were meant simply to keep the belligerents apart and protect foreign residents of the Central African capital.

Since France overthrew Central African Emperor Jean Bedel Bokassa in 1979, Paris has spent about £8.5 million a year to support the country's armed forces, yet President Patasse has still not found the money to pay his own troops, and demands for back pay have been a primary cause of repeated mutinies.

The French army provides the Central African army with equipment and logistical support, and trains the Central African gendarmerie and the presidential guard.

In exchange, France is allowed to maintain two military bases at Bangui and Bouar with a French force of 2,050 equipped with Mirage F-1 jet fighters, transport aircraft and helicopters, armoured vehicles and machineguns.