CENTRAL AFRICAN REPUBLIC: Interview with Vice-President Abel Goumba

[ This report does not necessarily reflect the views of the United Nations]

BANGUI, 2 Mar 2005 (IRIN) - The vice-president of the Central African Republic (CAR), Abel Goumba, has been an opposition leader for 40 years. He joined the government for the first time when the nation's current leader, Francois Bozize, overthrew President Ange-Felix Patasse on 15 March 2003. Now, with elections scheduled for 13 March, Goumba is one of the presidential candidates.

Born in 1926 in the town of Kouango, in central CAR, Goumba studied medicine in France and worked as a doctor with the World Health Organization before entering politics. He talked to IRIN on 24 February in the northwestern town of Bossangoa. Below are excerpts of that interview:

QUESTION: How would you describe the humanitarian situation in CAR?

ANSWER: Until recently, the situation has been disastrous. Thousands of MLC [le Mouvement de libération de Congo] rebels from the neighbouring Democratic Republic of Congo had invaded the CAR. Many people here had to flee into the bush. With no food or clean water, many got sick. Wild animals ate some. It was terrible.

But since the country was liberated on 15 March 2003 [by fighters loyal to current CAR leader Francois Bozize], the situation has been slowly improving. Highwaymen do continue to mount attacks sporadically. As recently as last Saturday, bandits attacked and looted a village 20 km from here, killing a woman.

Q: Who are these highway bandits?

A: They may be former soldiers or gendarmes and some may be Chadian liberators [soldiers who in March 2003 helped Bozize oust Patasse].

Q: Are they making it difficult for the population to get food and survive?

A: No. I don't really think the situation is so bad. International organisations such as the UN World Food Programme and UNICEF [UN Children's Fund] can operate in these areas [escorted by government troops]. The aid workers are not being attacked.

Q: Still, are the highwaymen having an impact on CAR's development?

A: To some extent, but what is even more of a problem for the development of this country is that donor agencies are not prepared to give assistance until after elections. Last week we had talks with the IMF's visiting representative, Mark Lewis, who said that we have to wait till July or August before donor funds begin to flow. That's too long. It's going to cause a lot of difficulties.

Donors should assist the country now without imposing conditions. We have also asked for CEMAC [the Central African Regional Economic and Monetary Community] to increase its peacekeeping force, during the elections, from 400 to 800 troops.

Q: Do you think there will be tension and violence during the electoral campaign?

A: No, I don't think so. We [le Front patriotique pour le progrès and most other political parties] have signed a code of good conduct, which candidates are bound to respect.

Q: The special representative of the UN Secretary-General to CAR, Lamine Cisse, has voiced concern that some presidential candidates could hire the highwaymen to intimidate other candidates. Do you see this as a concern?

A: No I don't think so. My party certainly won't do that.

Q: Why was the former president, Ange-Felix Patasse, banned from contesting the elections?

A: He organised this country like a personal business and is accused of having committing serious crimes. He invited [Jean Pierre] Bemba [leader of the Congolese MLC], to bring his combatants here and loot our houses and rape our women and young girls.

Q: But Bozize brought in Chadian soldiers and many are still here aren’t they?

A: Yes, it's true. It is a complicated situation.

Q: You too are running as a candidate for the presidential election. What are your chances of winning?

A: It's up to the population - if they want me. As someone who believes in democracy, I'm ready to respect the results of the elections.

Q: How can you reconcile being both a presidential candidate and a vice president supporting President Bozize, who is your main opponent?

A: I have no difficulty. Currently, the president, the vice president and the government are transitional institutions. That was agreed upon [following the March 2003 coup] by all political parties and civil society. I will campaign against Bozize without endangering this consensus.

[ENDS]