Seleka rebels are foreigners, CAR president says

The president of the Central African Republic (CAR) says the Seleka rebels are supported by “foreign terrorists.”

President Francois Bozizé Yangouvonda made the remarks at a press conference in the CAR capital Bangui on Tuesday, the Associated Press reported.

He said the rebels seem to be Janjaweed militiamen — who are operating in the Darfur region of western Sudan — along with “people who don’t speak Sango (the primary language spoken in CAR), French, or even English,” and are from another country.

Bozizé also commented on the peace talks that are scheduled to begin in the Gabonese capital Libreville this week.

“If the terrorists come to talk terrorism, the whole world will know it… If they come to discuss defending the cause of Central African Republic, we are going to listen to them. If there is something positive, we will accept it. If it’s armed robbery, we will not accept it,” Bozizé stated.

On Monday, delegations from the two sides were scheduled to leave for Gabon, but the CAR government officials’ plane did not take off from Bangui as scheduled due to a “technical problem.”

However, the Seleka delegation arrived in Gabon on Monday.

Yet, despite the rebels’ decision to attend the peace talks, the Seleka spokesman said in an interview in Paris on the same day that the group still has the ability to seize Damara or Bangui but is concerned about the 700,000 people who live there.

“If we wanted to take Damara, it would already be done. We have the means to take Damara and also to take Bangui today, but we don’t want the capital to suffer attacks,” Eric Massi stated.

However, on Tuesday the CAR president said, “Foreign terrorists are attacking the established power in Central African Republic. Under those circumstances, I am proud of having served my country normally, that democracy is functioning normally.”

The Seleka rebels launched an offensive against the CAR government in December.

The rebels, who have been advancing toward Bangui, say CAR President Francois Bozizé Yangouvonda must step down.

There are many mineral resources, including gold and diamonds, in the Central African Republic. However, the country is extremely poor and has faced a series of rebellions and coups since it gained independence in 1960.