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2:3.
Image by Željko Heimer 15 April 2003
Last modified: 2018-12-26 by bruce berry
Keywords: central african republic | crescent and star | bokassa | central african empire | french equatorial africa | libya |
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2:3.
Image by Željko Heimer 15 April 2003
In the summer of 1976, during a visit to the
Central African Republic (CAR) by President
Muammar Muhammad al-Gaddafi of
Libya,
the CAR President Jean Bedel Bokassa converted to Islam and adopted the name of Salah el Din Ahmed. At the time a project was undertaken to devise a new national flag, probably
arising from inner government circles to please Gaddafi. Some media
reported the new flag as being adopted, but it seems that after obtaining some economic help from Gaddafi,
the new flag project stopped and some months later the
Central African Empire (December 1976) came into being and the existing
national flag was confirmed.
Jaume Ollé, 13 Feb 2003
This description is from an image at Petr Exner's
Czech vexillological pages:
green field, yellow crescent and star in lower fly, yellow over white canton.
Olivier Touzeau, 13 February 2003
In the 1976-year Journal Officiel de la Republique Centrafricaine and I found
the following:
- It is true that on 01 September 1976 Bokassa went to Libya for celebrations
marking the seventh anniversary of the coup that had brought Colonel Muammar
Gaddafi to power. Back home, on 04 September 1976, President Bokassa
suppressed the Government and created a pro-Libyan ruling body named the Conseil de la Revolution Centrafricaine (Central African Revolution
Council).
- On that same day, 04 September 1976, a 31-member Central African Revolution
Council was formed by Bokassa. Bokassa, following Gaddafi's example,
gave up to most of his posts and remained only as the For-Life-President of the
Republic, For-Life-President of the MESAN (the sole political party),
President of the Revolution Council and Supreme Chief of Central African
Army.
- On 17 October 1976, Gaddafi arrived in Bangui and at the mosque at Kilométre 5 he looked on approvingly as Bokassa was officially initiated
into Islam. The new convert was known as Salah Addin Ahmed Bou-Kassa, and it
was announced that the national flag would thenceforth feature a crescent
next to its star. Members of the Revolution Council were encouraged to
follow the example of their president. A number of them refused although the Member
of the Revolution Council in charge of the post of Prime Minister, Ange
Patassé, was among the converts and was henceforth known as Mustapha Patassé. On the afternoon of 18 October, Gaddafi addressed to a large gathering at
the Omnisports Stadium on his favourite theme that Christianity was the
religion of imperialism while Islam was that of liberation. When Gaddafi
departed on 20 October, he left behind a number of agents to teach the
converts about their new religion.
- There were no further legal changes, and THE FLAG AND COAT OF ARMS WERE
NOT ALTERED. I really think that there were no legal emblem changes because
Bokassa wished to become a Monarch since May 1976, so he knew that legal
emblem changes could not last more than a couple months.
- On 04 December 1976, a new Constitution was passed and the Central African
Revolution Council was replaced by an Imperial Government and the
Central African Empire came into being. On that same day Gaddafi's dream of an Islamic Revolution in
the Central African Republic came
to an end. Bokassa was then proclaimed Emperor as Bokassa I. The new
Constitution stated:
Art. 1. "... The emblem of Emperor Bokassa I is the Eagle inside a
Sun. ..."
Art. 3. "The emblem of the Central African Empire is the flag made of
4-horizontal stripes (blue-white-green-yellow) crossed at right angles on its
half by a same sized stripe in red and in the inside-upper hoist there is a
yellow five pointed star."
Article 3 of the 04 December 1976 Constitution was just a copy of the
existing law on the flag.
Juan Fandos, 06 Aug 2003
It might be worth being noted that before becoming a Muslim, Bokassa was a Christian. His first name is Jean Bedel, which was
derived from Jean B. de l., the short form for Jean Baptiste de la Salle
used on a calendar. Being born on St. Jean B. de l.'s day, Bokassa was
named Jean Bedel.
This and other picturesque details of Bokassa's life should not hide the
crimes he committed against his people and the support he received from
France - especially his shameful coronation ceremony.
Ivan Sache, 29 Aug 2003
