Bozize appoints provincial governors

Central African Republic head of state Francois Bozize has appointed governors to all 16 provinces in the country, state-run Radio Centrafrique reported on Friday. They include one woman, who will govern Ombella M'poko Province in which the capital, Bangui, is located. Five army officers will run the provinces where security problems prevail. These are Lobaye in the southeast, where the Mouvement de Liberation du Congo militiamen from the Democratic Republic of the Congo once attacked; Nana Gribizi in the north-central part of the country where armed highwaymen are terrorising people; Haut Mbomou in the southeast and Vakaga in the northeast where armed poachers and cattle rustlers frequently burn villages; and Sangha Mbaere in the southwest near the Cameroonian border. The nominations come after one month of chaos and uncertainty in the north of the country where armed bands have taken over control of towns. Some humanitarian agencies that toured the region reported that residents of these areas, who have fled, were afraid of returning to their homes without the presence of government administrative and military personnel. Meanwhile, the central government has set up a commission to assess the damage caused during the October 2002 and March 2003 revolts against the ousted president, Ange-Felix Patasse, and to propose urgent action. Radio Centrafrique reported on Friday that the commission comprised officials from the ministries of economy and finance, defence, interior, energy, agriculture, health, education, public works, social affairs, as well as the offices of the president and the prime minister. Following Bozize's 15 March coup that toppled Patasse, private and public buildings were looted or burnt. These include several ministries, the prime minister's office and shops in central Bangui.