Bozize removes Chadians from police stations

Central African Republic leader Francois Bozize has removed Chadians, who backed his quest for power, from a police station in a low-income suburb of Bangui, the capital. Government-controlled Radio Centrafrique reported on Tuesday that Bozize went to the area, called the Fifth District, to remove the "liberators " from the police station. Then he ordered CAR policemen, gendarmes and soldiers to man the post. The chief police officer of the Fifth District station, Paul Lo, told Radio Centrafrique, "Bozize had listened to the public's complaints". The Fifth District is in a high-density suburb where most medium-size businesses are located. Bozize's action on Monday took place while city taxi drivers were on strike in protest against what they said was the brutal treatment the Chadians had meted out on Central Africans. Similarly, an association of CAR defence lawyers protested the Chadians' behaviour and demanded that Bozize take immediate corrective action. Taxi drivers resumed work on Tuesday. Humanitarian workers have reported that the behaviour of the Chadians has prevented displaced people from returning home. Bozize used Chadian mercenaries in his rebellion - from October 2002 to 15 March 2003 - against former President Ange-Felix Patasse. Some of them are still armed and help to maintain order in Bangui. After Bozize's coup, Chad sent 400 regular soldiers to Bangui, to secure the capital, recover stolen or looted property and to recover firearms held illegally. About 120 of these soldiers are scheduled to join the peacekeeping force of the Economic and Monetary Community of Central African States.