IRIN interview with the Rev Isaac Zokoe

The Central African Republic (CAR) began a national conference on 15 September, aimed at reconciling the nation after years of political, military and tribal turmoil. The 350 delegates, from across the country, are to make recommendations on truth and reconciliation; politics and diplomacy; defence and security; the economy and finances; and on education, social and cultural issues.

CAR leader Francois Bozize, who seized power on 15 March from President Ange-Felix Patasse, appointed the Rev Isaac Zokoe to chair the dialogue.

Zokoe, who already chairs the Alliance of Evangelical Churches, has headed one of the three previous national conferences in 1998, that put an end to the 1996-7 mutinies. From 2001-2002, he also facilitated the talks between the government and labour unions over salary arrears. Here are excerpts of an interview he granted IRIN on Friday about the ongoing national conference due to end on 6 October.

QUESTION: Who needs to reconcile with whom?

ANSWER: The CAR people with themselves. The repeated military and political conflicts pit the CAR people against each other. Of course there are some international implications because the CAR is a member of CEMAC [the Economic and Monetary Community of Central African States] and other international bodies.

Q: Former President Ange-Felix Patasse has been excluded from the talks even though he was among the major actors of those conflicts. Is this not an obstacle to true reconciliation?

A: The reconciliation process has many stages. All political parties, including Patasse's MLPC [Mouvement de Liberation du Peuple Centrafricain] are attending the dialogue. It is an all-inclusive dialogue. Patasse is not the only former head of state absent. General Andre Kolingba [1981-1993] is not there. David Dacko [1960-1965 and 1979-1981], who is here in Bangui, is not attending the dialogue either. We did not invite former heads of state specifically by name. This is a problem to be settled later, but I am convinced that the dialogue constitutes a very good starting point.

Q: What is your response to allegations that delegates were not selected in a democratic way and that most of them are Bozize's supporters?

A: Those who say that should bring evidence to back their allegations. The coordination team asked the different entities to select their delegates. How could we have been more democratic than that? The coordination was never involved in the selection process. If the criteria of selection within the entities were not democratic, that is not our fault.

Q: All the entities, including the CAR nationals living abroad, are represented. Are the 41,000 CAR refugees in southern Chad, who are still hesitating to return home, represented?

A: Refugees are represented, but I wonder whether it would be necessary to check whether all CAR refugees are represented in the talks. It is impossible to invite all the representatives of CAR refugees. We have a limited number of delegates. The absence of the delegates of refugees in Chad is not due to the lack of goodwill and is not a crucial problem.

Q: When you were appointed in late August to prepare and chair the talks, certain people criticised the fact that Bozize, a Protestant clergyman, had appointed two other Protestant clergymen: you and your deputy, the Rev Josue Binoua. What is your reaction to this?

A: These are groundless criticisms. I had excellent relations with all the heads of state. General Kolingba, who is a Roman Catholic, used to invite me. I had good relations with Emperor [Jean Bedel] Bokassa [1965-1979], another Roman Catholic. I have a certain experience that many of my compatriots do not have. I was appointed to chair this dialogue based on my experience. It was not a political nomination.

Q: Will the dialogue's recommendations be binding?

A: A follow-up mechanism will be put in place to oversee the implementation of the recommendations. The coordination team will meet very soon to make proposals on that.

Q: What is the dialogue's budget?

A: The initial budget amounted to 150 million francs CFA (US $271,793). However, we realised that some data changed such as an increase in the number of delegates and the extension of the dialogue's duration [from 15 to 30 September, then to 6 October]. The current budget is 200 million francs CFA ($362,391).

Q: Who are the dialogue's donors and partners?

A: We sought funds from the government, embassies, and international organisations and from certain heads of state. The Chinese Embassy responded with a grant of $100,000. *1.

The UN Development Programme put at our disposal materials worth 5 million francs CFA ($9,059). The UN Office in the CAR paid for a trip abroad. We are awaiting other promises to be honoured.

NOTES:
*1) China granted another $108,000 in February.