Bozize lifts seven-month-old curfew

Central African Republic leader Francois Bozize has lifted a curfew that has been in force since 15 March, when he seized power from President Ange-Felix Patasse, state-owned Radio Centrafrique reported. The midnight to 5 a.m. curfew was lifted on Friday, days after Bozize received delegations of business people in the capital, Bangui. Delegates had told him that their activities had been seriously hampered by the curfew, as it had prevented supplies of basic commodities from reaching rural areas. During the October 2002 to March 2003 war between the rebels and government forces the east and the north were isolated from Bangui, which is the source of manufactured commodities for the provincial towns. With the gradual return of security across the country, traders and transporters had resumed business in the provinces but the curfew still remained an obstacle. The curfew was imposed to deter bearers of illegal firearms. After joint operations by the peace force of the Economic and Monetary Community of Central African States (CEMAC) and government forces in Bangui and in the countryside, the curfew was later relaxed to begin at midnight instead of 9 p.m. The lifting of the curfew occurred as the National Transitional Council was reported to be examining bills outlawing the possession of arms and looting of public and private property. Many public and private buildings were looted and vandalised after Bozize's coup.