Jean-Jacques Démafouth
Encyclopedia
Jean-Jacques Démafouth is a political leader in the Central African Republic
. He is a former Defense Minister, Presidential candidate, and is the current political leader of the APRD
rebel group. He led the peace delegation of the APRD to talks with the government in December 2008.
. When a coup attempt against Patasse failed in May 2001, Démafouth was arrested for conspiracy. After a long trial against 680 defendants, Démafouth was among the 49 acquitted in October 2002 by a CAR judge for lack evidence. Démafouth fled to France, where he remained in exile for six years. During this period, the government of President François Bozizé
named Démafouth as a suspect in the murder of five aides to former president, André Kolingba
, himself charged in absentia with the 2001 coup attempt.
On 30 December 2004, the transitional constitutional court ruled that Démafouth and six other candidates would be excluded from running for various reasons. In rejecting the candidacy of Jean-Jacques Démafouth, it said that there was a conflict between the date of birth given on his birth certificate (October 3, 1950) and that given in his declaration of candidacy and criminal record (October 3, 1959). The other candidates who were rejected were Ange-Félix Patassé
, Martin Ziguélé
, Jean-Paul Ngoupandé
, Charles Massi
, Olivier Gabirault, and Pasteur Josué Binoua. Later, however, Démafouth was allowed to stand. He received 11,279 votes, or 1.27%, in the first round.
(APRD). Démafouth reported that he did not seek the post, and only accepted it as a civilian leader on the condition that "the APRD must agree to an inclusive political dialogue and sign a peace accord with the Bangui authorities." President Bozizé had proposed this "inclusive dialogue" process on 8 October 2007.
. The December meetings agreed a plan to form a multi-party government of national unity and to prepare for elections in 2010, along with a nationwide "truth and reconciliation" commission.
On 30 December 2009, Démafouth represented the APRD at a reconciliation ceremony in Paoua
, Ouham-Pendé
, CAR. Démafouth addressed government, rebel, NGO, and civil society leaders and "asked for forgiveness from the population of the city and announced that all the barriers erected by the APRD would be lifted" allowing free travel from the north to the south of the country.
Central African Republic
The Central African Republic , is a landlocked country in Central Africa. It borders Chad in the north, Sudan in the north east, South Sudan in the east, the Democratic Republic of the Congo and the Republic of the Congo in the south, and Cameroon in the west. The CAR covers a land area of about ,...
. He is a former Defense Minister, Presidential candidate, and is the current political leader of the APRD
People's Army for the Restoration of Democracy (CAR)
The People's Army for the Restoration of Democracy APRD is a rebel group operating in the northwest Central African Republic . The APRD was formed in 2006 following the 2003 coup which overthrew President Ange-Félix Patassé...
rebel group. He led the peace delegation of the APRD to talks with the government in December 2008.
Coup arrest
Démafouth was Defense Minister under President Ange-Felix PatasseAnge-Félix Patassé
Ange-Félix Patassé was a Central African politician who was President of the Central African Republic from 1993 until 2003, when he was deposed by the rebel leader François Bozizé...
. When a coup attempt against Patasse failed in May 2001, Démafouth was arrested for conspiracy. After a long trial against 680 defendants, Démafouth was among the 49 acquitted in October 2002 by a CAR judge for lack evidence. Démafouth fled to France, where he remained in exile for six years. During this period, the government of President François Bozizé
François Bozizé
François Bozizé Yangouvonda is the President of the Central African Republic. He came to power in March 2003 after leading a rebellion against President Ange-Félix Patassé and ushered in a transitional period of government...
named Démafouth as a suspect in the murder of five aides to former president, André Kolingba
André Kolingba
André-Dieudonné Kolingba was the fourth president of the Central African Republic , from 1 September 1981 until 1 October 1993. He took power from President David Dacko in a bloodless coup d'état in 1981 and lost power to Ange-Félix Patassé in a democratic election held in 1993...
, himself charged in absentia with the 2001 coup attempt.
Presidential bid
Démafouth enrolled from exile as an Independent, as one of a dozen candidates in the 13 March 2005 Presidential Elections.On 30 December 2004, the transitional constitutional court ruled that Démafouth and six other candidates would be excluded from running for various reasons. In rejecting the candidacy of Jean-Jacques Démafouth, it said that there was a conflict between the date of birth given on his birth certificate (October 3, 1950) and that given in his declaration of candidacy and criminal record (October 3, 1959). The other candidates who were rejected were Ange-Félix Patassé
Ange-Félix Patassé
Ange-Félix Patassé was a Central African politician who was President of the Central African Republic from 1993 until 2003, when he was deposed by the rebel leader François Bozizé...
, Martin Ziguélé
Martin Ziguélé
Martin Ziguélé is a Central African politician who was Prime Minister of the Central African Republic from 2001 to 2003...
, Jean-Paul Ngoupandé
Jean-Paul Ngoupandé
Jean-Paul Ngoupandé is a Central African politician. Born in Dékoa, Kemo-Gribingui, he was appointed as Prime Minister of the Central African Republic by President Ange-Félix Patassé on 6 June 1996 and resigned on 30 January 1997. Since then he has run for president of the Central African Republic...
, Charles Massi
Charles Massi
Charles Massi is a Central African politician. Massi served as a minister in the government of the Central African Republic during the 1990s and again from 2005 to 2008; he was also the President of the Democratic Forum for Modernity party from 1997 to 2008...
, Olivier Gabirault, and Pasteur Josué Binoua. Later, however, Démafouth was allowed to stand. He received 11,279 votes, or 1.27%, in the first round.
Leader of the APRD
In 2008 Démafouth was elected President of the CAR rebel group People's Army for the Restoration of DemocracyPeople's Army for the Restoration of Democracy (CAR)
The People's Army for the Restoration of Democracy APRD is a rebel group operating in the northwest Central African Republic . The APRD was formed in 2006 following the 2003 coup which overthrew President Ange-Félix Patassé...
(APRD). Démafouth reported that he did not seek the post, and only accepted it as a civilian leader on the condition that "the APRD must agree to an inclusive political dialogue and sign a peace accord with the Bangui authorities." President Bozizé had proposed this "inclusive dialogue" process on 8 October 2007.
2008 peace talks
After extensive negotiation, Démafouth returned to the CAR in December 2008 to lead the APRD delegation to President Bozizé's Inclusive Political Dialogue (IPD). He was joined by APRD spokesman Bienvenue Dokoto, and APRD military leader Colonel Lakoye Maradas. The IPD was meant to the start of a peace and reconciliation process between rebel groups, oppositions parties, civil society, and the government. Participants in this 12 day conference included Former President Patassé, a civilian opposition umbrella called the United Stakeholders Force (UFVN), the Democratic Front for the central African people (FDPC) rebels, and the Central African Liberation Movement for Justice (MLCJ) rebels. Planned for several months, the APRD and others had walked out of planning for the IPD in October 2008 over concerns about proposed amnesty laws. An agreement on the IPD was finally reached with the mediation of Gabonese President Omar BongoOmar Bongo
El Hadj Omar Bongo Ondimba , born as Albert-Bernard Bongo, was a Gabonese politician who was President of Gabon for 42 years from 1967 until his death in office in 2009....
. The December meetings agreed a plan to form a multi-party government of national unity and to prepare for elections in 2010, along with a nationwide "truth and reconciliation" commission.
On 30 December 2009, Démafouth represented the APRD at a reconciliation ceremony in Paoua
Paoua
Paoua is a town located in the Central African Republic prefecture of Ouham-Pendé. Paoua and its surrounding territories have become something of a ghost town after rebel and government soldier attacks in 2006 and 2007, with much of the population fleeing into the bush or into refugee camps. The...
, Ouham-Pendé
Ouham-Pendé
Ouham-Pendé is one of the 14 prefectures of the Central African Republic. Its capital is Bozoum. The region contains several ghost towns such as Goroumo, Beogombo Deux and Paoua due to government forces ransacking them and armed bandits killing all the male inhabitants over the years from 2005 to...
, CAR. Démafouth addressed government, rebel, NGO, and civil society leaders and "asked for forgiveness from the population of the city and announced that all the barriers erected by the APRD would be lifted" allowing free travel from the north to the south of the country.