In the Central African Republic, a date of independence that hides another

The statue of the founding father of the Central African Republic, Barthélémy Boganda, in Bangui.

© Gaël Grilhot / RFI

Text by: Gaël Grilhot Follow

8 mins

Officially, the country became independent on August 13, 1960. But for many Central Africans, it is December 1, 1958, the date of the proclamation of the Republic, which symbolizes independence.

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Every August 13, Central Africans celebrate their date of independence. A day that gave rise to some commemorations and comments of pride on social networks. But even if for the first time last year a military parade took place on this day, authorities prefer to celebrate December 1. On this date, all the constituent bodies of Central African society parade in front of the president, and numerous ceremonies take place across the country.

"

We are the only ones who celebrate independence twice a year,

" confirms Bernard Simiti, history professor and researcher at the University of Bangui, and former Minister of National Education and Higher Education.

To better understand, we have to look back almost 73 years.

The "Yes" won very much in the referendum on independence of September 28, 1958, in the former French colonies of French Equatorial Africa (AEF) and French West Africa (AOF).

Central African Republic

In the process,

Barthélémy Boganda

, former priest turned deputy, promoter of independence in Central Africa, proposes to his peers of the AEF to create a vast federal unit bringing together the four countries that he proposes to call the Central African Republic. But this pan-African dream comes up against the rejection of its counterparts, who, "

worked by the metropolis"

according to Bernard Simiti, refuse this union.

Out of spite, Barthélémy Boganda then proclaimed, on December 1, 1958, the creation of the Central African Republic, limited to the borders of the former territory of Oubangui-Chari.

He sets up the institutions and will endow this new country with an anthem and a motto, of which he is the first ephemeral president.

He officially died in a plane crash on March 29, 1959, in circumstances which still remain murky.

His nephew David Dacko replaces him at the head of the government of the Central African Republic.

He became its first Chairman the following year upon gaining independence. 

►Also listen: Special Archives of Africa - David Dacko

"

If Boganda had not disappeared, in my opinion, August 13 would not have existed

," continues Prof. Bernard Simiti.

August 13 was indeed part of De Gaulle's agenda and Barthélémy Boganda did not want that.

For him, December 1 was the culmination of the political struggle, and a way of saying to his African peers: 'The Union that I proposed to you and that you refused, and you will remember it'

”.

Today, he adds, bitterly, “

I believe that Barthélémy Boganda must be turning in his grave.

Since independence, there has been the creation of ECCAS and other regional organizations.

These are the revisited ideas of Boganda in a way

.

"

Young generation

But over time, the perception of August 13th changes in society. Rosmon Zokoué, the president of

the Association of Central African Bloggers (ABCA)

, confirms this: “

For us, the young generation of the Central African Republic, it is rather the date of August 13 which is the most important. It was on this date that we really became an independent country. And it is this date that counts. For us, the mere fact of being free, and of being in a Republic, is very important.

"

The ABCA is also organizing a round table on August 13 on behalf of

the Pan-African NGO of Africtivist bloggers

, around justice and political violence in the Central African Republic. For Rosmon Zokoué, the use of December 1 by the authorities is clearly the fruit of a political calculation. A way of attributing the memory of Barthélémy Boganda.

But, he insists, “

the country is divided precisely because Boganda's legacy has not been well managed by the older generation.

There are alarming figures today.

Hundreds of thousands of displaced people and refugees, almost 2.7 million Central Africans who are in a state of food insecurity.

All this does not leave indifferent vis-à-vis all the fights that Barthélémy Boganda had tried to lead.

With legal means, I specify.

"

►Also listen: Barthélémy Boganda, from the priesthood to the deputation (1 & 2)

Transmission

More than a question of celebrations, it is therefore above all the question of the transmission of his political work that must be taught. "

So that the values ​​that the father of independence wanted to transmit to the Central African people in general are not forgotten,

continues the president of the ABCA

, we really need to do a work of memory around his heritage, through his key words: Unity, Dignity, Work

(Central African currency, Editor's note). "

Bernard Simiti admits it, this ambivalence of dates is also a question of generation.

For young people, August 13 counts.

It is an important date.

It was on that day that the CAR became a member of the United Nations and was recognized internationally

, he said.

But for the Oubanguiens, that is to say those who were born before independence, it is December 1st.

Given that December 1 has entered the mentalities of older generations, it is difficult to take that away from them today

”.

Our selection of archives on the subject

• To listen :

→ Central African Republic: “Oubanguans generation”, the last to bear the memory of independence

→ News calls: Central African Republic, 60 years of independence

→ Barthélémy Boganda, my father, founder of the Central African Republic

→ Jean-Pierre Tuquoi: "Oubangui-Chari, the country that did not exist"

• To read: 


→ 

Central African Republic: "The results of independence are very mixed"

→ "At independence, the Central African Republic suffered from an enormous handicap"

→ Between recklessness and hopes, having 10 years of independence in the Central African Republic

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