Bokassa : Jean-Barthélémy Bokassa website

Bokassa's coronation

An African Ex-Emperor Laments His Reputation

The New York Times deals with Jean-Bedel Bokassa 10 years after the putsch...

Before a recent army mutiny and intervention by France to evacuate its citizens and restore order, the last time most of the world had heard from this sparsely populated country the news was as fantastic as it was sordid.

An African military leader, Col. Jean-Bedel Bokassa, who seized power on Jan. 1, 1966, from a repressive cousin to become "President for life," decided in 1977 that even that station was not exalted enough and crowned himself Emperor of a realm in the heart of Africa.

For his Napoleonic coronation, celebrated to strains of Mozart, Bokassa I, as he decided he should be called, spent an estimated $30 million.

A Parisian jeweler was commissioned to design a $5 million crown, his throne was decorated with 20,000 pearls, and 450 pounds of rose petals were flown in from France and sprinkled along the route to the national stadium, where the new sovereign was enshrined with great fanfare.

As with all wild parties, the hangover was not long in coming. Two years later, with his country facing serious financial difficulties and his arbitrary rule enforced with growing brutality, Emperor Bokassa was overthrown by a France embarrassed that only a short time before, it had helped cover the expenses of his lavish coronation.

In many ways, the story of Mr. Bokassa is the story of this backwater territory's emergence as a country and its entangled relationship with France, its colonial master until 1960. In many of its broad outlines, it reflects the history of France's heavy postcolonial string-pulling throughout the continent.

What cemented the Emperor's downfall was charges that he had eaten the bodies of schoolchildren arrested during the violent repression of demonstrations against his rule.

The allegations of cannibalism, which Emperor Bokassa denied, were never proven. What is certain is that many people died in the student uprising. And in the swirl of events leading to France's first outright military intervention in this country, suddenly no charges against the Emperor were too grotesque.

He was overthrown in September 1979, while on a visit to Libya. David Dacko, the cousin he had unseated nearly 14 years earlier, was returned to power by 700 French paratroopers. And France, whose military the toppled dictator had served with distinction for 23 years, refused entry to Mr. Bokassa, sending him instead into exile in the Ivory Coast.

In 1986, Mr. Bokassa returned home voluntarily to face the charges against him and was promptly sentenced to death for murder. But after seven years in prison here, he was pardoned in exchange for a promise to stay out of politics.

These days, the "Emperor," a bull-necked man of 74, is the picture of loneliness. Seated in the sparsely furnished salon of his sole remaining property in Bangui's diplomatic quarter, he waits out his days hoping for the phone to ring. For the rare visitor, he has nothing if not time.

Where once there was a reputation for unbridled excess, Mr. Bokassa now passes for an ascetic. 

"I have definitively renounced the flesh and alcohol," said the man who fathered 60 children, many of whom -- he volunteers -- he would not be able to recognize. "I won't touch a woman or a drink until my death."

Where once there was an obsession for power, the former dictator, seated in front of a cross given to him by Pope Paul VI, says his only remaining passion is for the Bible.

But the conversation quickly brings out another passion, and that is to restore some balance to the established picture of him as a barbarous tyrant.

"I would prefer not to pass judgment on my own rule," Mr. Bokassa said, a sly and confident smile playing on his face. "That is for the Central African people, and I would invite you to ask them about me."

It is a measure of his country's subsequent misrule that on the streets of this city, freshly devastated by a wave of looting, many people speak fondly of their former leader.

To this day, Central Africans say that Mr. Dacko's downfall in 1966 had everything to do with a rapprochement that he had begun with Communist China. Coming at a time when important uranium reserves were being discovered in this mineral-rich country, the move worried the French, who historians say encouraged Colonel Bokassa, then Chief of Staff of the army, to carry out a coup.

"I simply served France with loyalty," Mr. Bokassa said when asked if he had been given the green light to take power. "I have never been a pawn of France."

Whatever the case, Mr. Bokassa immediately suspended ties with Beijing and expelled some 50 Chinese advisers. 

Then, within a few days, the new leader proclaimed himself President, Prime Minister, Commander in Chief and head of the sole political party.

As his behavior becoming increasingly erratic, Mr. Bokassa's comic-opera style began taking on a more grisly character. To celebrate Mother's Day in 1971, he released all female prisoners from jail and ordered the execution of men who had committed serious crimes against women.

Ties with France remained good until Mr. Bokassa's flair for the unexpected led him to policy initiatives that made Paris nervous. Controversies arose over a trip to the Soviet Union, over a bid to break out of the French-managed monetary zone for many of its former colonies in the region and over a nationalization plan announced in 1974.

But in between these controversies, Mr. Bokassa frequently enjoyed the company of the French President, Valery Giscard d'Estaing, who made near-annual big-game hunting trips to the Central African Republic, where he was hosted in luxury.

Mr. Giscard d'Estaing's close ties with Mr. Bokassa would come back to haunt him. After France engineered the Emperor's overthrow, Mr. Bokassa disclosed that he had often given diamonds to the French President. Moreover, Mr. Bokassa maintained, Mr. Giscard d'Estaing had pursued a relationship with the Emperor's principal wife, Empress Catherine, who was famous for her beauty.

Many believe that the ensuing scandal contributed to Mr. Giscard d'Estaing's  defeat by Francois Mitterrand in 1981. 

France's decision to extend or withdraw its support for other leaders here has proven every bit as decisive to their survival as to Mr. Bokassa's. Mr. Dacko, who was restored to power by French paratroopers, was soon replaced by another military man with France's favor, Andre Kolingba.

Like Mr. Bokassa before him, Mr. Kolingba outlawed opposition parties and ruled brutally before being pushed by France to hold the country's first free elections in 1993, which he lost.

Although democratically elected, diplomats say, the winner, Ange-Felix Patasse, a former Prime Minister under Mr. Bokassa, quickly proved himself incompetent and intolerant.

And when an army mutiny plunged this city into an orgy of gunfire and looting last week, an almost universally reviled Mr. Patasse called on the French to save him, which they did.

These days, it is Mr. Bokassa, the beneficiary as well as the victim of French intervention, who is the most eloquent critic of what many Central Africans now see as a corrosive dependence on an outside power.

"Every time we have a problem, the French have to come and meddle," Mr. Bokassa said, looking diminished in his large armchair as he echoed sentiments heard throughout this city now. "Finally you have to ask yourself, are we independent, or are we not?"

Copyright New York Times - 1996

Tale of Two Daughters

February 1953: Jean-Bedel Bokassa, a sergeant in the French army in Indochina, bids a reluctant goodbye to his two-month-old daughter Martine and her Vietnamese mother, Nguyen Thi Hue and goes home to Central Africa.

November 1970: After years of searching, Bokassa—now President of the remote little Central African Republic and the father of eleven children by his present wife—receives word that the South Vietnamese government has found his first family. Martine, a shapely Saigon shopgirl, flies 11,000 miles to Bangui, her father's capital. Though she arrives at 4:30 a.m., a visibly moved Bokassa and thousands of his cheering countrymen are on hand to greet her.

December 1970: The Saigon news paper Trang Den says Martine and her mother are impostors, and the real Martine is found hauling 110-lb. cement bags in a Saigon factory. A Paris paper quotes Tran Van Lam, Saigon's Minister of Foreign Affairs, as saying: "We haven't dared tell him yet, but there are at least 17 other candidates for the role of Martine Bokassa."

January 1971: Tearfully, the President welcomes Martine II and her mother. The second Martine shows a scar on her foot, which Bokassa remembers, and some snapshots he took years before: her 36-year-old mother reminds him of a motorcycle accident in Saigon in which he broke a finger.

The President is convinced. But what will he do with the first Martine? Last week he attended diplomatic parties holding both Martines by the hand. But at week's end, he appeared to have decided to send Martine I back to Saigon.

Source : click here

Interview of Jean-Barthélémy Bokassa in Family Circle

The every day life of a prince

An interview with the eldest grandson of the late Emperor Bokassa

 

 Prince Jean-Barthélémy, the eldest grandson of the late ruler, Emperor Bokassa of the Central African Empire is a very friendly person. We have known each other only for a few months but he already invited me to visit him in Monaco where, as he wrote, he gave a party for his friends. Later he invited me to meet him in Paris. Although he knows much from the Central-European situation, as it is clearly seen from the interview, he was not actually informed about our financial possibilities...

    The 34-year-old Prince Jean-Barthélémy Bokassa, Duke of Bobangui lives in Paris, he is the editor of a publishing house and also wrote two books. He shares his life, the memories of his grandfather, family and his connection to Central-Europe with the readers of "Családi Kör" (Family Circle).

 

 

- Your Imperial Highness was a child when Your Grandfather, HIM late Emperor Jean-Bedel Bokassa had to leave the country. Despite of this, have You got any memories of the era of the Empire?

- I was living in my grandfather's palace in Bobangui (with my father, mother, sister and brother) and of course, like every children, I kept in my mind some souvenirs of different events and situations about living in the palace, particularly I remember about my little hind, Bamby, one of my grandfather's present. I was playing very often with it in the park.

- What was your childhood like?

 

- About my childhood, I precise my parents have given to me a very strict education and a reel capacity to face every kind of situations in a spirit of tolerance and acceptation of everybody in any case. A preceptor at home was responsible of our education (with my sister Marie-Catherine and my brother Gilles). At home, the palace's protocol was strictly managed: the children were dinning before parents, we employed the "french vous" to speak to mother, father, grandfather and relative... From my childhood, I keep a strong mental and a real capacity in establishing excellent relationship with others.

- Would You tell me something about Your parents, too?

- Unfortunately, my father has been arrested and killed after the putsch in 1979. He was doctor, specialist in cardiology and very aware of a Centrafrican's public healthcare in his quality
of Bokassa The first healthcare ministry. My first book dealing with my family story is dedicated to my father Jean-Bruno. Martine, my mother is living in Corsica and managing two Vietnamese restaurants, exactly as she has done in Bangui. Kitchen is for her exactly what literature is for me: a true passion!
For five years, she has bought a village in Cameroun to buid houses for people in many subdivisions. After the putsch, she passed me a Vietnamese education, since her mother was a Vietnamese lady. It happened so that my grandfather had met my grandmother in Vietnam in
Saïgon in 1951. Jean-Bedel was working in French army. Hué, my granmother and his first wife, was living there. They were buying somme foods in the local market place when they met.

 

My mother has encouraged me to succeed in my own passion. In my book, I relate his life from Vietnam to Bangui, Paris and Corsica. I am so proud of her...

 

- Your Imperial Highness was a child when Your Grandfather, HIM late Emperor Jean-Bedel Bokassa had to leave the country. Despite of this, have You got any memories of the era of the Empire?

- I was living in my grandfather's palace in Bobangui (with my father, mother, sister and brother) and of course, like every children, I kept in my mind some souvenirs of different events and situations about living in the palace, particularly I remember about my little hind, Bamby, one of my grandfather's present. I was playing very often with it in the park.

- What was your childhood like?

 

- About my childhood, I precise my parents have given to me a very strict education and a reel capacity to face every kind of situations in a spirit of tolerance and acceptation of everybody in any case. A preceptor at home was responsible of our education (with my sister Marie-Catherine and my brother Gilles). At home, the palace's protocol was strictly managed: the children were dinning before parents, we employed the "french vous" to speak to mother, father, grandfather and relative... From my childhood, I keep a strong mental and a real capacity in establishing excellent relationship with others.

- Would You tell me something about Your parents, too?

- Unfortunately, my father has been arrested and killed after the putsch in 1979. He was doctor, specialist in cardiology and very aware of a Centrafrican's public healthcare in his quality
of Bokassa The first healthcare ministry. My first book dealing with my family story is dedicated to my father Jean-Bruno. Martine, my mother is living in Corsica and managing two Vietnamese restaurants, exactly as she has done in Bangui. Kitchen is for her exactly what literature is for me: a true passion!
For five years, she has bought a village in Cameroun to buid houses for people in many subdivisions. After the putsch, she passed me a Vietnamese education, since her mother was a Vietnamese lady. It happened so that my grandfather had met my grandmother in Vietnam in
Saïgon in 1951. Jean-Bedel was working in French army. Hué, my granmother and his first wife, was living there. They were buying somme foods in the local market place when they met.

 

My mother has encouraged me to succeed in my own passion. In my book, I relate his life from Vietnam to Bangui, Paris and Corsica. I am so proud of her...

Diamonds of Treason in a few words

In the book, the two main characters are:

- Martine Bokassa, the oldest daughter of Jean-Bedel Bokassa

- Jean-Bedel Bokassa (Head of state for the Central African Republic, president of the Republic, then emperor).

Martine Bokassa born in Vietnam (whilst the country is still under French colonisation) finds out that her father has become president. Despite not having any money, she manages to fly away to the Central African Republic.

Upon her arrival, she discovers that the secret service is using an impostor as Martine (in order to spy on her father). The author, Jean-Barthelemy Bokassa (the first grandson of the ex emperor) tells the rest of the story, from his mother’s point of view. This offers the reader a different account of events about this extraordinary family saga that has been previously untold.

As for Jean-Bedel Bokassa, “Diamonds of Treason” resolves (at least) two problems:

1°) How a private in the French Army experienced such an exceptional destiny?

2°) An explanation of the extraordinary void that exists between the reality of his power (with positive and negative points) and how certain propaganda (still active today) has given him an execrable reputation?

       

Link to Jean-Barthélémy Bokassa's French Blog

Jean-Barthélémy Bokassa at home
(Paris - 2007)

Diamonds of Treason : what this book isn’t

- It is not a political book (even if the book features known political figures such as De Gaulle, Pomipdou, Chirac, etc.).

- It is not an attempt to provide an analysis of Jean-Bedel Bokassa (as opposed to what ALL the journalists try to make the author say and sometimes even write even though this was clearly explained to them…!!!).

- It is not a biography of Jean-Bedel Bokassa (this has already been brilliantly done by others)

- It is not a revised version of the history of Bokassa (or of certain events that remain famous such as the diamonds affair for example) but a succession of new testimonies, the majority of which have been contributed by Martine Bokassa, (the oldest daughter of the ex emperor).

The Blurb

Jean-Bedel Bokassa was president and then emperor of the Central African Republic.. He remains famous throughout the world. Jean-Barthelemy, his first grandson, shares for the first time his testimony of this family saga, which is just as exceptional as it is unknown.

His mother, Martine, escapes from her native Vietnam to Bangui where she finds an unknown but famous father. She discovers with stupor that an impostor already occupies her place within her father’s palace… The author describes events without concession, the austerity of the presidential court, the failed coups d’etats, the coronation of his grandfather, the putsch of the Giscardien Elysée and tells the secrets of the famous diamonds affair.

As the reader turns the pages, the intimate story of a family unfolds; a story that puts Martine and her children up against tremendous acts of bravery. Jean-Barthelemy Bokassa shows us how he manages to get through life in a world where his name is his only legacy.

Jean-Barthélémy Bokassa (working to Diamands of Treason in Paris - 2007)

Diamonds of Treason: Contents list

CONTENTS LIST

 Clarification: The book has a total of 300 pages

Part I : Réunion

 A/ Secret arrival

 B/ First encounter

C/ Palace of Bérengo

 D/Central African Republic

 E/ A Vietnamese woman in the Central African Republic

 F/ From Oubangui-Chari to the Central African Republic

 G/ Orphan

 H/ Indochina

 I/ Hybrid

 J/ Double prediction

  

 Part II : Coronation

 A/ At the heart of the palace

 B/ Operation Bokassa

 C/ Rebel

 D/ Wedding with great pomp and ceremony

 E/ First successes in business

 F/ Father- daughter contrast

 G/ France and Africa

 H/ Family life

 I/ Towards the empire

 J/ Coronation

 Part III : Legacy

 A/ Family movements

 B/ First rumours of a coup d'État

 C/ France’s last colonial expeditions

 D/ Martine, in a stupor of disappointment

 E/ The Bernard Tapie against Jean-Bedel Bokassa affair

 F/ New country, new culture

 G/ The diamond affair

 H/ Holidays at the château of Hardricourt

 I/ A part of things

Jean-Barthelemy Bokassa's Biography

Biography

Jean-Barthélémy Bokassa is the oldest son of Martine Bokassa who is the eldest daughter of Jean-Bedel Bokassa the ex emperor of the Central African Republic

Jean-Barthélémy Bokassa studied management at the Paris Dauphine University. He also studied Japanese and Vietnamese. Surrounded by a Buddhist mother and grandmother, Asia is a prominent second home for him. He goes shopping at “Tang Frères” (an "Asian supermarket", goes out to eat at “Diep” (a restaurant in Paris that specialises in a combination of Chinese and Thai cuisine) and is never separated from his Buddha! He likes to describe himself as a Catholic with Buddhist roots. This second religion has always allowed him to put the problems in his life in to perspective.

Franco-Vietnamese and part of the African aristocracy Jean-Barthélémy Bokassa didn’t need much time to find his way. He wrote his first book while still at school. Encouraged by his Corsican friends and teachers, he has never lost his passion for writing. Surrounded by other artists (film makers, actors…), the idea to publish his works occurred to him naturally.

Today, Jean-Barthélémy has written three different texts. “Diamonds of Treason” which was the first book he published, the publishers Max Milo will publish his second book in May and the third book will come out in September.

The author admits that he is inspired by his multi-cultural background, his different travelling experiences, society today, the development of “ Parisienism”… and by the African jet set.

His motto: He who likes me, reads me!

Hobbies

Jean-Barthélémy Bokassa enjoys tennis (he played tennis for 10 years) and cooking (his mother owns several Vietnamese restaurants in the south of France. His weakness can be summed up by one word: Fashion. His favourite designer is Roberto Cavalli. His way of surviving: stay positive whatever happens.