U.S. evacuates embassy in Central African Republic amidst rebellion

BANGUI -- The United States on Thursday evacuated its embassy in the Central African Republic after Seleka rebels seized parts of the impoverished but resource-rich nation, raising fears that the capital Bangui could fall within days.

Patrick Ventrell, a spokesman for the U.S. State Department, said Ambassador Laurence D. Wohlers and his diplomatic team left Bangui on Thursday along with several private U.S. citizens. "As a result of this suspension of operations, the embassy will not be able to provide routine consular services to American citizens in the Central African Republic until further notice," he said.

Ventrell reiterated that the decision to evacuate the embassy is solely due to security concerns and has no impact on relations between the U.S. government and the Central African Republic. "We have not suspended diplomatic relations with the Central African Republic," he said in a statement.

Known as Seleka rebels, fighters from three rebel groups have worked together in recent weeks to seize large parts of the country. Government troops and rebel fighters clashed in the central town of Bambari on Friday, and the rapid gains by Seleka rebels have raised fears that Bangui could fall within days.

"The United States encourages all parties in the Central African Republic to participate in the dialogue to be held under the auspices of the Economic Community of Central African States (CEEAC) to develop a comprehensive agreement that will offer a new vision of peace and security for the country," Ventrell said.

The U.S. government has also warned U.S. citizens to avoid all travel to the Central African Republic at this time. "U.S. citizens who have decided to stay in CAR should review their personal security situation and seriously consider departing, taking advantage of commercial flights," the U.S. State Department said in a travel warning.

In Spanish Cazador means hunter. These Spanish hunters were African big game hunters we encountered on our adventure.

I had been in Milan negotiating an oil deal in Congo Brazaville, to acquire a share for my company, a major american oil co, in an offshore Congo exploration deal. I was assisted by a high born aristocratic French attorney whose mother was a baroness and wife was a high society Swiss national. He was not accustomed to being inconvenienced. I am from west Texas, so not very high strung.

After successfully concluding our transaction in Milan with the state oil company Agip we made plans to travel to Brazaville Congo, to get the Ministerial approval of the transfer of interests. So, we hopped on the next plane, a 727 operated by Air Afrique ( we called it air panique) and left Milan that evening in probably winter 1988. The plane pogo sticked over to Paris to fill up, then to N’djamena, Chad for its first stop (a country at war with Libya at the time) then took off for next stop Bangui in the Central African Republic, then scheduled onward to Brazaville arrival around 7 am the next morning. So we were on a lengthy local down to deepest darkest.

Around 4 am a thick accented stewards voice (all african crew) woke me up: he said “Escusez moi Monsieur, mais nous Avon un petite problem technique. If faut sortie de l’avion.”. So I grabbed my briefcase and bag, woke my lawyer, walked down the plane stairs into darkness, landing on a wet and smelly Tarmac reeking of jet fuel, or hydraulic fuel, or both, not sure. In darkness we and about 200 other passregers went to the small building that constitutes the Bangui airport. It was 4 am on Wednesday. We surmised that the Libyans had shot up the plane and caused leaks, but we had no proof. By 7 am the flight was “annulee” and we were sent to the Novotel hotel. There were no charters so we were stuck. The next plane, from Air Afrique, was due in a week (our same plane). By mid day our 727 disappeared, we have no idea where it went.

We saw a covey of French paratroopers on the way to town in our Renault taxi that had no floor and no transmission fluid. The French soldiers were hammered and incoherent that morning.

The Novotel was satisfactory: we drank with the Spanish hunters in the lobby bar and assessed our situation. My ace lawyer made a call to HQ in Houston, said we were stranded, please hire Elf’s Falcon jet airplane from Pt Noire to come pick us up and take us to our Minister appointment in Brazzaville. HQ checked - the French wanted $30k to make the trip. Our HQ in Houston said no, we could wait.

There was nothing there. Emperor Boukassa’s compound (he was a cannibal and ate young boys) was in the heart of the town. There were hardly any people around. We found out we could take a ferry boat down the Ubangi river to Brazzaville the next Tuesday for 15,000 CFA or about 5 bucks, but it takes 14 days and we had to bring our own chickens to eat, so we went back to the Novotel.

By this time a crew change of 12 Italians has shown up and were seriously drinking with the Spanish cazadores. Turns out they were the Agip crew change for an offshore Congo field, from our stranded plane, and Agip was sending a 14 seat Corvette jet to pick them up tomorrow. So we hitched a ride with them. My high born lawyer loaded the luggage, a beautiful thing to see. He got the last seat, which was the crew seat/toilet seat, but he did not care.

That was my trip to Bangui. I saw nothing of material value to our nation there.

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.