Leader of Central African Republic Pleads for End to Mutiny

Begging Central Africans to have confidence in his leadership, President Ange Patasse appealed to mutinous soldiers Sunday to return to their barracks.

Patasse’s radio address to the nation came as the troops’ week-old mutiny appeared in disarray. Rebel leader Sgt. Cyriaque Souke alternated between denouncing Patasse and predicting that his followers would soon return to their barracks. The soldiers have been under pressure since France, the former colonial power, put its military might behind Patasse on Wednesday.

“Central Africans . . . you elected me to lead you. Trust me to reestablish peace and national unity. Trust me to rebuild our country. . . . Together, we will triumph,” Patasse said. He spoke on private radio because the state radio station was destroyed in fighting last week.

But in Washington, Deputy Defense Secretary John White said the situation was worsening and that the United States was sending in 25 Marines on Sunday to bolster at least 25 Marines deployed last week to guard the U.S. Embassy, “because the threat to the embassy has been increased.”

“There is widespread looting in the city, and clearly the situation is not under control, so we just want to make sure that our people are safe,” White said on ABC-TV’s “This Week With David Brinkley.”

Patasse came to power 2 1/2 years ago in the country’s first multi-party election. The army, long used to controlling the country, has balked at bowing to democratic leadership.

Patasse first offered amnesty Tuesday to the estimated 200 mutineers. He also fired a military leader they opposed and invited more opposition groups into his government. But at a news conference Saturday, the president refused to fire the chief of his presidential guards, Col. Bedaya Djader, whom rebels accuse of trying to take over the army.

In a move rebel leader Souke described Sunday as an “insult,” Patasse said he was promoting Djader to general.

But Souke said in a telephone interview that despite the mutineers’ dissatisfaction, he supported returning to barracks at least temporarily while French-led attempts to mediate an end to the standoff continue.

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Bangui was relatively quiet Sunday. French soldiers and presidential guards patrolled the streets, and civilians began venturing outside, many to attend church. Some businesses opened, but after days of fighting and looting few shopkeepers had much to sell.

Besides leading efforts to mediate an end to the mutiny, France--with about 1,500 troops in the country--has also has been evacuating foreigners, mainly French and Americans, from the capital and plans to fly foreigners out of other towns.