Charles Massi
Encyclopedia
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
(FODEM) party from 1997 to 2008. He became a rebel leader in 2008, heading the Convention of Patriots for Justice and Peace
(CPJP).
Massi was apparently killed by the government under unclear circumstances in January 2010.
, Nana-Mambéré
Prefecture
. He was President of the Committee for Information and the Defense of Democracy, which he founded on November 17, 1991. After the victory of Ange-Felix Patassé
of the Movement for the Liberation of the Central African People
(MLPC) in the August 1993 presidential election
, Massi joined the government of Prime Minister Jean-Luc Mandaba
as Minister of Energy and Mineral Resources in October 1993, remaining in this position until June 1996. On February 6, 1997 he became Minister of Agriculture and Animal Husbandry.
Massi founded FODEM on 27 November 1997 and was dismissed from the government in December, due to the establishment of FODEM and, according to Massi, his opposition to corruption. FODEM was legally recognized on 4 May 1998. He served as a Deputy from Baboua in the National Assembly
from 1998 until François Bozizé
seized power from Patassé in March 2003.
Running as the FODEM candidate in the presidential election
held on 19 September 1999, Massi placed eighth out of ten candidates, winning 1.31% of the vote.
After Bozizé took power, Massi was elected as Second Vice-President of the National Transitional Council on 14 June 2003, serving in that capacity until the new National Assembly was installed in June 2005. Massi was again elected to the National Assembly from Baboua in the second round of the 2005 parliamentary election, held in May, receiving 52.39% of the vote and defeating Gon Baba.
Massi also participated in the first round of the 2005 presidential election
, held along with the parliamentary first round on 13 March, as the FODEM candidate. Prior to the election, his presidential candidacy was rejected, along with a number of other candidates, by the Constitutional Court on December 30, 2004; however, on January 4, 2005, Bozizé announced that Massi, along with two other initially barred candidates, would be allowed to run. In the election, he placed fifth out of eleven candidates and received 3.22% of the vote. On April 21, Massi signed an agreement to support Bozizé in the second round of the election, and after Bozizé's victory, Massi became Minister of State for Equipment, Transport and Civil Aviation in the government of Prime Minister Élie Doté
, which was named on June 19, 2005. In a cabinet reshuffle on September 2, 2006, he was instead appointed as Minister of State for Rural Development; he served in the latter position until he was excluded from the government of Prime Minister Faustin Archange Touadéra in January 2008.
(UFDR) rebel group on 12 May 2008; FODEM responded to this by suspending Massi from the party on 16 May, and he was expelled from the Presidential Majority on 18 May. FODEM established a provisional political bureau on 22 May 2008 with Joseph Garba Ouangolé as President, and it expelled Massi from its ranks.
In early June 2009, Massi attempted to enter the Central African Republic from Chad
and was arrested by the Chadian authorities, who announced that they would put him on trial for "attempting to destabilize a neighbouring country". The Chadians reportedly released Massi after a time, however. Massi's group, then called the Convention of Patriots for Justice and Peace (CPJP), continued to fight the government in the northwest of the Central African Republic; by that point it was the only rebel group still active.
Massi's wife Denise and the CPJP said on 16 January 2010 that Massi, who they said was held at the Central African prison of Bossembélé, had died on 8 January from the effects of torture
. Their information was said to have come from sources at Bossembele as well as sources around the Presidency. If they were wrong in believing Massi was dead, their statement called on Bozizé to prove he was still alive. The Central African Ministry of Defense formally denied killing Massi in a statement on 21 January and said that the government did not know where he was.
Later, on 30 January 2010, President Bozizé acknowledged that Massi had been killed, although he provided no details. He was dismissive of the concerns of human rights groups, saying that those groups had not showed similar concern "when 15 of our soldiers were killed by Massi's rebels". Furthermore, he said that he had told the French ambassador "that Mrs. Massi should have advised her husband not to take part in a rebellion against me". Nevertheless, the matter remained confused. Although Massi's family believed him to be dead, an official legal investigation announced in August 2010 that it had found no evidence to suggest that Massi had died at Bossembélé, and it said that Massi was accordingly considered to be missing and "presumed alive".
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 ,...
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
Democratic Forum for Modernity
The Democratic Forum for Modernity is a political party in the Central African Republic. The party was founded by Charles Massi on 27 November 1997 and legally recognized on 4 May 1998....
(FODEM) party from 1997 to 2008. He became a rebel leader in 2008, heading the Convention of Patriots for Justice and Peace
Convention of Patriots for Justice and Peace
The Convention of Patriots for Justice and Peace is a rebel group in the Central African Republic which was involved in fighting in the Central African Republic Bush War between 2004-2007....
(CPJP).
Massi was apparently killed by the government under unclear circumstances in January 2010.
Political career
Massi was born in BabouaBaboua
Baboua is a town and an administrative area in the Central African Republic , approximately north-west of Bangui, the nation's capital....
, Nana-Mambéré
Nana-Mambéré
Nana-Mambéré is one of the 14 prefectures of the Central African Republic. It covers an area of 26,600 km² and has a population of 184,594 . The capital is Bouar. It was part of Kamerun where was a German colony between 1911–1916....
Prefecture
Prefectures of the Central African Republic
There are also two economic prefectures:The national capital, Bangui, comprises a commune which lies outside the prefectures.The prefectures are further subdivided into seventy-one sub-prefectures.-Sources:*...
. He was President of the Committee for Information and the Defense of Democracy, which he founded on November 17, 1991. After the victory of Ange-Felix 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...
of the Movement for the Liberation of the Central African People
Movement for the Liberation of the Central African People
The Movement for the Liberation of the Central African People is a political party in the Central African Republic. It was established in Paris in 1979 by former prime minister Ange-Félix Patassé as a Central African opposition movement...
(MLPC) in the August 1993 presidential election
Central African Republic general election, 1993
General elections were held to in the Central African Republic on 22 August 1993, with a second round on 19 September 1993. They followed the previous year's elections, the results of which had been voided by the Supreme Court due to irregularities....
, Massi joined the government of Prime Minister Jean-Luc Mandaba
Jean-Luc Mandaba
Jean-Luc Mandaba was Prime Minister of the Central African Republic from 25 October 1993 to 12 April 1995 under president Ange-Félix Patassé....
as Minister of Energy and Mineral Resources in October 1993, remaining in this position until June 1996. On February 6, 1997 he became Minister of Agriculture and Animal Husbandry.
Massi founded FODEM on 27 November 1997 and was dismissed from the government in December, due to the establishment of FODEM and, according to Massi, his opposition to corruption. FODEM was legally recognized on 4 May 1998. He served as a Deputy from Baboua in the National Assembly
National Assembly of the Central African Republic
The unicameral National Assembly of the Central African Republic is the country's legislative body.The current National Assembly, formed following elections held on 13 March and 8 May 2005, has a total of 105 members elected in single-member constituencies using the two-round system...
from 1998 until 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...
seized power from Patassé in March 2003.
Running as the FODEM candidate in the presidential election
Central African Republic presidential election, 1999
Presidential elections were held in the Central African Republic on 19 September 1999. Incumbent Ange-Félix Patassé of the Movement for the Liberation of the Central African People won 51.33% of the vote in the first round, meaning that a second round was not required. Voter turnout was...
held on 19 September 1999, Massi placed eighth out of ten candidates, winning 1.31% of the vote.
After Bozizé took power, Massi was elected as Second Vice-President of the National Transitional Council on 14 June 2003, serving in that capacity until the new National Assembly was installed in June 2005. Massi was again elected to the National Assembly from Baboua in the second round of the 2005 parliamentary election, held in May, receiving 52.39% of the vote and defeating Gon Baba.
Massi also participated in the first round of the 2005 presidential election
Central African Republic elections, 2005
Presidential and parliamentary elections were held in the Central African Republic on March 13, 2005 and May 8, 2005 , marking the end of the transitional process that began with the seizure of power by François Bozizé in a March 2003 coup...
, held along with the parliamentary first round on 13 March, as the FODEM candidate. Prior to the election, his presidential candidacy was rejected, along with a number of other candidates, by the Constitutional Court on December 30, 2004; however, on January 4, 2005, Bozizé announced that Massi, along with two other initially barred candidates, would be allowed to run. In the election, he placed fifth out of eleven candidates and received 3.22% of the vote. On April 21, Massi signed an agreement to support Bozizé in the second round of the election, and after Bozizé's victory, Massi became Minister of State for Equipment, Transport and Civil Aviation in the government of Prime Minister Élie Doté
Élie Doté
Élie Doté was Prime Minister of the Central African Republic from June 2005 to January 2008.-Biography:Born in Bangui, Doté has a doctorate degree in rural economy and worked at the Agriculture and Animal Husbandry Ministry from 1974 to 1980 before becoming an expert at the African Development...
, which was named on June 19, 2005. In a cabinet reshuffle on September 2, 2006, he was instead appointed as Minister of State for Rural Development; he served in the latter position until he was excluded from the government of Prime Minister Faustin Archange Touadéra in January 2008.
Rebellion and death
A few months after his dismissal, Massi was appointed as Political Coordinator of the Union of Democratic Forces for UnityUnion of Democratic Forces for Unity
Union of Democratic Forces for Unity is a rebel group which fought against the government in the Central African Republic Civil War. The Central African Republic has accused the UFDR of being backed by the government of Sudan....
(UFDR) rebel group on 12 May 2008; FODEM responded to this by suspending Massi from the party on 16 May, and he was expelled from the Presidential Majority on 18 May. FODEM established a provisional political bureau on 22 May 2008 with Joseph Garba Ouangolé as President, and it expelled Massi from its ranks.
In early June 2009, Massi attempted to enter the Central African Republic from Chad
Chad
Chad , officially known as the Republic of Chad, is a landlocked country in Central Africa. It is bordered by Libya to the north, Sudan to the east, the Central African Republic to the south, Cameroon and Nigeria to the southwest, and Niger to the west...
and was arrested by the Chadian authorities, who announced that they would put him on trial for "attempting to destabilize a neighbouring country". The Chadians reportedly released Massi after a time, however. Massi's group, then called the Convention of Patriots for Justice and Peace (CPJP), continued to fight the government in the northwest of the Central African Republic; by that point it was the only rebel group still active.
Massi's wife Denise and the CPJP said on 16 January 2010 that Massi, who they said was held at the Central African prison of Bossembélé, had died on 8 January from the effects of torture
Torture
Torture is the act of inflicting severe pain as a means of punishment, revenge, forcing information or a confession, or simply as an act of cruelty. Throughout history, torture has often been used as a method of political re-education, interrogation, punishment, and coercion...
. Their information was said to have come from sources at Bossembele as well as sources around the Presidency. If they were wrong in believing Massi was dead, their statement called on Bozizé to prove he was still alive. The Central African Ministry of Defense formally denied killing Massi in a statement on 21 January and said that the government did not know where he was.
Later, on 30 January 2010, President Bozizé acknowledged that Massi had been killed, although he provided no details. He was dismissive of the concerns of human rights groups, saying that those groups had not showed similar concern "when 15 of our soldiers were killed by Massi's rebels". Furthermore, he said that he had told the French ambassador "that Mrs. Massi should have advised her husband not to take part in a rebellion against me". Nevertheless, the matter remained confused. Although Massi's family believed him to be dead, an official legal investigation announced in August 2010 that it had found no evidence to suggest that Massi had died at Bossembélé, and it said that Massi was accordingly considered to be missing and "presumed alive".