Last modified: 2004-12-29 by zeljko heimer
Keywords: central african republic | crescent and star | bokassa | central african empire | french equatorial africa | libya |
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by Željko Heimer 15 April 2003
Description from image at Petr Exner's
Czech vexillological pages:
green field, yellow crescent and star in lower fly, yellow over white canton.
Olivier Touzeau, 13 February 2003
In summer 1976, during a visit to the country by president Ghadafi of Libya,
the Central African president Jean Bedel Bokassa converted to Islam adopting the name of
Salah el Din Ahmed. At the time a project was undertaken to devise a new national flag, probably
arising from inner government circles to please Ghadafi. Even some media
reported it as
definitively adopted, but it seems that after obtaining some economic help from Ghadafi,
the new flag project stopped, and some months later the republic was transformed
into the Empire (December 1976) and the old flag confirmed.
Jaume Ollé, 13 February 2003
Following the complete 1976-year Journal Officiel de la Republique Centrafricaine and I found out, that:
- It s true that on 1 September 1976 Bokassa went to Libya for celebrations
marking the seventh anniversary of the coup that had brought Colonel Muammar
Gadhaffi to power. Back home, on 4 September 1976, President Bokassa
suppressed the Government and created a pro-libyan ruling body named
Conseil de la Revolution Centrafricaine (Central African Revolution
Council).
- On that same day, 4 September 1976, a 31-member Central African Revolution
Council was formed by Bokassa. Bokassa himself following Gadhaffi's example
gave up to most of his post and remained only as: For-Life-President of the
Republic, For-Life-President of the MESAN (the sole political party),
President of the Revolution Council and Supreme Chief of Central African
Army.
- On 17 October 1976, Gadhaffi arrived in Bangui, and at the mosque at
Kilométre 5 he looked on approvingly as Bokassa was officially initiated
into Islam. The new convert was known as Salah Addin Ahmed Bou-Kassa, and it
was announced that the national flag would thenceforth feature a crescent
next to its star. Members of the Revolution Council were encouraged to
follow the example of their president. A number of them refused, the Member
of the Revolution Council in charge of the post of Prime Minister, Ange
Patassé was among the converts and was henceforth known as Mustapha Patassé.
On the afternoon of 18 October, Gadhaffi addressed to a large gathering at
the Omnisports Stadium on his favourite theme that Christianity was the
religion of imperialism while Islam was that of liberation. When Gadhaffi
departed on 20 Oct