Nostalgia for a nightmare
He fed his opponents to crocodiles. Yet people miss Emperor Bokassa
HE CALLED himself the Emperor of Central Africa. Others dubbed him the Butcher of Bangui. Jean-Bédel Bokassa seized power in a coup on December 31st, 1965 and ruled what is now the Central African Republic (CAR) until he was ousted by French soldiers in 1979.
This article appeared in the Middle East & Africa section of the print edition under the headline “Nostalgia for a nightmare”
From the August 27th 2016 edition
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