Not Asia focused for once, but in keeping with the law of identity (A is A) and more poetically by Gertrude Stein (A rose is a rose is a rose) a PEP is a PEP is a PEP, it is probably worth a glance at the eight Central African politically exposed persons (PEPs) that the French government has recommended be the subject of UN sanctions.
CREDIT: REUTERS/LUC GNAGO
All eight PEPs are connected to the Central African Republic and the select group of individuals includes former President François Bozize, according to this report from Reuters in Paris.
Back in December, the UN backed an intervention to stem sectarian conflict in Central African Republic (CAR), which began when Muslim Seleka rebels seized power in the mostly Christian country. In January, the UN issued a shot across the boughs to the CAR when it mooted the possibility of travel bans and asset freezes.
“France has identified eight people and has put forward that list to some members of the Security Council,” said one French diplomatic source. “It includes ex-Seleka, anti-balaka, Bozizé and some of his sons.”
La Famille Bozizé
It is perhaps worth having a quick look at the Bozizé family, the Seleka and anti-balaka (the anti-machete Christian militia) movements in CAR to gain an idea of who may be in the UN cross-hairs.
According to sources, the Bozize clan fled the CAR in MArch 2013 and was granted refuge in the Democratic Republic of Congo, in Cameroon until they were kicked out in early February 2014 and had requested asylum in Benin.
The Seleka movement is the an alliance of rebel militia factions which overthrew Bozizes government; their leader Michael Djotodia named himself president of the CAR subsequently. The Seleka members are predominantly Muslim and the name Seleka means coalition in the Central African Sango language.
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