PRESIDENT DACKO LISTENING RECENTLY TO BAND AND ADDRESSING CROWD; VARIOUS SHOTS OF PARATROOPERS AFTER COUP; COLONEL BOKASSA WITH AIDES; MORE SHOTS OF PARATROOPERS AND STREET SCENES IN BANGUI.




Initials JHS/V-TELE/RM/EEH



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Background: COLONEL BEDEL BOKASSA, CHIEF OF STAFF OF THE CENTRAL AFRICAN REPUBLIC'S ARMY, GUSTED PRESIDENT DAVID DACKO AND HIS GOVERNMENT IN PRE-DAWN COUP ON JANUARY 1. ALTHOUGH TWO PEOPLE WERE KILLED AND THREE WOUNDED, M. DACKO'S GOVERNMENT WAS TOPPLED SWIFTLY AND WITH LITTLE FUSS.

EARLY ON JANUARY 1, COLONEL BOKASSA'S PARATROOPERS SURROUNDED THE PRESIDENTIAL PALACE IN BANGUI AND MOUNTED GUARD OVER STRATEGIC POSITIONS IN THE CITY. REPORTS SAID THAT AS THE PALACE AND RADIO STATION WERE SURROUNDED M.MAURICE DEJEAN, A FORMER AMBASSADOR TO ISRAEL, WAS KILLED.

M. DACKO, WHO HAD BEEN PRESIDENT OF THE REPUBLIC SINCE INDEPENDENCE IN 1960, WAS PUT UNDER HOUSE ARREST. SEVERAL OF HIS MINISTERS AND HIS CHIEF OF GENDARMERIE WERE ARRESTED. REPORTS SAID PRESIDENT OF THE NATIONAL ASSEMBLY, M. MICHAEL ADAMA TAMBOUX, WAS MISSING AND THAT SEVERAL PUBLIC FIGURES HAD GONE INTO HIDING.

ON JANUARY 2, COLONEL BOKASSA ORDERED MOST OF THE TROOPS BACK TO THEIR BARRACKS AND SAID IN A RADIO BROADCAST THAT THE SITUATION WAS CALM. COLONEL BOKASSA, A COUSIN OF THE DEPOSED PRESIDENT, SAID HE HAD SEIZED POWER TO PUT AN END TO WHAT HE CALLED A NUMBER OF SOCIAL INJUSTICES.