Order restored after attempted coup in Gabon

On January 7, 2019, five rebels in the west African nation of Gabon attempted a hostile takeover in Libreville – the capital of Gabon. The five rebels were Gabonese Army soldiers. The coup attempt occurred at the national radio station. In a statement made while seizing power of the radio station, the insurgents called for a “National Restoration Council.” The rebels argued for other soldiers to seize control of Gabon’s airports, transportation systems, and weapons depots. The coup attempt was thwarted and two of the rebel soldiers were killed.

Gabon, a former French colony, is a major producer of oil. Since 1960, Gabon has had only three presidents. Approximately 1/3rd of Gabonese citizens live in poverty. In 2009 Ali Ben Bongo Ondimba — the current president of Gabon, succeeded his father Omar Bongo as head of state. Omar Bongo spent 41 years in office, winning seven consecutive terms. President Ali Bongo’s time in office has been marred by a French government investigation into alleged embezzlement and fraud.

In 2019, US president Donald J. Trump deployed 80 soldiers to Gabon to protect American citizens because of potential violent protests after the presidential election in neighboring Democratic Republic of the Congo. In a letter written to US Congress, president Trump wrote: “Additional forces may deploy to Gabon, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, or the Republic of the Congo, if necessary for these purposes. These deployed personnel will remain in the region until the security situation in the Democratic Republic of the Congo becomes such that their presence is no longer needed.”

Facts about Gabon:

Population: 2.2 million (July 2020 est.)
Land Area: 267,667 sq km (slightly smaller than Colorado)
Capital: Libreville
Major Language: French (official)
GDP per capita: $18,100 (July 2017 est.)

Sources:
https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/resources/the-world-factbook/attachments/summaries/GB-summary.pdf
https://www.cnn.com/2019/01/04/politics/us-troops-gabon/index.html
https://www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-13376333


Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Recovery Month supports addiction treatment programs and services

F or twenty-three years Americans have celebrated the month of September as National Alcohol and Drug Addiction Recovery Month.   The purpose of Recovery month is to educate Americans about mental health services and addiction treatment programs that can help people struggling with substance abuse.   Recovery month also raises awareness about specific challenges that people in recovery face.   Although drug and alcohol addictions are complex problems with the correct treatment and support people who struggle with these addictions can recover. In a Presidential Proclamation On August 31, 2012, President Barack Obama declared September 2012 as National Alcohol and Drug Addiction Recovery Month.   In his proclamation Obama said: “Over the past 3 years, we have worked to strengthen substance abuse prevention and treatment programs, and to support Americans in recovery… Drug and alcohol abuse continue to take a tragic toll on millions of lives across our country.   Yet, while more remai
Read more

The Life and Art of Allan Rohan Crite

Image
The Boston Public Library was one of three locations in the city of Boston to display the art work of longtime Bostonian and artist Allan Rohan Crite. Beginning in the fall of 2007 until February 3, 2008, the BPL, the Boston Athenaeum, and the Museum of the National Center of Afro-American Artists exhibited collected works of art from Crite’s storied career in The Life and Art of Allan Rohan Crite: 1910-2007 . Funded in part by the Boston Public Library Foundation, the exhibit offered onlookers a view into Crite’s lengthy artistic career. When I visited the exhibit on January 19, 2008, over fifty collages, drawings, paintings, and sketches adorned the Wiggins Gallery in the McKim Building of The Boston Public Library. Crite was born on March 20, 1910, in Plainfield, New Jersey. In that same year, his family moved to Boston, Massachusetts. Crite would later make Boston his home as an adult. Over the course of his distinguished career he promoted visual art as a lecturer, p
Read more

Political legislation brings attention to US Dental Care Crisis

A ccording to a report created by U.S. Senator Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) and U.S. Representative Elijah E. Cummings (D-Md.) there is a national crisis in American dental care.   On June 7, 2012 Cummings and Sanders – the chairman of the Senate Subcommittee on Primary Health and Aging, introduced legislation to address the inefficiencies in the American dental care system.   Approximately 130 million Americans do not have dental insurance.   ¼ of American adults 65 and older have lost all of their teeth.   More than 75% of American adults over 30 have gum disease.   Additionally, about 17 million low-income children do not go to the dentist every year. On June 26, 2012, PBS aired a documentary about the U.S. dental care system on the investigative news program FRONTLINE .   The 50 minute documentary, Dollars and Dentists , analyzes current economic trends and patient access in the dental care industry.   The documentary is a joint investigative piece by FRONTLINE and the Center fo
Read more