From left to right: Rob Miller, Tim, Valerie, Jeana, Zak Harley, Laura Gibson, Barb Teach, J.P. Peters, Pastor Tom PetersThis afternoon, around 1:30, our team will board a plane in Columbus, headed for Detroit, then later tonight to Paris, then Bangui, Central Africa Republic, where they arrive Saturday morning, God willing.
It's not too soon to ask everyone to pray. The article below is only a reminder to send us to our news. No, we are not being irresponsible sending a team from our church to a troubled part of the world. We have consulted with our experts who are in Bangui and they gave us the "go ahead." We have spoken with our team members as well and they decided to continue as planned. They are motivated by God's love and His love for people. However, they are asking that we pray for them and I hope you will do just that!
Pastor Ivanildo Trindade
BANGUI, Feb 14 (Reuters) - Thousands of immigrants from Chad marched through Bangui on Wednesday bearing the bodies of two countrymen gunned down by police in the latest outbreak of ethnic tension in the capital of Central African Republic.
They left the corpses at the Chadian embassy as a protest against N'Djamena's lack of diplomatic action, after carrying them from the suburb where they were killed to city centre.
Members of President Francois Bozize's presidential guard fired into the air afterwards to disperse the crowd. No casualties were reported.
"We have had enough of this persecution by the Central African police. Since last year, they have killed 16 Chadian Muslims," said Hassan Mahamat, one of the demonstrators.
The two men, former members of the "Liberators" force of Chadian fighters who helped install Bozize in 2003, were accused of banditry by the police.
An Interior Ministry spokesman said the three policemen responsible for the shooting had been arrested and would face trial.
"Bozize doesn't care about us and sends his soldiers to kill us after we brought him to power with our own blood," said Mahamat Zene, himself a former Liberator.
Many ex-Liberators have drifted to the north of Central African Republic where they have since joined rebellions against Bangui and N'Djamena.
Some analysts say that is why Bozize, a personal friend of Chadian President Idriss Deby, is reluctant to dissolve his Chadian bodyguard, despite tensions with local security forces.
Twice last year, members of Bozize's Chadian bodyguard attacked local police stations after incidents involving some of their members.
They left the corpses at the Chadian embassy as a protest against N'Djamena's lack of diplomatic action, after carrying them from the suburb where they were killed to city centre.
Members of President Francois Bozize's presidential guard fired into the air afterwards to disperse the crowd. No casualties were reported.
"We have had enough of this persecution by the Central African police. Since last year, they have killed 16 Chadian Muslims," said Hassan Mahamat, one of the demonstrators.
The two men, former members of the "Liberators" force of Chadian fighters who helped install Bozize in 2003, were accused of banditry by the police.
An Interior Ministry spokesman said the three policemen responsible for the shooting had been arrested and would face trial.
"Bozize doesn't care about us and sends his soldiers to kill us after we brought him to power with our own blood," said Mahamat Zene, himself a former Liberator.
Many ex-Liberators have drifted to the north of Central African Republic where they have since joined rebellions against Bangui and N'Djamena.
Some analysts say that is why Bozize, a personal friend of Chadian President Idriss Deby, is reluctant to dissolve his Chadian bodyguard, despite tensions with local security forces.
Twice last year, members of Bozize's Chadian bodyguard attacked local police stations after incidents involving some of their members.
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