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Chad: Democracy in Peril - Several Opposition Leaders have been Abducted

The IIJD has learned that from reliable sources from Ndjamena that the four leaders of the opposition parties arrested , after the withdrawal of the resistance forces from N'Djamena on Sunday evening, by the Republican Guard of general Deby Itno are still in detention. The authorities have not revealed their whereabouts, though they are believed to be detained in the Palace of the President (La Présidence).

The Chadian rebels involved in the fighting in N'Djaména over the weekend are known to be from the Unified Military Command, an umbrella group that includes the Union of Forces for Democracy (UFDD), the Rally of Forces for Change (RFC) and UFDD-Fundamental. The UFDD is led by Mahamat Nouri, who, before serving in Idriss Déby's government, was the right-hand man of former Chadian president Hissène Habré, who is currently in Senegal facing charges of crimes against humanity. Other members of the UFDD also reportedly have ties to Mr. Hissène Habré. However, without discernment, Mr. Idriss Deby is hunting down all the opponents to his regime.

Despite several requests from local and international organizations, Mr Deby’s government has refused to disclose the men’s whereabouts or even say whether they are alive or dead. Around 4:30 p.m. local time on February 3rd, Mr. Ngarlejy Yorongar, Leader of the “Front d’Action pour le Renouveau” (FAR), one of the most radical opponents of the regime of Idriss Deby Itno, was abducted by elements of the Republican Guard. Mr. Lol Mahamat Choua, leader of “Rassemblement pour la Democratie et le Progrès” (RDP) and who served as Chad's president in 1979, was arrested Sunday by men in military fatigue driving a vehicle belonging to the Chadian presidential guard. Dr. Ibni Oumar Mahamat Saleh, spokesman for the “Parti pour les libertés et le Development” and Mr. Wadel AdberKalder Kamougué, leader of “Union pour le Renouveau et la Democratie,” were also among the kidnapped. All of them are components of the democratic opposition inside Chad, and all were kidnapped by the element of Mr. Deby’s Presidential Guard.

Mr. Saleh Kebzabo of the UNDR party was missed by the soldiers of the Republican Guard sent to arrest him, however, one of his relatives was unfortunately at his home at the time of the attempted arrest and according to our sources was shot and badly injured. Our sources also tell us that Deby’s security forces are currently looking for Delphine Djiraibé, a lawyer and human rights advocate and member of the Chadian civil society who managed to escape and is presently in a safe place.

The witch hunt clearly commenced in Deby’s Chad after fierce clashes in recent days between rebels and loyalist forces. The IIJD is monitoring the situation. However, knowing the unorthodox methods of the Chadian regime, General Deby Itno and his followers will benefit from the confusion prevailing in Chad to get rid of a lot of people they consider to be obstacles to their diabolic plans to remain in power despite their unpopularity. As Mr. Paul Biya did in Cameroon (Chad’s neighboring country) in 1984, when most of members of Presidential guard from the Northern Province of Cameroon were massacred after an attempted coup, the IIJD fears that Mr. Deby, his clan, and political cronies will not hesitate one moment to continue the “clean-up” that they’ve just started. Blaming everything on the confusion and the climate of war prevailing in the country, many political leaders may simply be executed.

The IIJD fears that the kidnapped leaders of the democratic opposition are at grave risk of torture and potential murder. The IIJD calls on the international community, human rights organizations, the African Union, the European Union, the United States and France to react and act quickly to avoid a fatal end to all those who are being arrested and violently assaulted by Deby’s forces.

We are following the situation closely and will keep you informed.