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UN Backs Déby Government Despite Alleged Corruption

As the dust settles from the recent coup attempt in Chad, the international community has decided to back President Idriss Déby, President of Chad since 1990, in hopes of restoring stability to the nation

The recent rebellion in Chad was spurred by alleged corruption in a government that ranks as one of the most corrupt in Africa, according to Transparency International. [1] The fallout from the recent attacks on the capital has the UN and aid agencies scrambling to find solutions to the growing refugee crisis. The rebellion coincided with the scheduled deployment of an EU peacekeeping force to protect existing refugees along the border between Chad and Sudan’s Darfur region. The rebellion caused 20,000 people to flee N‘djamena to neighboring Cameroon and the violence exacerbated the existing humanitarian emergency in Eastern Chad cutting off Oxfam’s supply lines to a region where currently more than 450,000 Sudanese refugees or internally displaced persons are located, many still under threat of violence. [2] [3]

Despite some recent positive developments, such as the deployment of the EU peacekeeping force to Eastern Chad and resumption of Air France Flights to N’djamena, the security situation remains tense. [4] [5] A state of emergency was declared on February 14th, increasing the ability of the central government’s power to overrule local authorities and search citizens’ homes without a warrant. [6]

The complex situation in Chad does not generate an obvious solution. The international community faced the tough decision of either backing a corrupt government or supporting a violent rebellion. Either option is clearly far from ideal. Supporting a government that has high levels of corruption, like the one in Chad, sends a terribly bleak message to the citizens of that country. However, supporting a violent government takeover also does not seem wise, considering the fragility of the refuge situation in the eastern part of the country.

In an effort to restore stability and condemn the violent attacks of the rebels, the United Nations Security Council decided to back Idriss Déby, who supports the deployment of the EU peacekeeping force in Eastern Chad. [7] The UN support of Déby is by no means a cure-all for the intricacy of the crisis within Chad and its tenuous relationship with its eastern neighbor, Sudan. Mr. Déby’s government has been sending mixed messages about its support for efforts to aid the refugees, most of whom were displaced by the violence in Darfur. Despite Chad’s support of the peacekeeping efforts, designed to protect the refugees, Prime Minister Nouradine Delwa Kassire Koumakoye recently said that Chad will forcibly remove refuges if the international community does not move them. This seemingly contradictory position is a reaction of a scared government to the recent threat to its power. Mr. Koumakoye believes that the recent attack on their power was supported by Sudan, and that the influx of refugees is a direct cause of the violence: “We are being attacked by Sudan because of these refugees” he recently declared. [8] The relationship between Sudan and Chad has been further strained by the recent attempted government overthrow. Members of Sudan’s government are not the only targets of accusations of cross-governmental interference. Sudanese officials also believe that Mr. Déby’s government has been providing support for opposition groups in Darfur. [9]

Needless to say, the recent political violence has had an extremely negative impact on the humanitarian crisis in the region. As was noted in the previous edition of this newsletter, Mr. Déby’s constitutional abuses and alleged corruption are the motivation behind the recent rebellion. [10] The IIJD urges the international community to not only seek short-term stability in the region, but also to advocate for institutional reform of the government of Chad. A more effective government and justice system in Chad will lessen the likelihood of future rebellion attempts and create a lasting peace in Chad. Specifically, term-limits should be re-imposed and the government should take steps to increase its transparency and accountability. These changes will require a willingness for the government of Chad, but also pressure from the international community to create a more legitimate democracy in Chad.