Chad’s insurgents reject unofficial mediation

Oct 18, 2005 (NDJAMENA) — The newly Chadian deserter soldiers rejected to start dialogue with an unofficial delegation who came to mediate between them and the Chadian authorities, Radio France Internationale (RFI) said.

The Chadian rebels demanded an official delegation while announcing realignment of some officers, which some Chadian officials as well as sources on the ground have not denied.

The Chadian authorities say they are prepared to negotiate with the deserters, but in case of an impasse the government has threatened to resort to the use of force.

N’djamena said that the demands were only material while the mutineers said they had deeply reflected on their action after grievances were presented to the present. They mainly mentioned the constitutional reform, which they said they were opposed. It is hoped that a solution will quickly be found by Chadian leaders.

Observers noted that it is the first time that elements belonging to the president’s ethnic group have officially questioned his policies and publicly opposed him, demanding his departure.

Chadian army deserters are still occupying the Hadjer Hadid in eastern Chad, some kilometres from Sudan’s Darfur region.

The deserters say they belong to SCUD, an acronym which means the Platform for Change, National Unity and Democracy.

The Ndjamena government said they were about 40 soldiers. We are several hundreds, said the mutineers, who have vowed to overthrow President Idriss Deby.

The military hierarchy in Chad is highly dominated by the Zagawa, the head of state’s ethnic community. Some members of the Chadian Zagawa ethnic community have blamed Idriss Deby of not helping the Sudanese Zagawa people in Darfur, the region in conflict for over two years now.

(ST)