Three Chadian rebel groups sign peace agreement with Ndjamena
July 27, 2009 (TRIPOLI) — Three Chadian rebel groups signed a peace agreement with the government of President Idriss Deby on Sunday under the sponsorship of the Libyan government.
The three factions are member of rebel National Movement (MN) led by Mahamat Ahmat Hamid. The rebel umbrella consists of the Union of Forces for Democracy and Development – Renewal (UFDD-R) led by Issa Moussa Tamboulet, the National Movement for Recovery (MNR) led by Mahamat Ahmat Hamid and the Front for the Salvation of the Republic led by the MN leader.
The peace deal provides for “an end to hostilities, the return of the opposition leaders to the path of democracy, the integration of its young fighters into the army or civil service and the participation of the MN in public life.”
The signed agreement is similar to Sirte agreement which had been concluded on October 27, 2007 with rebel groups backed currently by the Sudanese government but rejected one month later.
The signing ceremony was witnessed by representatives of the European Union, France, Qatar, Sudan and Spain as well as the 28-member Community of Sahel-Saharan States (CEN-SAD).
The MN leader Ahmat Hassaballah Soubiane, was part of the rebel coalition based in Sudan but splinted from the Union of Forces of Resistance after the appointment of Timane Erdimi as chairman of the UFR, last year.
The three leaders of the former rebel groups Ahmat Hassaballah Soubiane, Issa Moussa Tamboulé and Mahamat Ahmat Hamit were received on Monday by the Chadian president in Ndjamena after their return accompanied by the Libyan mediator Abderamane Moussa.
The MN did not take part in May’s offensive on Ndjamena.
The rebel UFR, reacted to the deal by renewing its call for an inclusive round table, “the only solution to the comprehensive settlement of the crisis in our country,” said a press statement.
(ST)