Mahamat Idriss Déby Itno, a young 39-year-old general with no political experience before he came to power in April 2022 following the death of his father, seemed to have done well. But with the repression of Thursday’s demonstrations in Ndjamena and in three other cities in the south of the country, some observers are wondering while calls to the international community are increasing.
Hand extended to the opposition, approval of the Transformers of Success Masra party or the Wakit Tama movement, right to demonstrate granted to the opposition, and recently, organization of an inclusive and sovereign national dialogue, Mahamat Idriss Déby Itno had done almost flawlessly so far, in the opinion of many observers.
The international community, starting with the AU, had even shown him some understanding avoiding penalties. And some opponents had recognized a certain “ wisdom in the management of the transition, despite some strong interventions by the police during demonstrations organized by the opposition.
But on Thursday, the police and security forces, including the men of the DGSEE, the equivalent of the presidential guard in Chad, bloodily repressed in N’Djamena and other cities of the country demonstrations against staying at the head of the transition of President Mahamat Idriss Déby Itno.
A commission will be set up by the government. Responsibilities must be located, the authority of the state must be restored. (…) Chad does not need destabilization, Chad needs dialogue and peace. The rest, we rely on what the government is trying to do.
Jean Bernard Padaré, spokesman for the Patriotic Salvation Movement
The balance sheet is very heavyabout fifty dead, and some 300 injured according to the new head of government, Saleh Kebzabo, who denounced “ a coup attempt “, justifying the use of live ammunition against ” a popular uprising to seize power by force “.
The opposition denounces a “ nameless barbarism organized by the government to nip the protests in the bud. Masra’s success, which appeals to the international community, gave him a record of 70 demonstrators killed, hundreds injured and arrests.
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On the side of the population, we are in shock, “ this is the first time, in Chadian memory, that there have been so many deaths in the repression of a demonstration “, lamented the Catholic Church on Friday. The International Federation for Human Rights refers to “ massacres of civilians and also calls on the international community to put an end to the impunity enjoyed by the Chadian transitional regime “. ” Nothing will be like before adds a young journalist from N’Djamena.
The EU, the AU, the United States, France must ensure that safeguards are put in place. (…) Today, given what happened, these organizations must tell him (to Mahamat Idriss Déby Itno) clearly that he has no right, that we can never tolerate this again. The language of firmness must be on all sides so that this transition can lead to democratic elections.
Maître Drissa Traoré, Secretary General of FIDH
In a press release issued this Friday, the president of the National Human Rights Commission Mahamat Nour Ibedou said his incomprehension in the face of the outburst of violence against demonstrators and recalled that “ assurances had been given by senior security sources that no bullets would be fired at any protesters “. The CNDH announces that it will conduct an investigation to locate the responsibilities.