concerns around the commission of inquiry into the events of October 20

concerns around the commission of inquiry into the events of

The authorities of Chad had accepted that an international fact-finding mission be deployed to shed light on the demonstrations of October 20 which left around fifty dead and 300 injured. Officially, this commission has been there for about ten days, if we believe the transitional government and the reports that air on national television, but it is more of a regional commission, worry diplomatic sources. .

In early November, RFI announced that the Chadian transitional government had agreed to set up an international commission of inquiry to shed light on what happened during the repression of the demonstrations of October 20, in particular because of the controversy over the number of victims, from 50 to 150 according to the sources, and the reasons for this carnagecoup attempt according to the government or serious bloody repression, according to civil society and the opposition.

A commission composed of representatives of ECCAS

The Chadian transitional power and the Economic Commission of Central African States (ECCAS), which oversees this investigation, had mentioned an international commission of inquiry composed especially of representatives of ECCAS, the United Nations, the African Union and even La Francophonie. Purpose ? Reassure the international community.

But it is nothing “, note diplomatic sources in Ndjamena, who point to a commission composed for the moment only of three representatives of ECCAS from Burundi, Sao Tome and Principe and the DRC. “The regional organization ensures that the representatives of these other institutions mentioned are in the process of joining the team of investigators, but the mission is drawing to a close and we do not see anyone appearing on the horizon », Worries one of our sources.

Credibility issue

In the meantime, this commission has multiplied meetings with officials while promising, according to the ECCAS representative in Chad quoted by official television, that it will meet ” all the actors in this drama “, in particular the families of the victims or those who have just been released by the courts, before reporting to the Commission of the regional organization.

Diplomats wonder about the ” credibility of such a report without, in particular, the UN. Asked about this point, a source from the Chadian presidency returned the ball to ECCAS, where no official could be reached for the moment.

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