The political situation has remained tense since October 20 in Chad. In addition to the 50 dead and 300 injured, dozens of people were subsequently arrested and members of the Transformers party, leading the protest, say they are being hunted and accuse the authorities of trying to weaken the party by poaching their members. This thanks to veterans like the former vice-president of the party, Moustapha Masri, who had resigned after the violence.
Moustapha Masri slammed the door saying that the Transformers had become radicalized. Some followed him, like Roméo Djerakoula Miankain who now believes he fears for his life:
Our struggle was to be peaceful. Faced with too radical transformers, I made my choice and it’s my right to be with [Moustapha Masri]. I had received threats from comrades who insult me, who curse me, who tell me that I take advantage of the blood of Chadians to make money. I take issue with that.
Still loyal Transformers accuse Mustapha Masri of being a tool of power to weaken the opposition formation. Serge Ngardji, a manager of the Transformers, could be reached while fleeing Chad by bus to Cameroon. He claims to have received calls for him to leave his party:
This is not the first time that I have received this type of temptation. They also told me that they were going to guarantee my safety and that they were going to give me what I want. Since we refused the offer, we live from hiding to hiding, because the manhunt has become really complicated.
Moustapha Masri’s house is now guarded by soldiers. He says he is threatened by the Transformers and denies the accusations leveled against him:
I am disgusted that this violence can come from my ex-party, I am threatened. If I’m to be bought or sold somewhere, I would have been a long time ago. I’m not into buying consciences, I’m not into false promises, and during my message I said that we will ensure their safety, especially coming from their own camp. So it’s manipulation.
Mustapha Masri nevertheless asserts that the parties must keep talkingbecause they are not enemies, but complementary.
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