Information service of the Pontifical Mission Societies since 1927
N’Djamena (Fides Service)-“Today the situation is calm. There is no shooting although the curfew remains” local Church sources in N’Djamena, capital of Chad, told Fides following a mutiny staged by troops stationed in the capital. During the night of Sunday May 17 rebel army troops attacked the presidential guard loyal to President Idris Déby.
“The President called a cabinet meeting and issued a statement playing down the incident saying it was a protest to demand unpaid salaries” the sources told Fides.
“But the situation is more complex”- the sources told Fides “the army revolt is only a symptom of deep division in government with regard to the war in Darfur”. Darfur is a region of Sudan, bordering on Chad, where since February 2003 the Sudanese army backed by local pro-government militia have fought two Opposition movements Sudan Liberation Army (SLA) and Justice and Equality Movement (JEM). These groups claim they are fighting to obtain more attention for the Darfur region which they accuse the government of neglecting. The fighting has caused hundreds of thousands of Sudanese to take refuge in Chad. Pro-Sudanese militia have carried out incursions in Chad against refugee camps. This has caused a rise in tension between Sudan and Chad in recent weeks.
Most of the Sudanese rebels fighting in Darfur, belong to the Zaghawa ethnic group like the President of Chad. The Zaghawa live mainly on the border between Chad and Sudan. “Members of President Déby’s Party have accused him of failing to defend his own tribesmen” the sources told Fides. The President of Chad has attempted, so far without success, to mediate between the Sudanese government and rebels in Darfur. “On the border with Sudan there are armed groups of Chadians who support the rebels in Darfur” the sources told Fides. “The question of support given by the Chadian groups to Sudanese rebels has split the government of Chad ”. (L.M.) (Agenzia Fides 19/5/2004, righe 31 parole 372)
