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Chad: Whether former leader of the Armed Forces of the Federal Republic (Forces armées de la république fédérale, FARF), Laokein Barde, died in 1998 or 1999; whether the FARF still exists; whether family members of Barde are still in danger

The Research Directorate is unable to determine whether or not Laokein Barde, former leader of the Armed Forces of the Federal Republic (Forces armées de la république fédérale, FARF) is dead as available accounts are inconsistent in their reporting.

According to Balencie and de La Grange, there is a mystery surrounding the fate of Laokein Barde (1999, 514). The authors state that an [translation] "extreme confusion" surrounds his destiny: some sources believe that Barde went into exile, and others, such as the MP Ngarlejy Yorongar, believe that he was killed in March or April 1998 following a manhunt (ibid.).

In May 1998, Africa Research Bulletin, quoting AFP, stated the following: "the president's office denied remours circulating in the Chadian independent press that Laokein Barde had been sequestred and executed. The office said it would like to inform national opinion that Mr. Barde was in Moundou (south) where he enjoys complete freedom ... " (May 1998a, 13107).

In June 1998, Africa Research Bulletin quoted Laoukein Medard, spokesperson of the FARF, who denyed that Laokein Barde was dead and who stated that: "he was in exile abroad" (June 1998, 13152)

However, on November 1998, AFP, quoting the Chadian newspaper Le Temps, stated that Laokein Barde, "was killed in April by his own aides" (6 Nov. 1998). Le Temps reportedly obtained the information from rebel sources (ibid.). The newspaper added that "'it is a certainty" that Barde was shot on April 8 at pointblank range in the chest while he was engaged with his men in an ambush of the regular Chadian army in his native Mondou region ... " (ibid.).

At the beginning of May 1998, the FARF led by Ngarbaroum Djeramian signed a peace accord with the Chadian government (Balencie and de La Grange 1999, 514; Le Monde 23 May 1998; Xinhua 22 May 1998). In exchange, they would be granted a general amnesty (ibid.; Le Monde 23 May 1998; Balencie and de La Grange 1999, 514). According to Africa Research Bulletin, the amnesty applied to "militants and sympathisers of the FARF" (May 1998a, 13107). The agreement called for "an immediate end to military activity; ... the withdrawal of crack elements from the Nomadic Guard and the National Security Guard; [the gathering] of combatants ... at Donya and Bebdjia for their eventual integration into the national army" (ARB May 1998b, 13125). In its Annual Report 1999, Amnesty International says that the peace accord between the FARF and Chadian government "officially ended the armed conflict in the south of the country."

According to Africa Research Bulletin, quoting AFP, some 300 former combatants with the FARF arrived in the capital, N'Djamena, on 12 June 1998 (June 1998, 13152). The former rebels stayed in the capital while a commission decided upon those suited to integrate into the army and those who would return to civil life (ibid.).

In December 1998, Africa Research Bulletin reported the following:

Former southern rebels in the Armed Forces for a Federal Republic (FARF) on November 29th rallied the Patriotic Salvation Movement (MPS, in power) of President Idriss Deby. "We have decided on this merger to preserve peace and strengthen the benefits of democracy," stated Guinambaye Barde, the current chief of staff of the rebel movement, and brother of the former charismatic FARF leader Laokein Barde, who was thought to have died in April.

As the main politico-military movement in the south of Chad, FARF had signed a peace agreement with the government on May 6th after six years of armed struggle (1992-98) and announced their transformation into a legally recognised political party, to be called the Forum of Alliances for the Federal Republic (FARF).

Since then no guerrilla activity had been reported in FARF areas, while a number of resistance fighters have rallied to the government, which for its part has released its prisoners. The merger ceremony, just two days after the eighth anniversary of President Deby siezing power, took place at Moundou (300 kms south of N'djamena) in the FARF fiefdom (Dec. 1998, 13358).

Further information on the peace agreement and the FARF can be found in TCD30454.E of 13 November 1998 and TCD29952.E of 3 September 1998.

No information on whether family members of Barde are still in danger could be found among the sources consulted.

This Response was prepared after researching publicly accessible information currently available to the Research Directorate within time constraints. This Response is not, and does not purport to be, conclusive as to the merit of any particular claim to refugee status or asylum. Please find below the list of additional sources consulted in researching this Information Request.

References

Africa Research Bulletin [Oxford]. December 1998. Vol. 35, No 12. "Rebel Party Merges."

_____. June 1998. Vol. 35, No 6. "Former FARF Rebels for Selection."

_____. May 1998a. Vol. 35, No 5. "Reshuffle Amid Peace Deal."

_____. May 1998b. Vol. 35, No 5. "In Brief: Chad."

Agence France Presse (AFP). 6 November 1998. "Charismatic Chadian Rebel Leader Dead: Newspaper." (NEXIS)

Amnesty International (AI). 1999. Annual Report 1999. <www.amnesty-usa.org/ailib/aireport/ar99/afr20.htm> [Accessed 19 Feb. 2001]

Balancie, Jean-Marc and Arnaud de La Grange. 1999. Mondes rebelles : guerres civiles et violence politiques. Paris : Éditions Michalon.

Le Monde [Paris]. 23 May 1998. "Au Tchad, les rebelles du Sud rendent les armes." (NEXIS)

Xinhua News Agency. 22 May 1998. "Chadian Southern Rebels Surrender to Gov't Forces." (NEXIS)

Additional Sources Consulted

IRB databases

Africa Confidential

An attempt to reach one source was unsuccesful

Internet sites including:

BBC News

IRIN

ALWHIDA

Les Forces Vives

Amnesty International

Human Rights Watch

FIDH

Armed Conflict Report 2000 - Chad

UNDP: Gouvernance et gestion des conflits au Chad

Country Reports

The Africa Newswire Network - Chad

Chad Page

Search engines including:

Google

Metacrawler

Dogpile