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Amnesty International Report 2003 - Chad

Covering events from January - December 2002

REPUBLIC OF CHAD
Head of state: Idriss Déby
Head of government: Nagoum Yamassoum
Death penalty: retentionist
International Criminal Court: signed

Several prisoners of conscience, including human rights defenders, were arrested and briefly detained. Over 100 people, including children, were arbitrarily arrested in March. Scores of people were ill-treated while held by the security forces and a number of cases of torture, including rape, were reported. No effective action was taken to bring those responsible to justice. Judicial investigations continued into human rights violations committed during the presidency of Hissein Habré between 1982 and 1990. Concern was expressed about the impact of an oil pipeline on the rights of the local population and the environment. Attacks on freedom of expression increased.

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Background

In January, a peace agreement was signed in Libya between the government and an armed opposition group, the Movement for Democracy and Justice in Chad (MDJT). A general amnesty for MDJT combatants was passed by the National Assembly in February. However, sporadic fighting continued and the MDJT, active in northern Chad, appeared divided over the cease-fire.

Legislative elections took place in April. They were boycotted by two opposition parties, the Union for Democracy and the Republic, and the Party for Liberty and Development. Both claimed that the authorities did not provide sufficient guarantees that the election would be free and fair. Turnout was low and President Idriss Déby's ruling Patriotic Salvation Movement won a majority of seats in the National Assembly.

On the day of the elections, one of the candidates, Gueti Mahamat, leader of the African Democratic Party and a member of the Living Forces coalition opposed to President Déby, was killed when his car ran over a landmine in Faya Largeau, northern Chad. At least three people were arrested in connection with the incident; it remained unclear whether they had been charged with any offence.

Relations between Chad and neighbouring Central African Republic remained tense, with mutual accusations of harbouring or supporting armed opponents, and fighting broke out several times along or near their common border.

Prisoners of conscience

Several prisoners of conscience were arrested and briefly detained. Human rights defenders working outside the capital, N'Djaména, were particularly vulnerable to arbitrary arrest.

• In March, three people who had protested against the recruitment policy of a French firm involved in an oil pipeline were arrested in Bam and transferred to the gendarmerie in Bessao where they were detained. They were released without charge or trial after three days.

• In October, two members of the Chadian League for Human Rights were arrested in Maro, Moyen Chari Prefecture, southern Chad, and transferred to Sido, near the border with the Central African Republic. They were accused of being members of an armed opposition group, but were later released without charge or trial.

Arbitrary arrests

In March, over 100 people were arbitrarily arrested in N'Djaména in a joint police and gendarmerie operation. Many of those arrested were beaten before being transferred, with flagrant disregard for legal procedures, to gendarmerie stations between 70km and 150km from their homes. Their conditions of detention were harsh. Chadian human rights groups and others protested at the arrests and within three weeks all had been released or had escaped. One person died in the raid in circumstances which remained unclear.

Torture and ill-treatment

There were other reports of ill-treatment and torture, including rape, by the security forces. The perpetrators appeared to be able to commit such abuses with impunity.

• In November, a woman was reportedly raped and another sexually assaulted by a gendarmerie officer while in gendarmerie custody in Bébédja, Logone Oriental Prefecture. The women were subsequently released and lodged formal complaints with the gendarmerie commander.

• In May, new information came to light about people who were tortured in Abéché in 2001. One of them, Ibrahim Adoum, died as a result of torture in police custody shortly after his arrest in July 2001. Attempts by victims, their families and members of the judiciary to bring to justice those responsible were blocked by the security forces.

Oil pipeline

In September, the Inspection Panel (IP) created by the Board of Executive Directors of the World Bank published its report on its inspection in response to allegations by a National Assembly member and residents of the Doba area "that the Pipeline Project constituted a threat to local communities, their property and the environment and that the people of the oil field were being harmed because of the absence, or inadequacy, of environmental assessment and compensation". The IP concluded "that Management was in compliance with several aspects of the Bank's environmental and social policies". However, human rights activists and community representatives in Chad continued to raise concerns about the consequences of the project in southern Chad, including the negative impact of the pipeline on health, access to education and discrimination with regard to employment opportunities.

Violations during President Hissein Habré's rule

Judicial investigations continued into human rights violations alleged to have been committed by former President Hissein Habré and his collaborators. Investigations into cases of "crimes of torture, murder and enforced disappearance" were initiated both by Chadian and Belgian courts after complaints were registered by a number of victims, supported by Chadian and international human rights groups. In October, the Chadian Minister of Justice confirmed that Hissein Habré would not benefit from state immunity.

Several of the plaintiffs were harassed and threatened in Chad reportedly by the security forces following their complaints.

Freedom of expression

Freedom of expression came under increasing attack as the legislative elections approached. In March, the Superior Communications Council announced that non-state radio stations would not be allowed to broadcast political programs or debates during the electoral campaign. A similar restriction had been imposed in 2001 before the presidential campaign.

Refugees

In May, nearly 100 refugees from various countries, including children, who had sought refuge in N'Djaména cathedral in April, were forcibly ejected by members of the security forces. Unconfirmed reports suggested that some were subsequently forcibly conscripted into the armed forces.

AI country visits

Visit
AI delegates visited Chad in May to conduct research and meet judicial officials.