Chad

Frank Slijper

After the bloody suppression of protests in Beijing's Tiananmen Square in 1989, the European Union (and the US) ordered an arms embargo that applies until today. From a human rights perspective this is fully justified: the situation remains appalling and attempts at democratic reforms are nipped in the bud. At the same time the embargo is also clearly politically motivated, to keep China as small as possible in military terms. While the economic relationship with China has grown, military co-operation rightly remains a thorny issue. Despite cracks in the embargo it won't be off the table any time soon. Yet it is a question how long the blockade will be maintained with China strengthening its power base.

Submission to the 94th Session of the Human Rights Committee: October 2008

CPTI
suggests that in the list of issues Chad be asked whether the
provisions concerning the recognition of conscientious objectors to
military service reported to the Commission on Human Rights in 1991
are still in force, to give details of the procedures concerned, and
an indication of the number of applications for conscientious
objector status submitted and approved.

Background

Although a legal ordinance dating from the time of independence
places a formal militar

25/09/1998

After Chad achieved independence in 1960, there has continuously been armed conflict between several groups fighting to achieve power. Up to 1991 several military coups occurred, which made yet another of the armed groups into the national army.
Since the 1990 coup of Déby, the government forces are the Chadian National Army (ANT), which include the former Republican Guard (GR), now called the Rapid Intervention Force (FIR).