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Viewing cable 08NDJAMENA248, THE FIRST 30 DAYS: CHAD'S NEW "GOVERNMENT OF

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Reference ID Created Released Classification Origin
08NDJAMENA248 2008-06-05 13:43 2011-08-24 16:30 UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY Embassy Ndjamena
VZCZCXRO2127
PP RUEHGI RUEHMA RUEHROV
DE RUEHNJ #0248/01 1571343
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 051343Z JUN 08
FM AMEMBASSY NDJAMENA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 6267
INFO RUCNFUR/DARFUR COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
RUEHBP/AMEMBASSY BAMAKO PRIORITY 0907
RUEHGI/AMEMBASSY BANGUI PRIORITY 1504
RUEHNM/AMEMBASSY NIAMEY PRIORITY 3061
RUEHNK/AMEMBASSY NOUAKCHOTT PRIORITY 0169
RUEHYD/AMEMBASSY YAOUNDE PRIORITY 1691
UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 NDJAMENA 000248 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
PARIS AND LONDON FOR AFRICA WATCHERS; STATE FOR AF - DAS 
SWAN, AF/C, AF/SPG, AF/EPS, AND AF/RSA 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PGOV PREL PREF PHUM EFIN ECON SU LY CD
SUBJECT: THE FIRST 30 DAYS: CHAD'S NEW "GOVERNMENT OF 
NATIONAL RECONCILIATION" AFTER ONE MONTH IN OFFICE 
 
REF: NDJAMENA 165 
 
NDJAMENA 00000248  001.2 OF 002 
 
 
------ 
Summary 
------- 
 
1. (SBU) In its first month in office, Prime Minister 
Youssouf Saleh Abbas's new "government of National 
reconciliation" has brought key former opposition figures 
into the cabinet; welcomed the reformed opposition coalition 
back to participation in the electoral reform process; seen 
the Commission investigating the February "events" begin its 
work; and taken definite steps toward restoring press 
freedom.  The new cabinet also undertook to address Chad's 
troubled relations with International Financial Institutions; 
pursued with some success "intra-Chadian diplomacy" aimed at 
attracting armed rebels back into Chad to rejoin the 
political process; and employed more traditional diplomatic 
methods to reduce tensions between Chad and Sudan by reacting 
moderately to Sudanese provocation after the attack on 
Omdurman and by participating in the Dakar Accord 
implementation process. End Summary. 
 
-------------------------- 
The New PM and His Program 
-------------------------- 
 
2. (SBU) Youssouf Saleh Abbas, known as "YSA" in the Chadian 
media, and who the "Economist" of London has called, "an 
Easterner who at least talks the talk of ending Chad's lethal 
culture of impunity," took office about a month ago.  YSA, 
who came to power claiming to have greater autonomy and scope 
for action than President Deby had ever before granted a 
Prime Minister, named a cabinet that included former 
opposition leaders in important ministries -- Defense, 
Justice, and Agriculture, and Urbanization -- and adopted a 
program of "national reconciliation" that includes electoral 
reform, good governance, press freedom; and promises to 
reduce corruption, official impunity, and indiscipline on the 
part of security forces.  He also is publicly committed to 
better relations with Sudan through implementation of the 
Dakar Accord and to talks with armed rebel groups to bring 
them back into the Chadian political process. 
 
----------------------- 
Restoring Press Freedom 
----------------------- 
 
3. (SBU) The new government has taken measures to restore 
press freedom, abridged even before the February attacks, and 
tightened by decree after the attacks.  YSA did an interview 
with what looked like the entire capital press corps on May 
14, answering questions on all issues and from all quarters. 
He admitted that the State had acted high-handedly but 
defended the government's right to require journalists to 
respect the Chadian code of Journalism and to report and 
analyze responsibly. He promised that there would be action 
soon on the two pre-attack cases of government pressure on 
independent media, the closing of "Radio FM Liberte" and the 
detention of the editor of the weekly publication, "Notre 
Temps." 
 
4. (SBU) On May 27, the High Commission on Communications 
(HCC) announced that "Radio FM Liberte" was free to resume 
broadcasting and on May 26 the legal case against the "Notre 
Temps" editor was nullified by the court.  The logical next 
step would be for the government and parliament to declare 
the post-attack executive order - ordinance number five that 
restricts press freedom as an emergency measure -- null and 
void. The Communications Minister has told us that this is 
already in the works.  The Prime Minister personally convoked 
the director of USG-funded INTERNEWS training project for 
journalists to thank her for the ongoing program and 
encourage her in her efforts to professionalize Chad's 
journalists. 
 
--------------------------------------------- -- 
The Opposition Reorganizes and Redefines Itself 
--------------------------------------------- -- 
 
5. (SBU) The opposition coalition CPDC (Coordination of the 
Political Parties of the Democratic Opposition) reorganized 
 
NDJAMENA 00000248  002.2 OF 002 
 
 
itself on May 28, retaining the disappeared Ibni Oumar Saleh 
Mahamat as "Spokesman," its top position, and adding Saleh 
Kebabo as Deputy Spokesman, retaining former key members Lol 
Mahamat Choua and Salibou Garba, while addition Ali Gabriel 
Golhor and Jean Baptiste Laoukole to replace Saleh Makki, who 
was named to the President's personal staff.  The CPDC also 
resisted attempts by the four former CPDC members who joined 
the cabinet to retain their membership in the CPDC and who 
claimed to "represent" the CPDC inside the government. 
 
---------------------------------------- 
And Rejoins the Electoral Reform Process 
---------------------------------------- 
 
6. (SBU) The CPDC returned to participation in the Comite de 
Suivi (monitoring committee) on May 12 and the first plenary 
session was held on June 4. At the plenary, the president, 
Lol Mahamat Choua, highlighted key priorities for the Comite 
de Suivi, including reinforcing the capacity of political 
parties and civil society and engaging in consultations for 
the composition of the National Independent Electoral 
Commission (CENI), a critical step for legislative elections 
anticipated for next year. Choua stressed in his remarks the 
need to work quickly to accomplish what had been agreed to in 
the 13 August Accords. 
 
----------------------------------- 
Investigating the February "Events" 
----------------------------------- 
 
7. (SBU) Commission d'Enquete (Investigative Commission) has 
been organized and is functioning reasonably well, according 
to the French and EU, both of which have provided legal 
experts to assist the Commission's work.  The Commission has 
interviewed hundreds of government officials, local 
officials, community leaders and ordinary citizens.  It has 
held open sessions and closed ones, according to the 
circumstances. Its director has given press interviews to 
publicize the Commission's aims and progress. 
 
--------------------- 
Traditional Diplomacy 
--------------------- 
 
8. (SBU) YSA's government is publicly committed to better 
relations with Sudan through implementation of the Dakar 
Accords.  New Foreign Minister Fakki attended the Tripoli 
meeting of the contact group to implement the Dakar Accords 
and traveled to Cairo and Algiers to pled Chad's case.  The 
GOC reacted moderately to Sudan's provocation after the JEM 
attack on Khartoum, which it condemned. 
 
------------------------- 
"Intra-Chadian" Diplomacy 
------------------------- 
 
9. (SBU) The new government has publicly and privately 
offered to talk "anywhere, anytime," to armed rebel groups in 
an attempt to convince them to renounce violence and return 
to Chad to enter the domestic political arena.  The GOC 
continues to be successful in attracting various armed rebel 
groups to do just that. YSA has welcomed several small former 
rebel groups back to Chad and met with them to discuss their 
return to the political process.  The once-formidable 
Zaghawa-dominated RFC rebel group led by the Erdimi brothers, 
has seen its effectiveness erode through defections to the 
GOC. 
 
------------------------------------ 
International Financial Institutions 
------------------------------------ 
 
10. (SBU) YSA has also privately disclosed plans to address 
Chad's troubled relations with the World Bank and IMF.  He 
has pledged to travel to Washington in early July to try to 
maintain full World Bank and IMF cooperation with Chad. 
NIGRO