Keep Us Strong WikiLeaks logo

Currently released so far... 64621 / 251,287

Articles

Browse latest releases

Browse by creation date

Browse by origin

A B C D F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W Y Z

Browse by tag

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z

Browse by classification

Community resources

courage is contagious

Viewing cable 08NDJAMENA325, SCENESETTER FOR SE WILLIAMSON VISIT TO CHAD

If you are new to these pages, please read an introduction on the structure of a cable as well as how to discuss them with others. See also the FAQs

Understanding cables
Every cable message consists of three parts:
  • The top box shows each cables unique reference number, when and by whom it originally was sent, and what its initial classification was.
  • The middle box contains the header information that is associated with the cable. It includes information about the receiver(s) as well as a general subject.
  • The bottom box presents the body of the cable. The opening can contain a more specific subject, references to other cables (browse by origin to find them) or additional comment. This is followed by the main contents of the cable: a summary, a collection of specific topics and a comment section.
To understand the justification used for the classification of each cable, please use this WikiSource article as reference.

Discussing cables
If you find meaningful or important information in a cable, please link directly to its unique reference number. Linking to a specific paragraph in the body of a cable is also possible by copying the appropriate link (to be found at theparagraph symbol). Please mark messages for social networking services like Twitter with the hash tags #cablegate and a hash containing the reference ID e.g. #08NDJAMENA325.
Reference ID Created Released Classification Origin
08NDJAMENA325 2008-08-04 14:59 2011-08-24 16:30 UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY Embassy Ndjamena
VZCZCXRO2835
RR RUEHGI RUEHMA RUEHROV
DE RUEHNJ #0325/01 2171459
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 041459Z AUG 08
FM AMEMBASSY NDJAMENA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 6361
INFO RUCNFUR/DARFUR COLLECTIVE
RUEHYD/AMEMBASSY YAOUNDE 1705
RUEHGI/AMEMBASSY BANGUI 1519
RUEHNK/AMEMBASSY NOUAKCHOTT 0175
RUEHBP/AMEMBASSY BAMAKO 0915
RUEHNM/AMEMBASSY NIAMEY 3068
UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 NDJAMENA 000325 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR AF/C AND AF/SPG 
PARIS AND LONDON FOR AFRICA WATCHERS, 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PREL PGOV ECON UN EU SU LY KPKO CD
SUBJECT: SCENESETTER FOR SE WILLIAMSON VISIT TO CHAD 
 
NDJAMENA 00000325  001.2 OF 003 
 
 
 
------- 
SUMMARY 
------- 
 
1.  (SBU) CHAD UNDER PRESSURE:  SPECIAL ENVOY FOR SUDAN WILLIAMSON'S 
VISIT TO N'DJAMENA COMES AS THE RAINY SEASON LULL MASKS CONTINUING 
TENSION ALONG THE CHAD-SUDANESE BORDER, AS CHADIAN REBELS WHO 
OPERATE FROM OF SUDAN SANCTUARIES ARE HAMPERED BY WEATHER AND 
TERRAIN UNFAVORABLE TO THE CHADIAN STYLE OF WARFARE.  CHAD CONTINUES 
TO STRUGGLES TO RECOVER FROM THE EFFECTS OF A FEBRUARY REBEL ASSAULT 
ON N'DJAMENA AND A LESS DRAMATIC BUT NO LESS AMBITIOUS REBEL ATTACK 
IN JUNE.  SINCE MARCH, A NEW "GOVERNMENT OF NATIONAL RECONCILATION" 
THAT INCLUDES FORMER OPPOSITION LEADERS IN PROMINENT POSITIONS HAS 
UNDERTAKEN TO RESTART DOMESTIC POLITICAL REFORM AND REACH OUT TO 
ARMED REBEL GROUPS. CHAD AND SUDAN SIGNED A PEACE ACCORD AT DAKAR IN 
MARCH BUT BROKE RELATIONS AFTER A SUDANESE REBEL ATTACK ON KHARTOUM 
IN MAY.  THIS MONTH, LIBYAN DIPLOMACY CLAIMED RESPONSIBILITY FOR 
BRINGING THE TWO COUNTRIES TO A BILATERAL PEACE PROCESS NOT YET 
FULLY DEFINED.  END SUMMARY. 
 
---------- 
CHAD-SUDAN 
---------- 
 
2.  CONTINUING TENSION:  CHAD HAS ACCUSED SUDAN FOR ARMING AND 
SUPLYING THE CHADIAN REBELS WHO HAVE OPERATED FROM SUDAN SANCTUARIES 
SINCE 2003 AND WHO ATTACKED CHAD FROM BASES IN SUDAN IN FEBRUARY, 
APRIL, AND IN JUNE.  IN MARCH, A PEACE ACCORD BETWEEN CHAD AND SUDAN 
WAS SIGNED IN DAKAR, SPONSORED BY THE UN, THE AU, AND THE OIC, AND 
PROVIDING FOR IMPLEMENTATION SUPPORT FROM A CONTACT GROUP OF AFRICAN 
NATIONS TO DEPLOY A BORDER MONITORING OPERATION ALONG THE CHAD-SUDAN 
BORDER.  IN MARCH, SUDAN ACCUSED CHAD OF BACKING A DARFUR REBEL 
GROUP'S ATTACK ON KHARTOUM AND BROKE DIPLOMATIC RELATIONS. CHAD 
DENIED ANY RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE ATTACK AND CLOSED ITS BORDER WITH 
SUDAN.  JUST LAST WEEK, LIBYAN ENVOY ALI TREKKI, AFTER VISITING 
N'DJAMENA AND KHARTOUM, ANNOUNCED THAT CHAD AND SUDAN HAD ACCEPTED 
LIBYAN MEDIATION FOR THEIR DIFFERENCES, WOULD REESTABLISH DIPLOMATIC 
TIES, AND ATTEND A TRIPARTITE SUMMIT TO RESTORE GOOD RELATIONS 
BETWEEN THEM. 
 
----------- 
CHAD REBELS 
----------- 
 
3. (SBU) AN EXISTENTIAL THREAT:  REBEL ATTACKS ON THE CHADIAN 
CAPITAL IN FEBRUARY CAME CLOSE TO OVERTHROWING THE 18-YEAR OLD 
REGIME OF PRESIDENT IDRISS DEBY ITNO. DEBY'S FORCES REPULSED THE 
REBELS, WHO RETIRED IN GOOD ORDER BACK ACROSS THE BORDER TO SUDAN, 
THERE TO PLAN FOR FUTURE ACTIONS.  THE DEMOCRATIC OPPOSITION PARTIES 
PROTESTED THE GOC'S DOMESTIC REACTION TO THE ATTACK, INCLUDING 
WIDESPREAD VIOLATIONS OF HUMAN RIGHTS AND DETENTION OF OPPOSITION 
LEADERS; ONE PROMINENT LEADER IS STILL MISSING. ANOTHER LESS 
DRAMATIC BUT NO LESS AMBITIOUS REBEL OFFENSIVE IN JUNE WAS DEFEATED 
BY GOVERNMENT FORCES IN CENTRAL AND EASTERN CHAD, FOLLOWING A 
LOWER-PROFILE REBEL ATTACK ON THE BORDER IN APRIL, ALSO DEFEATED BY 
THE CHADIAN ARMY. 
 
------------------------------------- 
POLITICAL REFORM AND A NEW GOVERNMENT 
------------------------------------- 
 
4.  (SBU)  ELECTORAL REFORM AND INQUIRY ON FEBRUARY.  THE GOVERNMENT 
MADE CONCESSIONS TO THE OPPOSITION'S SUSPENSION OF ITS PARTICIPATION 
IN AN ELECTORAL REFORM PROCESS BEGUN LAST AUGUST BY NAMING A 
"COMMISSION D'ENQUETE" ("COMMISSION OF INQUIRY") TO INVESTIGATE THE 
AFTERMATH OF THE REBEL ATTACKS AND FOLLOWED THAT BY NAMING A NEW 
CABINET THAT INCLUDES PROMINENT OPPOSITION LEADERS IN IMPORTANT 
MINISTRIES AND WHOSE PRIME MINISTER - YOUSSUFF SALEH ABBAS -- HAS 
PROMISED TO LEAD A GOVERNMENT OF NATIONAL RECONCILIATION AND GOOD 
GOVERNANCE, WHILE REACHING OUT TO ARMED REBEL GROUPS WITH OFFERS OF 
PEACEFUL REINTEGRATION INTO CHADIAN POLITICAL LIFE. SEVERAL REBEL 
GROUPS HAVE RENOUNCED VIOLENCE AND RALLIED TO THE NEW GOVERNMENT, 
BUT MOST OF THE LEADING REBEL CHIEFTAINS HAVE NOT.  THE NEW PRIME 
MINISTER HAS ALSO CONTINUED CHAD'S PARTICIPATION IN THE PROCESS OF 
IMPLEMENTATION OF THE DAKAR PEACE ACCORD. 
 
5.  (SBU) UNDER THE NEW GOVERNMENT:  THE OPPOSITION RESPONDED TO THE 
NEW PM'S PROGRAM BY RETURNING TO THE IMPLEMENTATION PROCESS OF THE 
ELECTORAL REFORM AGREEMENT SIGNED IN AUGUST 2007 AND CALLED THE 
AUGUST 13 ACCORD. THE COMMISSION OF INQUIRY WILL PRESENT ITS FINAL 
REPORT TO THE PRESIDENT LATER THIS WEEK.  THE ELECTORAL REFORM 
PROCESS, INSTITUTIONALIZED IN THE BI-PARTISAN "COMITE DE SUIVI" 
 
NDJAMENA 00000325  002.2 OF 003 
 
 
("IMPLEMENTATION COMMITTEE") HAS RESTARTED ITS WORK, PROPOSING 
NECESSARY ENABLING LEGISLATION TO PARLIAMENT TO CREATE AN 
INDEPENDENT ELECTORAL COMMISSION, CARRY OUT DEMOGRAPHIC AND 
ELECTORAL CENSUSES, AND OTHER MEASURES.  THE WORK OF BOTH THE 
COMMISSION AND THE COMITE IS GENEROUSLY SUPPORTED BY THE EU AND 
FRANCE. LEGISLATIVE AND COMMUNAL ELECTIONS ARE EXPECTED IN 2009 AND 
PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION IN 2011. 
 
--------------- 
FRIENDS OF CHAD 
--------------- 
 
6.  (SBU) INTERNATIONAL SUPPORT TO CHAD:  THE INTERNATIONAL 
COMMUNITY, CONCERNED ABOUT THE HUMANITARIAN SITUATION CREATED BY THE 
DARFUR CRISIS - CHAD HOSTS 250,000 DARFURI AND 50,000 CENTRAL 
AFRICAN REFUGEES, PLUS 200,000 CHADIAN IDPS - AND ENCOURAGED BY THE 
PROSPECT OF PROGRESS TOWARD DEMOCRACY, HAS RENEWED ITS SUPPORT FOR 
CHAD.  THE DAKAR ACCORD PEACE PROCESS HAS ACTIVE SUPPORT BEYOND THE 
SPONSORS AND CONTACT GROUP -- THE EU, FRANCE, LIBYA, AND OTHERS. 
THERE ARE TWO UNSC-SANCTIONED PKOS IN CHAD.  THE EUROPEAN UNION HAS 
FULLY DEPLOYED ITS MILITARY PEACEKEEPING FORCE - EUFOR - TO EASTERN 
CHAD TO PROTECT THE REFUGEE CAMPS, HUMANITARIAN WORKERS, AND UN 
POLICE TRAINERS.  THE UN POLICE TRAINING OPERATION - MINURCAT - HAS 
ALSO CONTINUED TO DEPLOY BEHIND EUFOR, UNDER THE LEADERSHIP OF THE 
UNSYG'S SPECIAL REPRESENTATIVE, VICTOR ANGELO.  THE FRENCH HAVE 
CONTINUED THEIR MILITARY COOPERATION WITH CHAD, INCLUDING PROVISION 
OF MILITARY EQUIPMENT AND SHARING OF INTELLIGENCE, AS HAVE IN MORE 
LIMITED WAYS BOTH CHINA AND LIBYA. 
 
--------------------- 
THE U.S. CONTRIBUTION 
--------------------- 
 
7.  (SBU) U.S. SUPPORT TO CHAD:  THE UNITED STATES CONTINUES TO 
PROVIDE SIGNIFICANT SUPPORT TO CHAD.  WE CONTRIBUTE NEARLY HALF OF 
ALL/ALL ASSISTANCE TO THE DARFURI REFUGEES AND MUCH TO THE CENTRAL 
AFRICAN REFUGEEES AND CHADIAN IDP'S AS WELL.  WE SUPPORT THE DAKAR 
ACCORD, SENDING REPRESENTATIVES TO THE LAST CONTACT GROUP MEETING. 
WE HAVE SUPPORTED EUFOR AND MINURCAT DIPLOMATICALLY AND HAVE 
CONTRIBUTED USD TWO MILLION TO THE LATTER'S TRUST FUND. WE ARE POSED 
TO RESTART OUR SECURITY ASSISTANCE PROGRAM FOCUSSED ON 
COUNTERTERRORISM. WE HAVE CONTRIBUTED FINANCIALLY TO THE ELECTORAL 
REFORM PROCESS AND HAVE SUPPORTED MEDIA TRAINING PROGRAMS TO ENABLE 
LOCAL MEDIA TO PLAY A ROLE IN THE DEMOCRATIC PROCESS.  A CONSORTUIM 
OF EXXON MOBIL, CHEVRON, AND PETRONAS HAVE INVESTED IN THE 
CHAD-CAMEROON PETROLEUM PIPELINE PROJECT, WHICH CURRENTLY EXPORTS 
ABOUT 130,000 BARRELS OF CHADIAN OIL THROUGH CAMEROON, WHICH EARNED 
CHAD MORE THAN USD 1.3 BILLION IN 2007. 
 
---------- 
CHAD FACTS 
---------- 
 
8. (U) THE REPUBLIC OF CHAD IS ABOUT TWICE THE SIZE OF TEXAS, WITH A 
POPULATION ESTIMATED AT 10 MILLION.  THE CAPITAL IS N'DJAMENA, WITH 
ABOUT ONE MILLION INHABITANTS. CHAD IS DIVIDED INTO THREE 
BIOCLIMATIC ZONES: THE NORTH IS SAHARAN, HIGH DESERT AND PARTLY 
MOUNTAINOUS, WITH ANNUAL RAINFALL OF LESS THAN EIGHT INCHES PER 
YEAR; THE CENTRAL PART IS SAHELIAN, A LARGELY ARID CENTRAL PLAIN OF 
STEPPE AND OPEN SAVANNA, WITH RAINFALL OF ABOUT 24 INCHES PER YEAR; 
THE SOUTH HAS MORE FERTILE LOWLANDS OF WOODLAND SAVANNA AND 
DECIDUOUS FORESTS, WITH NEARLY 40 INCHES OF RAINFALL PER YEAR. 
CHADIANS BELONG TO SOME 200 DISTINCT ETHNIC GROUPS. IN THE NORTH AND 
CENTER, THERE ARE GORANE (TOUBOU, DAZA, KREDA SUBGROUPS), ZAGHAWA, 
KANEMBOU, OUADDAI, ARAB, BAGUIRMI, HADJERAI, AND MABA, MOST OF WHOM 
ARE MUSLIM. IN THE SOUTH, SARA (NGAMBAYE, MBAYE, GOULAYE SUBGROUPS), 
MOUDANG, MOUSSEI, AND MASSA, MOST OF WHOM ARE CHRISTIAN OR ANIMIST, 
PREDOMINATE. ABOUT 1,000 FRENCH CITIZENS LIVE IN CHAD. 
 
9.  (U) RELIGIOUS TOLERANCE IS TRADITIONAL IN CHAD:  THE STATE 
DESCRIBES ITSELF AS NON-CONFESSIONAL; SOME 50 PERCENT OF CHADIANS 
ARE MUSLIM AND 35 PERCENT ARE CHRISTIAN, WHILE THE REST FOLLOW 
INDIGENOUS BELIEF SYSTEMS. FRENCH AND ARABIC ARE THE OFFICIAL 
LANGUAGES; THERE ARE MORE THAN 120 INDIGENOUS LANGUAGES AND 
DIALECTS. ADULT LITERACY IS 48 PERCENT.  LIFE EXPECTANCY IS 
ESTIMATED AT 47.2 YRS. THE INFANT MORTALITY RATE IS 10.2 PERCENT. 
ABOUT 80 PERCENT OF CHADIANS ARE SUBSISTENCE FARMERS OR HERDERS. 
CHAD'S GDP IS USD 6.5 BILLION. OF CHAD'S NATURAL RESOURCES ONLY 
PETROLEUM AND NATRON (SODIUM CARBONATE) ARE CURENTLY COMMERCIALLY 
EXPLOITED.  CHAD EXPORTS OIL, COTTON, LIVESTOCK, AND GUM ARABIC. 
 
10. (U) THE BASIS FOR CHAD'S GOVERNMENT IS THE 1996 CONSTITUTION. A 
STRONG EXECUTIVE BRANCH HEADED BY THE PRESIDENT DOMINATES THE 
 
NDJAMENA 00000325  003.2 OF 003 
 
 
CHADIAN POLITICAL SYSTEM. THE PRESIDENT HAS THE POWER TO APPOINT THE 
PRIME MINISTER AND THE COUNCIL OF STATE (OR CABINET), AND EXERCISES 
CONSIDERABLE INFLUENCE OVER APPOINTMENTS OF JUDGES, GENERALS, 
PROVINCIAL OFFICIALS AND HEADS OF CHAD'S PARASTATAL FIRMS. IN CASES 
OF GRAVE AND IMMEDIATE THREAT, THE PRESIDENT, IN CONSULTATION WITH 
THE NATIONAL ASSEMBLY PRESIDENT AND COUNCIL OF STATE, MAY DECLARE A 
STATE OF EMERGENCY.  IN MAY 2004, THE NATIONAL ASSEMBLY VOTED TO 
ABOLISH PRESIDENTIAL TERM LIMITS, WHICH WAS APPROVED IN A NATIONAL 
REFERENDUM OF JUNE 2005.