VZCZCXRO1038
RR RUEHGI RUEHTRO
DE RUEHNJ #0526/01 3191116
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 141116Z NOV 08
FM AMEMBASSY NDJAMENA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 6574
INFO RUEHYD/AMEMBASSY YAOUNDE 1734
RUEHGI/AMEMBASSY BANGUI 1546
RUEHFR/AMEMBASSY PARIS 2347
RUEHTRO/AMEMBASSY TRIPOLI 0506
RUEHKH/AMEMBASSY KHARTOUM 0523
RUEHLO/AMEMBASSY LONDON 1791
RUEHDS/AMEMBASSY ADDIS ABABA 1010

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 NDJAMENA 000526 
 
SIPDIS 
 
PARIS AND LONDON FOR AFRICA WATCHERS, STATE FOR AF, AF/C, AF/EPS, 
AND AF/RSA 
ADDIS ALSO FOR AU 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PREL PGOV PREF ECON PHUM UN LY CT CD
SUBJECT: CHAD CHRONICLE:  Nov 10-14 
 
----------------------------------- 
--------------------------------------------- ------ 
¶1. CHAD-SUDAN RELATIONS AND REGIONAL COOPERATION 
------------------------------------ 
--------------------------------------------- ----- 
 
---CHAD AND SUDAN EXCHANGED AMBASSADORS DURING THE WEEK. 2008. 
CHADIAN AMBASSADOR TO SUDAN,  BAHARADINE HAROUN,  WENT TO KHARTOUM 
ON A LIBYAN FLIGHT AND  SUDANESE AMBASSADOR  ABDALLAH CHEICKH 
RETURNED ON THE SAME AIRCRAFT. 
 
--- "PRESIDENT EL BECHIR SENDS MESSAGE OF PEACE", SAID LE PROGRES OF 
NOVEMBER 12,  NOTING THAT A SPECIAL ADVISOR TO PRESIDENT BECHIR WAS 
RECEIVED BY PRESIDENT DEBY EARLY WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 12, SHORTLY 
BEFORE THE OPENING IN N'DJAMENA OF THE SIXTH MEETING OF EXPERTS OF 
THE CONTACT GROUP IN CHARGE OF THE FOLLOW-UP OF THE DAKAR AGREEMENT. 
  ABOUT 50 DELEGATES FROM MEMBERCOUNTRIES OF THE CONTACT GROUP ARE 
TAKING PART IN THE TECHNICAL DISCUSSIONS REGARDING THE  CREATION OF 
A JOINT PATROL FORCE TO BE DEPLOYED ON THE BORDER BETWEEN CHAD AND 
SUDAN. 
 
---- ABOUT 60 LAWYERS FROM 17 AFRICAN COUNTRIES ATTENDED A 
CONFERENCE  ORGANIZED BY THE AFRICAN ASSOCIATION OF HIGH FRANCOPHONE 
JURISDICTIONS (ASSOCIATION AFRICAINE DES HAUTES JURISDICTION). THE 
CONFERENCE  DISCUSSED METHODS AND MEANS FOR IMPLEMENTING  LEGAL 
DECISIONS TAKEN BY THE HIGH LEGAL INSTITUTION IN THEIR RESPECTIVE 
COUNTRIES. 
 
---- A SCIENTIFIC COLLOQUIUM ENTITTLED  "BEING A CHILD IN CHAD" 
SOUGHT TO  IDENTIFY INSTITUTIONAL  ROLES FOR  IMPROVING THE LOT OF 
CHILDREN NATIONWIDE.  ONE PARTICIPANT TOLD THE NEWSPAPER  THAT THE 
"ZOE ARK INNCIDENT "  WAS A GALVINIZING FORCE THAT PUSHED  THE 
ORGANIZATION OF THE CONFERENCE. 
 
--- ---------- 
¶2. SOCIAL 
-------------- 
 
---ON THE FRONT PAGE, L'OBSERVATEUR OF NOV. 12, 2008 HIGHLIGHTED 
EXPLOITATION OF JOB SEEKERS BY THE CIVIL SERVANTS AT THE MINISTRY OF 
EMPLOYMENT.  ACCORDING TO THE ARTICLE, ANYBODY WISHING TO BE HIRED 
BY THE GOVERNMENT MUST PAY  ILLEGAL FEES  RANGING FROM 150,000 TO 
800,000 CFA ($300-$1,600) BEFORE BEING CONSIDERED FOR EMPLOYMENT. 
WHILE QUALIFIED GRADUATES ARE SHUNTED ASIDE , UNQUALIFIED PEOPLE, 
HAVING NO LEGITIMATE DEGREE, ARE IMMEDIATELY HIRED AFTER PAYING THE 
AMOUNT REQUESTED. 
 
----THROUGHOUT THE CITY  PRICES OF FOODSTUFFS ARE  INCREASING, BUT 
THE PRICE OF CHARCOAL, THE UNIQUE SOURCE OF ENERGY FOR COOKING IN 
MOST HOUSEHOLDS, HAS TRIPLED.  DESPITE EFFORTS BY THE GOVERNMENT TO 
CONTROL CHARCOL PRICES, REALITY ON THE GROUND SHOWS THAT SELLERS OF 
THE CHARCOAL ARE PROFITING AND SELLING HIGHER IRRESPECTIVE OF THE 
ESTABLISHED PRICE. CHARCOAL HAS BECOME QUITE DIFFICULT TO FIND. 
 
-----AFTER THREE WEEKS OF STRIKE, THE UNION OF THE CHADIAN STUDENTS 
CALLED FOR THE RESUMPTION OF CLASSES. THEY DECIDED UNANIMOUSLY TO 
RESUME CLASSES AFTER BEING PAID THEIR SCHOLARSHIPS THAT WERE SIX 
MONTHS IN ARREARS.  HOWEVER, ADMINISTRATORS AND LECTURERS AT THE 
UNIVERSITY OF N'DJAMENA WONDERED IF THE SCHOOL YEAR CAN STILL BE 
SAVED OR WHETHER THEY WILL HAVE TO ABANDON IT AND START WITH THE NEW 
ONE "2008 - 2009". 
 
--  A NOMAD CARAVAN OF THIRTY TO FIFTY CAMELS WITH TENTS PERCHED ON 
TOP TRANSITED NDJAMENA OVER THE PAST WEEKEND.  PROBABLY GORAN OR 
ARAB.  THE SEVERAL HUNDRED TRADITIONAL CHADIANS LIVING LIFE AS THEIR 
ANCESTORS HAVE FOR GENERATIONS WERE AN INTERESTING SPECTACLE IN THE 
CITY AND VICE VERSA. 
 
--- IN AN ARTICLE ABOUT LIVING CONDITIONS OF THE REFUGEES AND THE 
DISPLACED IN EASTERN CHAD, N'DJAMENA BI-HEBDO DESCRIBED THAT, 
DESPITE ALL THE EFFORTS BY THE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY, THERE ARE NO 
INDICATIONS OF AN END TO INSECURITY.  WARLORDS AND OTHER ARMED 
BANDITS CONTINUE TO VIOLATE HUMAN RIGHTS ALONG THE BORDER BETWEEN 
CHAD AND SUDAN.  THE STORY GREW OUT OF A SEMINAR ORGANIZED IN ABECHE 
BY THE CHADIAN HUMAN RIGHTS LEAGUE. REGARDING DEMOCRATIZATION, THE 
PRESIDENT OF LTDH, MR. MASSALBAYE TENEBAYE SAID DEMOCRACY IN CHAD IS 
"MOVING BACKWARD." 
 
¶3. ECONOMY 
 
-- PRESIDENT DEBY TURNED OVER THE FIRST SPADEFUL OF DIRT MARKING THE 
CONSTRUCTION OF A FORTY-MILE PAVED ROAD BETWEEN MASSAGUET AND 
 
NDJAMENA 00000526  002 OF 002 
 
 
MASSAKORY.  PART OF THE TRANS-SAHARAN ROUTE, THE IMPROVED ROAD WILL 
IMPROVE ACCESS TO THE LAKE REGION NORTH OF NDJAMENA. 
 
-- THE FAMININE EARLY WARNING REPRESENTATIVE IN CHAD ADVISED THAT 
THE CURRENT HARVEST NATIONWIDE WOULD REPREESENT AN INCREASE OF 2.6 
PERCENT FROM LAST YEAR, WHICH WAS ALSO A GOOD YEAR.  OVERALL FOOD 
PRODUCTION IN CHAD HAS RISEN OVER FIFTEEN PERCENT FROM LOWS OF FIVE 
YEARS AGO. 
 
NIGRO