VZCZCXRO4757
OO RUEHBC RUEHBZ RUEHDE RUEHDH RUEHDU RUEHGI RUEHJO RUEHKUK RUEHMA
RUEHMR RUEHPA RUEHRN RUEHROV RUEHTRO
DE RUEHNJ #0499/01 3031401
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 301401Z OCT 09
FM AMEMBASSY NDJAMENA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 7381
INFO RUCNFUR/DARFUR COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
RUEHEE/ARAB LEAGUE COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
RUEHZO/AFRICAN UNION COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHDC PRIORITY
RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC PRIORITY
RHMFISS/HQ USAFRICOM STUTTGART GE PRIORITY

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 NDJAMENA 000499 
 
SIPDIS 
SENSITIVE 
 
STATE FOR AF/C 
STATE FOR S/USSES 
SECDEF FOR DASD HUDDLESTON 
NSC FOR GAVIN 
LONDON FOR POL - LORD 
PARIS FOR POL - BAIN AND KANEDA 
ADDIS ABABA ALSO FOR AU 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PGOV PHUM PREF PREL MARR SU CD
SUBJECT: CHAD: SOUBIANE'S REBELS "RE-INTEGRATED" INTO 
CHADIAN ARMY, LESS 120-150 CHILD SOLDIERS HANDED TO UNICEF 
 
REF: A. NDJAMENA 362 
     ¶B. NDJAMENA 306 
 
--------------------- 
SOUBIANE'S REBELS 
"RE-JOIN" CHADIAN ARMY 
---------------------- 
 
¶1.  (U) The GOC announced October 28 that some 1,744 fighters 
from Ahmat Soubiane's National Movement (MN) rebel group had 
been integrated into the Chadian Army (ANT) on October 27 in 
a ceremony conducted in the GOC's military re-integration 
camp in the town of Moussoro, some 100 miles northeast of 
N'Djamena  The MN fighters brought with them some 47 
vehicles, 17 of them with crew-served weapons mounted on 
them.  National Mediator Abderamane Moussa presided over the 
ceremony, along with senior ANT and other GOC officials.  The 
MN was represented by Soubiane and Issa Moussa Tamboule, 
president and vice-president, respectively. 
 
¶2.  (U) The National Mediator congratulated the MN chiefs and 
fighters for having taken advantage of President Deby's "open 
hand" policy to return to Chad and join in the development of 
the country (Ref B).  The MN fighters will be paid their 
"arrears of salary" starting October 28.  The lead ANT 
representative at Moussoro announced that "the minors among 
the MN fighters will be identified, registered, and handed 
over to UNICEF in Chad." 
 
------------------ 
120 CHILD SOLDIERS 
REMITTED TO UNICEF 
------------------ 
 
¶3.  (SBU) UNICEF Country Director Marzio Babille told 
Ambassador October 28 that he expected that the GOC to remit 
between 120 and 150 child soldiers from Soubiane's MN 
fighters to UNICEF's custody.  He said that 22 minors, of 
Tama ethnic origin, aged 12-17 years, had already been handed 
to UNICEF's custody and that he expected another 100-125 to 
be handed over after UNICEF and the GOC jointly conducted 
age-verification and certification, starting October 28. 
UNICEF Deputy Executive Director Hilde Johnson met some from 
the first group of 22 the latter's recent visit to Chad.  The 
underage fighters were now lodged at the UNICEF-supported 
Transit Center operated by the GOC Ministry of Social Action 
in Moussoro before being transferred to the program's 
rehabilitation and reintegration center in N'Djamena. 
Babille added that one female soldier had been at the Transit 
Center a month ago, but was later certified to be 18 years of 
ago. 
 
------------------------ 
GOC INVITES DIPS AND IOS 
TO VISIT MILITARY CAMPS 
------------------------ 
 
¶4.  (U) The MFA is continuing its awareness campaign against 
the use of child soldiers (Ref A).  Following up on August 
visits to military and law enforcement headquarters, the MFA 
has invited UN and diplomatic officials to visit two 
additional military camps as the GOC widens its outreach to 
sensitize GOC military commanders and reviews the ranks for 
potential underage combatants.  In the coming days, the MFA 
will lead this delegation to military camps in Moussoro and 
Mongo.  Embassy officers will participate. 
 
------- 
COMMENT 
------- 
 
¶5.  (SBU) The GOC has performed better up to now on underage 
returning rebels than on underage soldiers in its own ranks. 
We are working with UNICEF and others to move the GOC to 
greater concrete action on its own underage soldiers and 
camp-servants. 
 
 
NDJAMENA 00000499  002 OF 002 
 
 
¶6.  (SBU) Despite suspicions that fewer than half of 
Soubiane's cadres are actual fighters (with the rest having 
"signed up" for the financial incentives offered by the GOC) 
the reintegration of Soubiane's MN group is good news.  END 
COMMENT. 
 
¶7.  (U)  Minimize considered. 
NIGRO