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OO RUEHBZ RUEHDU RUEHGI RUEHJO RUEHMA RUEHMR RUEHPA RUEHRN RUEHROV
RUEHTRO
DE RUEHNJ #0507/01 3071052
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 031052Z NOV 09
FM AMEMBASSY NDJAMENA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 7396
INFO RUEHZO/AFRICAN UNION COLLECTIVE
RUCNFUR/DARFUR COLLECTIVE
RUEHTRO/AMEMBASSY TRIPOLI 0631
RUEHKI/AMEMBASSY KINSHASA 0234
RUEHBZ/AMEMBASSY BRAZZAVILLE 0061
RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC
RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHDC
RHMFISS/HQ USAFRICOM STUTTGART GE

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 NDJAMENA 000507 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR AF/C 
STATE FOR S/USSES 
DOD 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: PHUM PGOV PREL PREF CD
SUBJECT: CHAD: AMBASSADOR MEETS WITH RECENTLY HARASSED 
HUMAN RIGHTS ACTIVISTS 
 
REF: NDJAMENA 410 
 
NDJAMENA 00000507  001.2 OF 002 
 
 
--------------------- 
AMB MEETS HR ACTIVISTS 
---------------------- 
 
¶1. (U) Ambassador and POLOFF met October 30 with two human 
rights activists whose harassment by unknown men last week 
made the local press.  The two men, Massalabaye Tenebaye, 
President of the Chadian Human Rights League, and Michel 
Barka, President of the main labor confederation, the Chadian 
Labor Union Federation (UST), are well known to the Embassy. 
The meeting was at our request. 
 
------------------ 
TENEBAYE'S AND 
BARKA'S HARASSMENT 
------------------ 
 
¶2. (SBU)  Tenebaye and Barka recounted their experiences of 
being followed en route to their homes by strangers who 
threatened them in various ways but did no actual harm to 
them.  The men reported their experiences to the police, who 
promised to take appropriate action.  Neither Barka nor 
Tenebaye, however, could cite any police action taken in 
their behalf.  Both reported that although the harassment was 
a matter of discreet events that had not recurred since, the 
effect of their experience was to increase their personal 
sense of insecurity. 
 
---------------- 
SEEKING A MOTIVE 
---------------- 
 
¶3.  (SBU) Tenebaye and Barka speculated on the reasons behind 
their harassment.  One possibility was GoC operatives acting 
under orders to try to discourage their advocacy and 
political involvement.  Another possibility was rogue GoC 
operatives free-lancing, but with the same general goal.  A 
third possibility was GOC operatives trying to make it seem 
as though "the rebels" had threatened the two men.  Finally, 
they speculated that common criminality was a possibility, 
although they discounted this last motive.  Meanwhile, they 
reported, the GOC's spokesman had made public comments that 
the activists were responsible for the threats in an effort 
to drum up international support and dollars for the causes 
of human and workers' rights. 
 
------------- 
USG CONCERNS 
------------- 
 
¶4.  (SBU) The two men thanked the Ambassador for reaching out 
to them and assured him that their visit to the U.S. Embassy 
would not place them in any danger, including from those that 
sought to threaten them last week.  The Ambassador reiterated 
his offer to meet with them whenever they had issues they 
wanted to discuss regarding human rights and good governance 
in Chad, and offered to meet them publicly whenever they 
thought that such a meeting would advance their agendas or 
give their colleagues confidence in USG support for their 
activities.  The two men informed us that the French 
Ambassador had called them in to discuss their harassment. 
The Ambassador said that he would consult with his French 
colleague and others in the diplomatic community on possible 
further steps in their regard. 
 
---------------- 
ANOTHER INCIDENT 
---------------- 
 
¶5. (SBU) A criminal assault against another prominent member 
of civil society was attempted last week.  The Director of 
the private radio station "Radio Rainbow" was mugged at gun 
point near his home, but managed to escape to a friend's 
 
NDJAMENA 00000507  002.2 OF 002 
 
 
house.  Police responded by arresting the suspect, a member 
of the Chadian military, who lives in the same neighborhood. 
 
------- 
COMMENT 
------- 
 
¶6. (U) This kind of harassment of human rights activists and 
civil society leaders is unfortunately far too common here. 
Common criminality as a motive for these incidents is a 
possibility, but we consider that political motives, however 
murky, are a better explanation.  In any case, we are looking 
at ways to demonstrate to the GOC that it is the duty and 
responsibility of good governments to protect the human 
rights of all its citizens, including opponents of the 
government -- indeed, especially peaceful political 
opponents.  We are planning to spend more quality time with 
Chadian activists, civil society leaders, and journalists, 
both to maintain our dialogue with them and demonstrate 
publicly our solidarity with them.  END COMMENT. 
 
¶7. (U) Minimize considered. 
NIGRO