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RUEHPA RUEHRN RUEHROV RUEHTRO
DE RUEHNJ #0004/01 0041055
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 041055Z JAN 10
FM AMEMBASSY NDJAMENA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 7559
RUCNFUR/DARFUR COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
RUEHEE/ARAB LEAGUE COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
RUEHZO/AFRICAN UNION COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
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UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 NDJAMENA 000004 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR AF/S 
STATE ALSO 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: PGOV PREL PREF PHUM SU CD
SUBJECT:  DEBY'S LIBERATION DAY SPEECH HIGHLIGHTS EFFORTS FOR PEACE, 
ELECTIONS, AND SOCIAL REFORM 
 
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SUMMARY 
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¶1.  President Deby's annual "Liberation and Democracy Day" speech 
this year featured the GOC's efforts for peace with Sudan and to 
reconcile Chad rebels on the international plane, and political and 
social reforms on the national plane, including support for 
elections and efforts against child labor, "social violence," 
treatment of women, and corruption.  Deby told an audience in the 
southern city of Sarh December 28 that he was resolved to end the 
internecine war with Chad rebel groups based in Sudan, and to pursue 
peace talks with Sudan because he wanted Chad to have a different 
future than "war, aggression, poverty, and uncertainty."  The 
presence of CAR President Bozize at the event underscored Deby's 
irenic message that Chad seeks peaceful and fraternal relations with 
its neighbors. 
 
¶2.  Deby's remarks also addressed a range of domestic political and 
social reform and development issues.  Deby said that he was 
personally resolved on free and fair elections in 2010 and he 
pledged to continue the GOC campaign to eliminate official 
corruption from Chad.  Deby came down especially hard on child 
labor, saying that the GOC was determined to stamp out in all its 
forms, labeling it a form of "human trafficking."  He exhorted 
Chadians instead to put and keep their children in school.  Deby 
proised that the GOC would address the problem of "soial 
violence," in families, schools, and communiies, and he said that 
greater respect for the role ofwomen in society was at the root of 
resolvin the problem of "social violence."  Ambassador Nigo 
attended the event.  END SUMMARY. 
 
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CHAD-SUDAN DTENTE 
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¶3.  Deby told an audience in the southern city of Sarh December 28 
that he was resolved to end the internecine struggle with Chad rebel 
groups based in Sudan because he wanted Chad to have different 
future than "war, aggression, poverty, and uncertainty."  "That is 
why we deploy so much effort to increased actions to enable us to 
live in peace inside our borders and to deal peacefully with all our 
neighbors," Deby declared.  Addressing relations with Sudan, Deby 
said that "despite the burdens imposed on us by the Darfur crisis, 
we resumed talks with Sudan."  The presence of CAR President Bozize 
at the event underscored Deby's irenic message that Chad not only 
seeks but also can maintain peaceful and fraternal relations with 
its neighbors. 
 
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OUTREACH TO CHAD REBELS 
----------------------- 
 
¶4.  Deby called on Chad rebels still unreconciled to the GOC to lay 
down their weapons and said that they had a peaceful alternative. 
Deby told his audience that "war is not the solution," and reached 
out to rebels, saying that "Today, conditions are more ripe for 
everyone to satisfy their ambitions through the ballot box."  Deby 
appealed to Chad rebels to "stop, stop, stop plunging Chadian 
families into mourning and destroying our country."  He told the 
rebels more sternly that their armed rebellion had no future and 
accused them of "putting the breaks on the country's development." 
 
 
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ELECTIONS/CORRUPTION 
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¶5.  Deby told the crowd that his government - and he personally -- 
were resolved on free and fair legislative and local elections in 
2010 and he urged Chadians to participate actively in the election 
process.  He said that the August 13 Accord would continue to be the 
guide to the GOC's political reform direction. 
 
¶6.  Deby also pledged to continue the ongoing GOC campaign to 
eliminate official corruption from Chadian national life.  He said: 
"Unfortunately, there is a category of actors, in both the public 
and private sectors, who put a brake on our nation's advance toward 
 
NDJAMENA 00000004  002 OF 002 
 
 
modernity.  These individuals take too much liberty with public 
goods.  From now on, such liberties will be severely punished. 
Those responsible for the social abuse of dipping into public goods, 
the corrupters and the corrupted, will be treated as such. 
Kickbacks and bribes must cease at all levels of the public 
administration.  Public officials cannot take money from citizens 
for any reason.  I hope I am clear on this." 
 
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CHILD LABOR AND EDUCATION 
------------------------- 
 
¶7.  Deby's remarks also addressed domestic reform and development 
issues.  He said that the GOC was determined to stamp out all forms 
of "child labor," which he labeled a form of "human trafficking, and 
promised that violators would be punished.  He exhorted Chadians 
instead to put and keep their children in school, as necessary to 
the development of the nation.  The "Liberation Day" parade, 
traditionally mostly and very strikingly military in character, this 
year was mostly civilian, and included nearly two hours of school 
children marching by under the banners of their schools, quite 
evidently to underline and reinforce Deby's remarks on education and 
child-labor. 
 
¶8.  Deby on traditional child-labor practices in Chad, especially 
the widely prevalent custom of "apprenticed child herders" (enfants 
bouviers):  "This shameful practice must immediately cease.  The 
employers, parents, herders, and intermediaries should be punished. 
These children should be in school.  The law of the Republic must be 
respected in all its rigor." 
 
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"SOCIAL VIOLENCE" 
AND RESPECT FOR WOMEN 
--------------------- 
 
¶9.  Deby said that the GOC was determined to stamp out all forms of 
"child labor," which he labeled a form of "human trafficking," and 
promised that violators would be punished.  He exhorted Chadians 
instead to put and keep their children in school, as necessary to 
the development of the nation.  Deby also highlighted that it was a 
GOC priority to address the problem of "social violence," including 
within families, in schools, and between communities.  He said that 
greater respect for the role of women in family, social, and 
political life was at the root of resolving the problem of social 
violence." 
 
¶10. Minimize considered. 
 
NIGRO