Genocide Watch declared a Genocide Warning for Chad in November 2005, renewed in April 2006 and January 2008. Sudanese government backed Janjaweed militias have crossed the Chad border from Sudan, where they have raided dozens of black African Chadian villages, murdering, pillaging, and displacing civilians, just as they have done in Darfur, Sudan. Sudanese government supported "rebels" have made three attempts to overthrow the Chadian government by force, including two invasions of the Chadian capital, Njamena. Sudan's government denies its support for the Janjaweed and for the rebel forces, but Sudanese government bombers and helicopter gunships have bombed villages in both Darfur and Chad, and have armed the "rebels" which are based in Sudan. Although the Deby government in Chad was "re-elected" in 2006 in a vote boycotted by all opposition parties, and is deeply corrupt, having broken its agreement with the World Bank to spend revenues from Chadian oil on education and health, a takeover by Sudanese backed rebels would be far worse. It would expose refugees from Darfur to the murderous Janjaweed, would prevent deployment of European Union troops to protect them, and would help Sudan finish its genocide against black African peoples in Darfur and Eastern Chad. Use of Libya as a "mediator," after Libya fought a long border war with Chad and has itself tried to overthrow past Chad governments, is like asking a fox to mediate a conflict in the chicken coop.
Genocide Watch is the Coordinator of the International Campaign to End Genocide P.O. Box 809, Washington, D.C. 20044 USA. Phone: 703-448-0222 E-mail:genocidewatch@aol.com Web: www.genocidewatch.org
