In Chad, hundreds of demonstrators against the French presence

Published on: 05/14/2022 – 15:58 Several hundred people demonstrated on Saturday in Chad to protest against the French presence in the territory and denounce Paris’ support for the current transitional president, Mahamat Idriss Déby Itno, in power since the death of his father in February 2021. “France, get out!” Several hundred people demonstrated on Saturday, May 14, in N’Djamena, against the presence of France in Chad, which they accuse of supporting the military junta in power, noted an AFP journalist. Demonstrators burned at least two flags of the former colonial power and vandalized several Total service stations, “symbol” of France, tearing off pumps and carrying away certain products on display, according to the same source. This demonstration, organized by the opposition platform of the civil society Wakit Tamma, had been authorized by the authorities. A strong police force surrounded the procession and was deployed in the city. On April 20, 2021, the army announced that Chadian President Idriss Déby Itno, at the head of a very authoritarian power for 30 years, had been killed at the front against yet another rebellion. The same day, his son Mahamat Idriss Déby Itno was proclaimed by the army “transitional president” at the head of a junta made up of fifteen generals. He promised “free and democratic elections” after an 18-month transition, at the end of an inclusive National Dialogue with the political and armed oppositions. He was immediately endorsed by the international community, France, European Union (EU) and African Union (AU) in the lead, while the same sanctions putschist soldiers elsewhere in Africa, in particular because its army is essential in the war against the jihadists in the Sahel. >> Chad: one year after the death of Idriss Déby, a transition still uncertainTowards an extension of the transitionDuring the march on Saturday, several students and college students on motorcycles joined the demonstrators singing in chorus “France outside”. “I am demonstrating because France still wants to impose the Deby system on us”, launched a young high school student with a white headband on his head. “If we continue to suffer today since independence, it is the fault of France, which prevents us from being truly independent,” added Idriss Moussa, an Arabic-speaking teacher. “We are delighted that Chadians are taking more more aware of our struggle and join us” indicated to AFP Me Max Loalngar, coordinator of Wakit Tamma. “France is installing dictators over our heads. We are just asking that our people be respected”. In June 2021, the Chadian head of state considered an extension of the transition and announced, on May 1, the postponement of the national dialogue , at the request of Qatar, mediator of a “pre-dialogue” which has been stalled for two months in Doha between the junta and the countless rebel groups. The French presidency had reacted by saying that it was “attached” to a dialogue in the “best possible delays”, then proposing the help of France a few days later. On April 6, the opposition platform Wakit Tamma announced the suspension of its talks with the junta, denouncing in particular “an international community which persists to support, come what may, an illegal and illegitimate regime”. With AFP