Chad: Treatment of members of the Gorane ethnic group [also known as Goran, Daza, Toubou, Dazaga and Dazagada] by the authorities since the presidential elections of April 2016 (April-October 2016)

Research Directorate, Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada, Ottawa

Information on the treatment of members of the Gorane ethnic group by the authorities since the presidential elections of April 2016 was scarce among the sources consulted by the Research Directorate within the time constraints of this Response. For information on the Gorane and their political activities, please consult Response to Information Requests TCD104695 of December 2013 and TCD105337 of October 2015. For information on their treatment by the authorities from 2013 to February 2014, please consult Response to Information Request TCD104790 of March 2014.

1. Ethno-political Background

In the presidential elections [held on 10 April 2016 (DW 22 Apr. 2016)], Idriss Déby was re-elected to a fifth term as leader of Chad (US 5 May 2016; DW 22 Apr. 2016). He comes from a clan of the Zaghawa ethnic group (MRG n.d.; USA 27 Feb. 2014, 17). The Gorane identify with former president Hissène Habré, who is a member of their ethnic group (MRG n.d.; Human Rights Watch 9 Jan. 2007). Between 1990 and 1991, he was replaced as the country's leader by Idriss Déby in a coup d'État (BBC 2 Aug. 2016; MRG n.d.). For information on relations between the Gorane and the Zaghawa, particularly under Hissène Habré, then under Idriss Déby, please consult the Response to Information Request TCD104695 of December 2013.

A reading of the Country Reports on Human Rights Practices for 2013, published by the United States (US) Department of State, shows that, in general, ethnicity plays a role in appointments to government positions and in political alliances in Chad, that political parties have identifiable ethnic or geographical bases, and that ethnic groups in the north [the Goran are mostly found in the north (Human Rights Watch 9 Jan. 2007], particularly the Zaghawa, are "overrepresented in key institutions, including the military officer corps, elite military units, and the presidential staff" (US 27 Feb. 2014). According to Freedom House, the Zaghawa and the ethnic groups of the north control Chad's political and economic systems (Freedom House 18 Aug. 2016. The Bertelsmann Stiftung's Transformation Index (BTI), a global ranking that analyzes and assesses democracy, market economy and the quality of political management in 129 countries, also points out that, in Chad, access to political and economic power depends on ethnic origin and religion and that "[p]referential treatment is primarily given to members of the ruling clan and the family of the president, then to other northerners and Muslims (Bertelsmann Stiftung 2016, 1, 8). According to Minority Rights Group International (MRG), juntas and military leaders have been trying to use violence to further the interests of particular clans and ethnic groups since the 1960s (MRG n.d.).

2. Treatment of Members of the Gorane Ethnic Group by the Authorities since the Presidential Elections of April 2016

An independent researcher, who is an expert on Chad and Darfur and was a senior analyst for International Crisis Group from 2012 to 2015, and a representative of the Chadian Association for Non-Violence (Association tchadienne pour la non-violence, ATNV), an association based in Moundou that promotes peace and human rights, both agree in correspondence sent to the Research Directorate that the Gorane are not currently victims of any particular treatment by the authorities as a result of their ethnic affiliation (independent researcher 1 Oct. 2016; ATNV 5 Oct. 2016). The researcher indicated that most Gorane rebels allied themselves with those in power in 2010, and while they were not particularly [translation] "well received," they were not "mistreated" either (independent researcher 1 Oct. 2016). According to him, only the [translation] "senior rebel leaders," Gorane or not, might find it "risky" to return to Chad (ibid.). Corroborating information could not be found among the sources consulted by the Research Directorate within the time constraints of this Response.

The ATNV official added that, while they were not targeted for any particular treatment because of their ethnicity, they could be targeted for their political, union or association affiliations, because those in power consider that taking certain positions in those areas are [translation] "acts of rebellion." (ATNV 5 Oct. 2016). Corroborating information could not be found among the sources consulted by the Research Directorate within the time constraints of this Response.

As for their participation in politics, the researcher was of the opinion that the Gorane are [translation] "overrepresented" in the government (independent researcher 1 Oct. 2016). The ATNV official added that they are to be found in almost all ministries and that many of them have [translation] "central" positions in the Ministry of Finance (ATNV 5 Oct. 2016).

This Response was prepared after researching publicly accessible information currently available to the Research Directorate within time constraints. This Response is not, and does not purport to be, conclusive as to the merit of any particular claim for refugee protection. Please find below the list of sources consulted in researching this Information Request.

References

Association tchadienne pour la non-violence (ATNV). 5 October 2016. Correspondence sent to the Research Directorate.

Bertelsmann Stiftung. 2016. "Chad Country Report." Bertelsmann Stiftung's Transformation Index (BTI) 2016. [Accessed 11 Oct. 2016]

British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC). 2 August 2016. "Chad Country Profile." [Accessed 19 Oct. 2016]

Deutsche Welle (DW). 22 April 2016. "Chad Election Commission Declares Fifth Term for Deby." [Accessed 19 Oct. 2016]

Freedom House. 18 August 2016. "Chad." Freedom in the World 2016. [Accessed 12 Oct. 2016]

Human Rights Watch. 9 January 2007. "Ils sont venus pour nous tuer" : Attaques de milices et agressions ethniques contre les civils à l'est du Tchad. [Accessed 18 Oct. 2016]

Independent Researcher. 1 October 2016. Correspondence sent to the Research Directorate.

Minority Rights Group International (MRG). N.d. "Chad: History." World Directory of Minorities and Indigenous Peoples. [Accessed 13 Oct. 2016]

United States (US). 5 May 2016. Department of State. "Final Results of the Presidential Elections in the Republic of Chad." [Accessed 19 Oct. 2016]

United States (US). 27 February 2014. Department of State. "Chad." Country Reports on Human Rights Practices for 2013. [Accessed 18 Oct. 2016]

Additional Sources Consulted

Oral sources: Research fellow, Pôle de recherche pour l'organisation et la diffusion de l'information géographique (PRODIG); research director, Langage, langues et cultures d'Afrique noire (LLACAN), Centre national de recherche scientifique (CNRS); professor emeritus, Université Bordeaux Montaigne.

Internet sites, including: Amnesty International; ecoi.net; Ethnologue; Factiva; Fédération internationale des ligues de droits de l'homme; International Crisis Group; IRIN; Political Handbook of the World; Radio France internationale; United Nations - United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, Refworld, ReliefWeb.