Chad: Treatment of members of the Gorani ethnicity by the authorities; treatment of former members of Hissène Habré's government and their families by society and authorities (2013- February 2014)
| Publisher | Canada: Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada |
| Publication Date | 3 March 2014 |
| Citation / Document Symbol | TCD104790.FE |
| Related Document(s) | Tchad : information sur le traitement réservé aux membres de l'ethnie gorane par les autorités; traitement réservé aux anciens membres du gouvernement d'Hissène Habré et à leur famille par la société et les autorités (2013-février 2014) |
| Cite as | Canada: Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada, Chad: Treatment of members of the Gorani ethnicity by the authorities; treatment of former members of Hissène Habré's government and their families by society and authorities (2013- February 2014), 3 March 2014, TCD104790.FE , available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/53392ac94.html [accessed 22 May 2023] |
| Disclaimer | This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States. |
For detailed information on the Gorani ethnicity, the status of its members in Chad, and the links between Hissène Habré and this ethnicity, see Response to Information Request TCD104695.
1. Treatment of Members of the Gorani Minority by the Authorities
Information on the treatment of members of the Gorani ethnicity by the authorities was scarce among the sources consulted by the Research Directorate within the time constraints of this Response.
IHS Global Insight, a company that provides information on conditions in various countries, including geo-political risks (IHS Global Insight n.d.), stated in January 2013 that Chadian President Idriss Déby was attempting to integrate members of the Gorani ethnicity into his body guard service (IHS Global Insight 18 Jan. 2013). That source went on to report that the president feared losing his position because the members of the Gorani ethnicity are dissatisfied with his government (ibid). Further information could not be found among the sources consulted by the Research Directorate within the time constraints of this Response.
2. Treatment of Former Members of the Hissène Habré Government and their Families by Society and Authorities
Sources report that former Chadian President Hissène Habré was arrested in June 2013 and is awaiting trial before a special court in Senegal, where he has been living in exile since his fall from power in 1990 (FP 20 Jan. 2014; Jeune Afrique 13 Nov. 2013; AP 17 July 2013). According to the same sources, he was charged with war crimes, crimes against humanity, and torture, which he allegedly committed while he was in power (ibid; FP 20 Jan. 2014; Jeune Afrique 13 Nov. 2013).
According to Jeune Afrique, in May 2013, Chad and Senegal have signed an agreement allowing the special court to conduct hearings in Chad (13 Nov. 2013). According to Radio France internationale (RFI), cooperation between the two countries has [translation] "already made it possible to indict five individuals in Chad, including two former officials of the DDS [documentation and security branch, DDS], Habré's former political police." (26 Feb. 2014). Other sources also report the arrest of former DDS members (BBC 15 May 2013; Tchadpages 4 July 2013). Tchadinfos.com, a portal that addresses current events in Chad, notes that several of these members still held senior positions at the time of their arrest and provides an overview of the individuals who were arrested on 8 July 2013 (8 July 2013).
Information on the treatment of family members of former members of Hissène Habré's government by society and authorities could not be found among the sources consulted by the Research Directorate within the time constraints of this Response.
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
Associated Press (AP). 17 July 2013. "More than 1,000 Victims Say They Will Be Part of Trail of Ex-Chad Ruler Facing Torture Charges." (Factiva)
British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC). 15 May 2013. "Tchad : un ex-chef de la police arrêté." [Accessed 24 Feb. 2014]
Foreign Policy (FP). 20 January 2014. "Our Man in Africa." [Accessed 24 Feb. 2014]
IHS Global Insight. 18 January 2013. "President Appoints Former Rebel as Special Adviser to PM in Chad." (Factiva)
_____. N.d. "About IHS." [Accessed 24 Feb. 2014]
Jeune Afrique. 13 November 2013. "Hissène Habré : un procès en direct à la télévision sénégalaise ?" [Accessed 26 Feb. 2014]
Radio France internationale (RFI). 26 February 2014. "Procès Hissène Habré : le Tchad souhaite se constituer partie civile." [Accessed 26 Feb. 2014]
Tchadinfos.com. 8 July 2013. "Tchad : la liste des responsables de la DDS poursuivis par la Justice." [Accessed 26 Feb. 2014]
Tchadpages. 4 July 2013. "Tchad : Saleh Younous, un ancien directeur de la DDS arrêté mercredi soir à Ndjamena." [Accessed 26 Feb. 2014]
Additional Sources Consulted
Oral sources: The following individuals and organizations were unable to provide information within the time constraints of this Response: Association tchadienne pour la promotion des droits de l'homme; Centre national de la recherche scientifique, France; political geography researcher. Attempts to contact a researcher at the Centre d'études et de recherches internationales of the Centre national de la recherche scientifique were unsuccessful.
Internet sites, including: Africa Intelligence; Afrik.com; Agence de Presse Africaine; Agir ensemble pour les droits de l'homme; AlWihda; L'Aménagement linguistique dans le monde; Amnesty International; Australia - Refugee Review Tribunal; ecoi.net; France 2; Freedom House; Hissein Habre.com; Ialtchad.com; International Crisis Group; Maison des Médias du Tchad; Minorities at Risk; Le Monde; NAMATI; N'djamena Hebdo; N'djamena-matin; Panapress; Tchadactuel; Tchadhanana Press; Tchadoscopie; TRIAL; World Organization Against Torture; United Nations - Refworld.
