Doha – AFP
A section of Chadian rebels and political groups withdrew from talks with the Chadian military junta, accusing the Chadian government of seeking to destabilize peace efforts.
The move by regarding half of the groups participating in the talks came less than 24 hours following the government of President Mohamed Idriss Deby Itno announced that a national peace dialogue aimed at preparing for elections would start on August 20.
In a statement, rebel groups participating in the talks in Qatar accused the Chadian government delegation of “harassment, intimidation, threats and dissemination of misinformation”.
She stated that the date of the dialogue was set without any consultations, denouncing what it considered an attempt to exclude many armed groups and their political allies from the dialogue, while the Chadian government denies these charges.
Deby was appointed head of the military council in April 2021, shortly following it was announced that his father had been killed at the front in confrontations with the rebels, following he ruled Chad for more than 30 years.
He set an 18-month timetable for organizing national elections, but the Doha talks were repeatedly blocked, while the opposition has yet to hold direct talks with government representatives.
Opposition groups have demanded that Deby refrain from running in the elections as a condition of any talks, but the government insists that this demand can only be discussed during the national dialogue.
Chad is among the world’s poorest countries and the government says the talks aim to turn the page on decades of turmoil and instability in the country of 16 million people.
