President of the African Union (AU) next February, the Senegalese President, Macky Sall, is questioned by the victims of the former Chadian head of state on the issue of compensation estimated at FCfa 82 billion.
By Aliou DIALLO – The victims of the former Chadian President, Hissène Habré, call on the Senegalese head of state, Macky Sall, future current president of the African Union, to make their compensation file a priority. For years, the some 7,400 identified victims have been desperately awaiting the sum of approximately FCfa 82 billion in damages. An amount that was to be paid through an AU trust fund. “Mr. President, you made the effort to have Hissène Habré tried in Dakar by the AU. Since this trial, until today, we are waiting for the African Union to compensate the victims. So, I am counting on you ”, addressed President Macky Sall, Abdourahmane Guèye, Senegalese victim of Hissène Habré, on Rfi.
One of the victims’ lawyers and president of the Senegalese League for Human Rights (Lsdh), Me Assane Dioma Ndiaye, mouths the same trumpet. He said: “Mr. Macky Sall has a second date with history. We are starting to set up the fund’s board of directors. But the victims are still waiting for the operationality of this fund. It would first be a personal victory for Mr. Macky Sall, then it would be a victory for Senegal. And the third victory would be that of Africa. Africa which judges its own children. ”
The lawyer believes that “as long as the victims are not compensated, the trial of Hissène Habré would have a taste of incomplete”. In the same vein, the black dress finds that “delays are unacceptable” in the compensation process. Me Assane Dioma Ndiaye considers that this is due “to a lack of political will from the African Union”.
Former Chadian President Hissène Habré was sentenced in 2016 to life imprisonment by the Extraordinary African Chambers. He was convicted of “crimes once morest humanity, torture and rape during the repression during his reign between 1982 and 1990”.
Finally, he died in custody as a result of the Covid-19, at the age of 79 in August 2021. He had fallen ill a few days before and had been released from Cap Manuel prison before being admitted to the asks his family, in a private clinic. He was transferred to hospital when his condition deteriorated.