ERODING PRESS FREEDOMS IN CHAD

UNCLAS NDJAMENA 001077

SIPDIS


DEPARTMENT FOR AF, AF/C, DRL, INR, LONDON AND PARIS FOR
AFRICA-WATCHERS
INFO AF/PD (DWHITMAN)

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV OIIP KPAO PHUM CD
SUBJECT: ERODING PRESS FREEDOMS IN CHAD
SENSITIVE
REF: NDJAMENA 864, 946


1. (SBU) Summary: Press freedoms continue to erode in
Chad. Of particular concern is the recent arrest of three
journalists from the independent press. Two are now free,
but remain under threat of further prosecution, while a
third is still in custody. Independent media, including
newspapers and radio, continue to voice strong critiques of
the Deby regime. The Ambassador has met with the Minister
of Communication and the Minister of Justice to express USG
concerns about the situation. The Ambassador also held a
press conference to discuss the importance of press
freedoms. End Summary

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UPDATE ON ARRESTS
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2. (SBU) Al-Hadj Djarma and Samory Ngaradoumb, both from
the independent L'Observateur, were arrested on June 16th
and June 21st respectively. They were brought to trial on
defamation charges, based on the publication of an "open
letter" from the Kreda ethnic group, and two subsequent
editorials, that criticized the regime's treatment of the
Kreda people. Both journalists were freed on July 7th.
However, multiple sources suggest that they will be brought
back to court later this month on civil charges. The third
journalist, Michael Didama of Le Temps, was arrested on
June 22nd and remains in custody, charged with incitement to
violence, and false attribution of a gruesome photo
depicting dead bodies that Le Temps claims is from a
massacre in Eastern Chad.

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VISIT TO MINISTRY OF COMMUNICATION
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3. (SBU) The Ambassador paid a visit to the Minister of
Communication (MOC) on June 27th in order to express USG
concern over the matter. In a wide-ranging and open
dialogue that lasted over an hour, the Ambassador and the
MOC discussed the particulars of the three cases, the need
for press freedoms in a nascent democracy such as Chad, and
ways in which the USG has helped to promote an open and
professional press corps in Chad. The Ambassador
highlighted the wealth of press programs undertaken by
Embassy N'Djamena, including recent journalism training
programs, and an equipment give-away to 35 different media
outlets. He expressed the mission's willingness to help
Chad develop a professional press. He also cautioned the
MOC against provoking a larger crisis in trying to stop
journalists from printing their stories, reminding the MOC
that such actions will draw attention in the USG and the
international community will be very preoccupied with the
arrests. The Ambassador encouraged the MOC to find a
solution to the problem as soon as possible, and expressed
his hope that the three journalists would be released
without delay.


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MOC COMMENTS/REACTION
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4. (SBU) The MOC expressed his thanks to the Ambassador,
calling the USG a good partner in helping Chad's
journalists with material and financial aid, as well as
training. He spoke at length of what he called a "cultural
problem" among journalists, saying that they did not know
how to handle sensitive information. The MOC stated that
all three journalists were arrested for "incitement to
rebellion", and often referred to the "lack of
professionalism" among Chadian media. He expressed the
view, also found in the government media, that Al-Hadj
Djarma of L'Observateur is not a real journalist, and
"often says things in the wrong way." He charged that the
photo of the massacre published by Le Temps was taken from
the internet and actually depicts a massacre in Sudan. The
MOC also stated that he has personally lobbied for the
release of the journalists, that the matter is no longer in
his hands, and that he will be happy to see them released.

He requested USG assistance in developing a "code of good
conduct" for Chadian journalists.

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VISIT TO MINISTRY OF JUSTICE
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5. (SBU) The Ambassador paid a visit to the Minister of
Justice (MOJ) on July 6th to discuss the arrests, and
several other matters. The Ambassador again expressed USG
concerns over the three journalists, and journalistic
freedoms in Chad. The Ambassador complimented the MOJ on a
recent speech that the MOJ gave in which he spoke about the
importance of respect for human rights, including the right
of free expression. The Ambassador expressed the hope that
Chad can avoid a situation in which the world views it as a
country that does not respect the liberty of the press. He
reminded the MOJ that the journalist still in detention,
Michael Didama, was a participant in the Embassy's
International Visitors program in 2002, when he spent three
weeks in the U.S. studying investigative journalism. The
PAO, also present at the meeting, informed the MOJ that the
Public Affairs Section is conducting a three-week training
session for 15 Chadian journalists in Yaounde in late July.
Both of these programs illustrate the mission's commitment
to training Chadian journalists, and encouraging them to be
more professional. The Ambassador also took the
opportunity to discuss the 2005 trafficking in persons
(TIP) report with the MOJ, mentioning in particular the
problems of child cattle herders, involuntary domestics,
and childhood prostitution. In addition, the Ambassador
gave the MOJ an update on the Embassy's program to support
the Chadian judicial system.

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MOJ COMMENTS/REACTION
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6. (SBU) The MOJ thanked the Ambassador for the judicial
assistance program, and expressed his wish that the program
move ahead as quickly as possible, due to the great
operational difficulties faced by judges in Chad. He
expressed his "personal concern" with the problems
discussed in the TIP report, and assured the Ambassador
that he is working on solutions to improve childhood
welfare in Chad. On the arrests of journalists, the MOJ
stated that "liberty of the press in an option, and we have
opted for this liberty." He said that press freedoms are
improving in Chad, but that "personal attacks cannot make a
free press prosper." The MOJ emphasized the importance of
dialogue, saying that he will always seek to avoid
violence, and calling arrest "a kind of violence." He
expressed the hope that in the coming years, these types of
arrests will no longer occur in Chad.


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PRESS CONFERENCE/MEDIA ASSISTANCE PROGRAMS
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7. (SBU) On July 1st, the Ambassador held a press
conference to discuss the Embassy's democracy building
programs in Chad, including judicial support, civics
education, the "Right to Know" radio broadcasts, girls'
scholarships, and oil revenue transparency. He also
discussed the importance of press freedom with the media,
stating that the press should be free to express itself,
and also free of fear of arrest and harassment. The press
conference was followed by a ceremony to mark the hand-over
of approximately $60,000 of equipment to 35 separate media
outlets, including private and public radio, television,
and print media. The equipment included cameras, fax
machines, generators, computers, tape recorders and
motorbikes. The events received wide coverage in the
media: radio FM Libert played excerpts of the Ambassador's
remarks, while at least two newspapers published lengthy
accounts of the press conference and detailed lists of the
material the Embassy has provided to the media.

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COMMENT
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8. (SBU) Chad has enjoyed -- and for the most part
continues to enjoy -- a boisterously free-wheeling press.
Worries about the recent referendum lifting presidential
term limits, President Deby's health, tensions on Chad's
eastern border with Sudan, and other pressures are
nonetheless making the regime even jumpier. Despite the
release of two of the three journalists jailed for criminal
charges, its willingness to put up with criticism is
wearing thin. International press organizations are taking
notice. Reporters Without Borders and the Committee to
Protect Journalists have already sent strongly worded
protests.


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