Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
05NDJAMENA44
2005-01-11 16:35:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Ndjamena
Cable title:  

POSTCARD FROM MOUNDOU: RULING PARTY INSIDER'S

Tags:  PGOV PHUM CD 
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This record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available.

111635Z Jan 05

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FM AMEMBASSY NDJAMENA
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INFO AMEMBASSY ABUJA 
AMEMBASSY LONDON 
AMEMBASSY NIAMEY 
AMEMBASSY OUAGADOUGOU 
AMEMBASSY PARIS 
AMEMBASSY YAOUNDE
C O N F I D E N T I A L NDJAMENA 000044 

SIPDIS


DEPARTMENT FOR AF/C, LONDON AND PARIS FOR AFRICAWATCHERS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/01/2015
TAGS: PGOV PHUM CD
SUBJECT: POSTCARD FROM MOUNDOU: RULING PARTY INSIDER'S
INSIGHTS


Classified By: Political/Economic Officer Kathleen FitzGibbon for reaso
ns 1.4 (b) and (d).

C O N F I D E N T I A L NDJAMENA 000044

SIPDIS


DEPARTMENT FOR AF/C, LONDON AND PARIS FOR AFRICAWATCHERS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/01/2015
TAGS: PGOV PHUM CD
SUBJECT: POSTCARD FROM MOUNDOU: RULING PARTY INSIDER'S
INSIGHTS


Classified By: Political/Economic Officer Kathleen FitzGibbon for reaso
ns 1.4 (b) and (d).


1. (C) SUMMARY. During a visit to Moundou on December 13,
a ruling party member treated Ambassador Wall to a tour
d,horizon of key issues facing Chad. Masagar Mbairidoum
Lucas, the Secretary General of Moundou, described growing
security problems, societal violence, and the culture of
impunity gripping the country. He cited the weakness of
Chad,s opposition parties as a reason for public
acquiescence to the ruling Movement for Patriotic Salvation
(MPS). Lucas, comments about President Deby,s quest for a
third term are an indication of the level of dissatisfaction
among some members of the ruling party. END SUMMARY.

- - - - - - -
STRANGE TWIST
- - - - - - -


2. (C) Ambassador Wall was scheduled to meet with Governor
Mahamat Bechir Cherif. Upon arrival, security at the
Governor,s residence indicated that the Cherif was in his
office. Instead, the Ambassador, P/E officer, and commercial
specialist were shown into the office of the Secretary
General, Masagar Mbairidoum Lucas. Lucas explained that the
Governor was busy making arrangements for President Deby,s
trip to the region the following week and could not see the
Ambassador.

- - - - - - - - - -
CULTURE OF IMPUNITY
- - - - - - - - - -


3. (C) Lucas provided a surprisingly frank assessment of the
current state of affairs in Chad for a ruling party insider.
Lucas stated that the justice system in Chad does not work.
Judges are killed, threatened, and too afraid to do their
jobs. A culture of impunity reigns. Lucas said that the
justice system must be made to serve the people. If a
country has a strong judicial system, the actions of a head
of state are not as important. The fact that Chadians cannot
afford to eat, travel safely, or get paid regularly indicates
that there is a problem in Chad. To make matters worse,
Chadians are victims of those who extort money and carry out
attacks along the roads. According to Lucas, prior to ousted
former President Hissein Habre's rule, Chadians were safe.
Lucas stated that Deby,s critical mistake was not
dismantling Habre,s security apparatus. Habre,s people are

still a key component of the security services.

- - - - - -
THIRD TERM
- - - - - -


4. (C) Lucas did not hesitate to criticize plans for
President Deby to stay on for a third term. God gave Deby
power but he is losing his good grace, Lucas stated. Leaders
need to leave power when the time comes. One must do what is
best for the country. Deby should allow someone else to take
over, Lucas argued. He did not doubt that the upcoming
referendum would result in amending the constitution to
permit Deby to serve additional terms.

- - - - - - - - - -
OPPOSITION BANKRUPT
- - - - - - - - - -


5. (C) There is no real opposition in Chad, Lucas lamented,
and this allows the ruling party to remain in power.
Opposition deputies make a lot of noise but what have they
delivered to their constituencies, he asked. The lack of a a
viable opposition political platform allows the ruling party
to take credit for programs that were started long before
Deby came along. For example, the original oil exploration
was begun in the late 1980s, yet Deby uses the oil project as
proof of his effectiveness. Lucas asked what has Deby done to
improve the state of the roads in Chad. (Note: Quite a lot,
actually. End Note.)


6. (C) Lucas left Lol Choua,s opposition RDP party in April
because he felt that the opposition was not presenting a
platform to the public. He told President Deby when he
agreed to join the ruling Movement for Patriotic Salvation
that he would be frank and honest about how he saw things.
He described himself as an &old man8 without higher
political ambitions so he does not have to worry if Deby does


not like what he says.

- - - - - - - - - - - -
FARMER-HERDER VIOLENCE
- - - - - - - - - - - -


7. (C) Lucas explained that the level of societal violence
in Chad is rising because of weak local administration and
the growing intolerance between groups being promoted by the
regime. During the period of disorder after the civil war,
Lucas said, there were often cases of squatters taking over
fields held by others. Herders are better armed now because
weapons are easily available through Chad,s porous borders.
They need the arms to protect themselves from the increasing
number of bandits and cattle thieves.


8. (C) Land chiefs previously settled disputes between
farmers and herders. However, prefets and gendarmes became
involved in dispute resolution, and traditional methods of
conflict resolution are now not respected. Currently,
justice goes to the party that pays the official the most.
This has created a spiral of violence and intolerance between
farmers and herders. In addition, Lucas believes that the
herders, search for water points and pasturage for their
cattle, particularly by Peuhl herders from Niger and
Cameroon, has increased the number of recent conflicts.
There are many situations were the violence is
herder-on-herder, not herder versus farmer. Lucas pointed
out that southerners also raise cattle and that there are
associations in the region trying to regulate the growing
problems and reduce the level of violence.

- - - -
COMMENT
- - - -


9. (C) Lucas is a southerner, and his views reflect
southern discontent with the Zaghawa-dominated government and
upcoming referendum. But we find it interesting that his
boss sent him to talk with the Ambassador. Governor Cherif,
a northerner who is close to Deby, may have preferred to use
his deputy to deliver a perspective he was not comfortable
delivering himself. Lucas, who claimed to have nothing to
lose politically, obviously had no such reservations.
WALL


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