CHADIAN ELECTIONS IN 2007

UNCLAS SECTION 07 OF 08 NDJAENA 001382 SIPDIS SENSITIVE SIPDIS LONDON AND PARIS FOR AFRICA WATCHERS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PGOV PREL PHUM CD SUBJECT: CHADIAN ELECTIONS IN 2007 *********************** * Missing Section 001 * *********************** *********************** * Missing Section 002 * *********************** *********************** * Missing Section 003 * *********************** *********************** * Missing Section 004 * *********************** *********************** * Missing Section 005 * *********************** *********************** * Missing Section 006 * *********************** NDJAMENA 11301382 007 OF 008 already stretched thin along the eastern and southern borders, would be hard pressed to provide security at every polling station or offer even modest assurances of safety for international observers in the border regions. Finally, the provision for press censorship banning reports on rebel activities and communal violence contained in the current State of Emergency--which the National Assembly extended on November 24 for six months--would make it impossible for the opposition to discuss issues that could reasonably be expected to play a major role in a national legislative election. ¶23. (U) Given the current power structure's incentives to retain power and the difficulty inherent in conducting free, fair, and transparent elections in a censored and volatile environment, the GOC would find it extremely difficult to conduct elections meeting even minimal international standards of credibility. /- - - - - - - - - - / The Possibility /- - - - - - - - - - / ¶24. (U) Nonetheless, there is a possibility. The Chadian government has begun preparing for the legislative elections almost a year in advance, which represents a significant improvement in its planning process. The European Union, with the full backing of the French and German bilateral missions, has committed significant funding to the electoral process, as well as a plan that the EU believes will provide institutional backbone for a transparent election. The European Commission's new Ambassador to Chad, Gilles Desesquelles, recently arrived from Togo where he participated in the effort to reform that country's election process, is committed to pushing the plan forward in cooperation with the donor community. The Chadian Prime Minister has accepted the European plan on behalf of the government. Some Chadian opposition party leaders have indicated a qualified willingness to participate in the legislative elections if certain reforms are implemented. ¶25. (U) Settling the framework and finances for the NA election gives the EU's experts time to develop voter registration procedures, electoral code changes, and a structure for the election commission that is acceptable to reasonable observers. The experts' electoral timetable and progress indicators will give the international donor community and the opposition objective milestones by which to measure the government's headway--and *********************** * Missing Section 008 * ***********************