DEBY'S LIBERATION DAY SPEECH HIGHLIGHTS EFFORTS FOR PEACE,

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 NDJAMENA 000004 SIPDIS STATE FOR AF/S STATE ALSO FOR S/USSES DOD FOR DASD HUDDLESTON NSC FOR GAVIN LONDON FOR POL - LORD PARIS FOR POL - BAIN AND KANEDA ADDIS ABABA ALSO FOR AU E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PGOV PREL PREF PHUM SU CD SUBJECT: DEBY'S LIBERATION DAY SPEECH HIGHLIGHTS EFFORTS FOR PEACE, ELECTIONS, AND SOCIAL REFORM -------------- SUMMARY -------------- ¶1. President Deby's annual "Liberation and Democracy Day" speech this year featured the GOC's efforts for peace with Sudan and to reconcile Chad rebels on the international plane, and political and social reforms on the national plane, including support for elections and efforts against child labor, "social violence," treatment of women, and corruption. Deby told an audience in the southern city of Sarh December 28 that he was resolved to end the internecine war with Chad rebel groups based in Sudan, and to pursue peace talks with Sudan because he wanted Chad to have a different future than "war, aggression, poverty, and uncertainty." The presence of CAR President Bozize at the event underscored Deby's irenic message that Chad seeks peaceful and fraternal relations with its neighbors. ¶2. Deby's remarks also addressed a range of domestic political and social reform and development issues. Deby said that he was personally resolved on free and fair elections in 2010 and he pledged to continue the GOC campaign to eliminate official corruption from Chad. Deby came down especially hard on child labor, saying that the GOC was determined to stamp out in all its forms, labeling it a form of "human trafficking." He exhorted Chadians instead to put and keep their children in school. Deby proised that the GOC would address the problem of "soial violence," in families, schools, and communiies, and he said that greater respect for the role ofwomen in society was at the root of resolvin the problem of "social violence." Ambassador Nigo attended the event. END SUMMARY. -------------- CHAD-SUDAN DTENTE -------------- ¶3. Deby told an audience in the southern city of Sarh December 28 that he was resolved to end the internecine struggle with Chad rebel groups based in Sudan because he wanted Chad to have different future than "war, aggression, poverty, and uncertainty." "That is why we deploy so much effort to increased actions to enable us to live in peace inside our borders and to deal peacefully with all our neighbors," Deby declared. Addressing relations with Sudan, Deby said that "despite the burdens imposed on us by the Darfur crisis, we resumed talks with Sudan." The presence of CAR President Bozize at the event underscored Deby's irenic message that Chad not only seeks but also can maintain peaceful and fraternal relations with its neighbors. -------------- OUTREACH TO CHAD REBELS -------------- ¶4. Deby called on Chad rebels still unreconciled to the GOC to lay down their weapons and said that they had a peaceful alternative. Deby told his audience that "war is not the solution," and reached out to rebels, saying that "Today, conditions are more ripe for everyone to satisfy their ambitions through the ballot box." Deby appealed to Chad rebels to "stop, stop, stop plunging Chadian families into mourning and destroying our country." He told the rebels more sternly that their armed rebellion had no future and accused them of "putting the breaks on the country's development." -------------- ELECTIONS/CORRUPTION -------------- ¶5. Deby told the crowd that his government - and he personally -- were resolved on free and fair legislative and local elections in 2010 and he urged Chadians to participate actively in the election process. He said that the August 13 Accord would continue to be the guide to the GOC's political reform direction. ¶6. Deby also pledged to continue the ongoing GOC campaign to eliminate official corruption from Chadian national life. He said: "Unfortunately, there is a category of actors, in both the public and private sectors, who put a brake on our nation's advance toward NDJAMENA 00000004 002 OF 002 modernity. These individuals take too much liberty with public goods. From now on, such liberties will be severely punished. Those responsible for the social abuse of dipping into public goods, the corrupters and the corrupted, will be treated as such. Kickbacks and bribes must cease at all levels of the public administration. Public officials cannot take money from citizens for any reason. I hope I am clear on this." -------------- CHILD LABOR AND EDUCATION -------------- ¶7. Deby's remarks also addressed domestic reform and development issues. He said that the GOC was determined to stamp out all forms of "child labor," which he labeled a form of "human trafficking, and promised that violators would be punished. He exhorted Chadians instead to put and keep their children in school, as necessary to the development of the nation. The "Liberation Day" parade, traditionally mostly and very strikingly military in character, this year was mostly civilian, and included nearly two hours of school children marching by under the banners of their schools, quite evidently to underline and reinforce Deby's remarks on education and child-labor. ¶8. Deby on traditional child-labor practices in Chad, especially the widely prevalent custom of "apprenticed child herders" (enfants bouviers): "This shameful practice must immediately cease. The employers, parents, herders, and intermediaries should be punished. These children should be in school. The law of the Republic must be respected in all its rigor." -------------- "SOCIAL VIOLENCE" AND RESPECT FOR WOMEN -------------- ¶9. Deby said that the GOC was determined to stamp out all forms of "child labor," which he labeled a form of "human trafficking," and promised that violators would be punished. He exhorted Chadians instead to put and keep their children in school, as necessary to the development of the nation. Deby also highlighted that it was a GOC priority to address the problem of "social violence," including within families, in schools, and between communities. He said that greater respect for the role of women in family, social, and political life was at the root of resolving the problem of social violence." ¶10. Minimize considered. NIGRO