The main Chadian rebel groups said, Tuesday, November 2, “Willing” to participate in the national dialogue ” under certain conditions “ after meetings in Doha and Paris with the committee responsible for preparing the event.
Mahamat Idriss Déby Itno, who seized power in Chad following the death of his father Idriss Déby Itno, killed in April fighting against rebels, set up in August a Special Technical Committee (CTS) responsible for preparing the Inclusive National Dialogue (DNI), which should lead to presidential and legislative elections.
Timane Erdimi, the head of the Union of Resistance Forces (UFR), an alliance of several rebel groups, who has been living in exile in Qatar for about ten years, said “Be willing to participate in the pre-dialogue and the inclusive national dialogue under certain conditions”, according to a statement from the CTS.
“They notably demanded the release of prisoners of war, a general amnesty for all politico-military personnel and the return of rebel property seized by the government. We are working to ensure that the seized goods are returned ”, Allamine Bourma Tréyé, CTS communications officer told AFP.
“Mutual respect and courtesy”
The UFR fighters notably launched an offensive against the Chadian capital in 2019. Coming from Libya via Sudan, they had been stopped in northeastern Chad by bombardments of French fighter planes at N’Djamena’s request.
The CTS had already indicated on Friday that it had met around twenty leaders of armed groups in Paris, including representatives of the Front pour l’alternance et la concorde au Tchad (FACT), responsible for the offensive during which President Idriss Déby was killed.
“The meetings took place in a fraternal atmosphere imbued with mutual respect and courtesy. They were fruitful with the active and constructive participation of each of the parties ”, assured the CTS.
The FACT gave its conditions in a press release, in particular “The definitive end to the repression of all peaceful demonstrations” and “The release of prisoners of war”.
Mahamat Idriss Déby has multiplied the signs of openness to armed groups to make them participate in a national dialogue supposed to reconcile the Chadians. He notably promised “Concrete actions in terms of amnesty, the release of prisoners of war, restitution of property and professional reintegration”.
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