The following details notable events from the year 2008 in Chad. Chad is a landlocked country in Central Africa. It is bordered by Libya to the north, Sudan to the east, the Central African Republic to the south, Cameroon and Nigeria to the southwest, and Niger to the west.
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Incumbents
edit- President: Idriss Déby
- Prime Minister: Delwa Kassiré Koumakoye (until April 15), Youssouf Saleh Abbas (starting April 15)
Events
editJanuary
edit- January 7 – A journalist from the independent FM Liberté radio station is harassed by the security forces and allegedly intimated to drop coverage of an issue.[1]
- January 16 – The FM Liberté radio station is closed down by the government and its director Djekourninga Kaoutar Lazar arrested and interrogated.[1][2][3]
- January 17 – Keletété Dono, head of the Liberal Party of Chad (Parti Libéral du Tchad or PLT) is arrested without warrant, but was released shortly after. He had left a week before to FM Liberté an interview critical of the government.[1]
- January 18 – The director of radio FM Liberté is released, but charged with defamation and incitement to tribal hatred.[2][4]
- January 21 – The state prosecutor drops all charges against radio FM Liberté director Lazar.[5]
February
edit- February 11 – EU spokesman announces that the deployment of the EUFOR Tchad/RCA, delayed by the fighting in N'Djamena, is to be resumed. Currently there are only 150 EUFOR troops in Chad.[6]
March
edit- March 13 – With the mediation of the Senegalese President Abdoulaye Wade, the Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir and Chadian President Idriss Déby sign in Dakar a non-aggression pact. By the terms of the accord, both accept to "inhibit all activities of armed groups".[7]
- March 14 – A spokesman for the rebel National Alliance (AN) declares they will ignore the peace accord among Chad and Sudan and continue to fight Déby if he doesn't accept to start serious talks with them.[8]
- March 14 – 83 of the 103 children who were at the centre of the Zoé's Ark controversy, who have been kept in an orphanage in Abéché since the eruption of the scandal five months ago, are reunited to their families.[9]
- March 20 – The commander in chief of the EUFOR Tchad/RCA, Pat Nash, states the troops would answer fire if the rebels will attack the refugee camps protected by the EUFOR.[10]
May
edit- May 10 – Sudan cuts ties with Chad, claiming the country to be behind an attack by Darfur rebels.[11][12]
June
edit- June 13 – Rebels advance towards N'Djamena and threatens to target French aircraft flying over their territory.[13]
- June 13/14 – Irish troops are fired upon during a clash between the Chadian government and rebels.[14]
August
edit- August 15 – Former president Hissene Habre, along with 11 rebels, is sentenced to death for crimes against the state.[15]
September
edit- September 11 – The World Bank cancels plans they had in agreement with Chad for an oil pipeline in the country.[16][17]
References
edit- ^ a b c Amnesty International, Chad: Pressure mounting on journalists, press release, January 21, 2008.
- ^ a b "Tchad: fermeture d'une radio et interpellation de son directeur", AFP, January 17, 2008.(in French)
- ^ RSF, Police close N'Djamena radio station, arrest manager, Press release, January 17, 2008.
- ^ RSF, Detainedradio station manager granted provisional release, January 18, 2008.
- ^ "Prosecutor drops charges against N'Djamena radio station manager", press release, January 22, 2008.
- ^ "EU plans resumption of Chad force", BBC News, February 11, 2008.
- ^ "Sudan and Chad strike peace deal", BBC News, March 14, 2008.
- ^ "Chad rebels dismiss peace accord", BBC News, March 14, 2008.
- ^ "Chad's 'orphans' rejoin families", BBC News, March 14, 2008.
- ^ "Chad peace force 'to shoot back'", BBC News, March 20, 2008.
- ^ "Sudan 'repulses' rebel attack". www.aljazeera.com. Retrieved December 23, 2021.
- ^ "Sudan cuts ties with Chad after rebel attack". Reuters. May 11, 2008. Retrieved December 23, 2021.
- ^ "Rebels claim to advance toward Chad's capital". France 24. June 13, 2008. Retrieved December 23, 2021.
- ^ "Irish troops come under fire in Chad". The Irish Times. Retrieved December 23, 2021.
- ^ "Chad sentences former president to death". NBC News. Retrieved December 23, 2021.
- ^ "World Bank cancels pipeline deal with Chad after revenues misspent". the Guardian. September 11, 2008. Retrieved December 23, 2021.
- ^ Polgreen, Lydia (September 11, 2008). "Oil's curse holds true for World Bank pipeline in Chad". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved December 23, 2021.