* The present report constitutes the fifth, sixth, seventh, eighth and ninth periodic reports of Chad, which were due on 16 September 1986, 1988, 1990, 1992, and 1994 respectively and have been grouped to form a single document.
For the previous reports submitted by the Government of Chad and summary records of the meetings at which they were considered by the Committee, see:
Initial report - CERD/C/15/Add.2 (CERD/C/SR.420); Second periodic report - CERD/C/87/Add.2 (CERD/C/SR.683); Third periodic report - CERD/C/87/Add.2 (CERD/C/SR.683); Fourth periodic report - CERD/C/114/Add.2 (CERD/C/SR.838; SR.980 and SR.983).
1. The Republic of Chad has an area of 1,284,000 km2. It gained independence on 11 August 1960. For administrative purposes, the country is divided into 14 prefectures. According to the most recent census there were 6 million inhabitants.
2. It is a Sahelian country, half of which is desert. The population, which is concentrated in the rural areas engages in farming and animal husbandry, which are the country's main economic activities. Oil, gum arabic, gold, zinc, iron and other minerals are not yet being exploited. Lake Chad is one of the main centres of development. The country exports cotton and cattle on the hoof.
3. Chadians are Muslims, Christians or animists, but they coexist peacefully.
4. Three years after independence was proclaimed, the regime of the time opted for the Single Party, abolishing the multi-party system. This measure plunged the country into dictatorship, provoking armed rebellion in the east, centre and north of the country. The Chadian Army and the foreign legion sent by France suppressed the regions harshly. Whole villages were burnt to the ground, women and children were raped and massacred. The repression forced the inhabitants of these regions into exile in such countries as the Sudan, the Libyan Arab Jamahiriya, the Central African Republic, Cameroon, Nigeria, Niger, Congo, Burkina Faso and Saudi Arabia.
5. This situation led to the coup d'état of 13 April 1975. Once in power, the army continued to commit the same violations. The Khartoum accords led to the signing of a Fundamental Charter, a kind of agreement between the activists and Hissein Habré's armed forces in the north. But the tragedy of February 1979 shattered the compromise; thousands of families were massacred between 1979 and 1982 and the country was plunged into chaos. Warlords divided the country among themselves.
6. In 1982, the situation was brought under control, and peace and stability were restored at heavy cost in lives.
7. Although some progress was made, the regime again opted for dictatorship. The political police (the DDS) were transformed into a machine for liquidating all "suspects". More than 40,000 murders were committed, leaving thousands of widows and orphans. It was in this context of dictatorship that Hissein Habré was deposed.
8. From 1 December 1990, steps were taken to democratize the country. A National Transitional Charter (Constitution), having the full force of law, was promulgated. Multi-party politics, free trade unions and print media were introduced. The Sovereign National Conference (CNS), organized in 1993, succeeded in establishing national consensus. Several resolutions and recommendations were passed, the proceedings being entirely open. The Higher Council of Transition, a sort of provisional National Assembly, ensures that instruments adopted by the CNS (resolutions and recommendations) are properly implemented. In order to protect the people and their property, the security forces, in this case the State police force, were re-organized and provided with adequate means. They operate all over the country. The judicial system was reorganized, judges were rehabilitated and the independence of the Judiciary was re-established. Judges and lawyers were allowed to form associations to protect the legal system. Several civic and human rights organizations carry out their activities with complete independence. Trade unions are very active and have been granted the right to strike. The opposition criticizes the Government without fear of punishment.
9. In addition, since 1990 Chad has ratified several conventions, charters and instruments on the protection of human rights, including:
The Convention on the Rights of the Child;
10. At the national level:
The Print and Audio-Visual Media (Regulations) Act has been approved;
The National Commission on Human Rights has been established;
The Charter on Political Parties has come into force;
An Independent National Electoral Commission has been set up.
11. Free and open elections are scheduled to take place in April 1995 in the presence of foreign observers.