Languages: French and Arabic are the official languages. About 15% speak Arabic
as their first language. Many African languages are spoken, the largest
being Fulfulde, Sango, Ngambe, Kanembu, Maba and Dazaga.
It was not surprising therefore that democratic government was not established in independent Chad. François Tombalbaye soon established himself as a dictator and ruled until his assassination in 1975. Moslem resentment at his rule led to an insurrection in the north which continued on and off through the 1970s. Following Tombalbaye's death a northerner, Goukouni Oueddei, seized power and ruled with the support of Libyan troops until 1982, when he was overthrown by forces led by Hissène Habré. Fighting continued until 1987, when there was a ceasefire. In 1990 Habré, who had become a very oppressive ruler, was in turn overthrown by Idris Déby's Movement for Popular Salvation. In 1996 a new constitution was drafted and a multi-party system established at least in theory. President Déby's Patriotic Salvation Movement remains the dominant force in the country. The main opposition parties are the Rally for Democracy and Progress, the Federation Party and Action for the Republic, and the Action for Unity and Socialism. Amnesty International's 2002 Report on noted: "In May [2001] President Idriss Déby was re-elected. Opposition candidates alleged that the election was marred by fraud and intimidation and called for the results to be annulled. The results were, however, confirmed by the Constitutional Court. On 30 May the government banned gatherings of more than 20 people. However, political protests continued and the Chadian security forces responded with excessive use of force. "An armed opposition group, the Movement for Democracy and Justice in Chad, continued to operate in northern Chad. Human rights violations by government troops, particularly during counter-insurgency operations against the MDJT, were reported. These included extrajudicial executions of unarmed civilians as well as suspected MDJT supporters or combatants; torture, particularly in military barracks; the destruction of villages; and the use of detainees as forced labourers. However, lack of access to the area made independent verification difficult." |