International

Chad signs peace pact with rebels, but main insurgents stay out

By Andrew Mills

DOHA (Reuters) -Greater than 30 insurgent and opposition factions signed a peace pact with Chad’s transitional authorities on Monday, agreeing to affix broader talks after years of turmoil – although essentially the most highly effective rebel group refused to participate.

Delegates assembly in Doha broke into applause after the rebels agreed to stop hearth and take part in a nationwide dialogue that Chad’s chief has mentioned may pave the way in which to elections within the central African nation.

However the Entrance for Change and Harmony in Chad (FACT) – a Libya-based group that threatened to march on the capital final 12 months – rapidly rejected the deal, saying negotiators had not listened to its calls for, together with for the discharge of prisoners.

The rejection by FACT and at the least eight different insurgent factions solid a pall over celebrations of the settlement which was hammered out after months of talks in Qatar’s capital.

The interim army authorities is headed by Mahamat Idriss Deby, who seized energy final 12 months after his father – longtime ruler Idriss Deby – was killed whereas visiting troops combating FACT and different rebels within the north.

Initially, the Transitional Navy Council mentioned it might oversee an 18-month transition to democratic rule, but it surely has proven little signal of organising elections as that deadline has neared.

‘FRATRICIDAL WARS’

Mahamat Zene Cherif, the interim army authorities’s overseas minister, mentioned he believed the settlement would result in sustainable peace.

“A lot of the armed teams signed this settlement and they’ll participate within the nationwide dialogue. And this nationwide, inclusive dialogue is a discussion board for all Chadian individuals,” he instructed reporters in Doha.

He mentioned the interim authorities was at present holding about 400 FACT prisoners and wouldn’t launch them with out ensures that they might not rejoin the combating.

At a roadside meals stand in Chad’s capital N’Djamena on Monday, some prospects have been reassured by fighters’ willingness to disarm, however others feared the pact wouldn’t cease the combating.

“Now we have witnessed a number of peace agreements that resulted in fratricidal wars between the totally different signatory events,” patron Marius Golbe mentioned over breakfast.

“I’ll solely consider on this Doha settlement when the armed teams lay down their arms and are demobilized.”

The senior Deby spent a lot of his three many years in energy keeping off rebellions that sought his ouster. Rebels, together with FACT, accused Deby and his allies of repressive rule, extrajudicial killings, and rigging elections – accusations he denied.

(Reporting by Andrew Mills; Extra Reporting by Mahamat Ramadane; Writing by Alexander Cornwell and Cooper Inveen; Enhancing by Toby Chopra, Bradley Perrett and Andrew Heavens)



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