2008 in Chad

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.

See also

2007 in Chad, other events of 2008, 2009 in Chad

Incumbents

• President: Idriss Déby
• Prime Minister: Delwa Kassiré Koumakoye (until 15 April), Youssouf Saleh Abbas (starting 15 April)

Events

• 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 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 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]

References

1. Amnesty International, Chad: Pressure mounting on journalists, press release, January 21, 2008.
2. "Tchad: fermeture d'une radio et interpellation de son directeur", AFP, January 17, 2008.(French)
3. RSF, Police close N'Djamena radio station, arrest manager, Press release, January 17, 2008.
4. RSF, Detainedradio station manager granted provisional release, January 18, 2008.
5. "Prosecutor drops charges against N'Djamena radio station manager", press release, January 22, 2008.
6. "EU plans resumption of Chad force", BBC News, February 11, 2008.
7. "Sudan and Chad strike peace deal", BBC News, March 14, 2008.
8. "Chad rebels dismiss peace accord", BBC News, March 14, 2008.
9. "Chad's 'orphans' rejoin families", BBC News, March 14, 2008.
10. "Chad peace force 'to shoot back'", BBC News, March 20, 2008.