Deby offers a political dialogue

Chadian president Idriss Deby has instructed his government to open a dialogue with the political opposition in a government decree released to journalists on Thursday afternoon. “This dialogue should deal with all the political questions that are dealt with by the institutions of the Republic, without jeopardising the democratic process,” Deby said, according to a text of the decree, which has also been broadcast on state radio and television. There will be an “internal political dialogue, between Chadians, which will give Chadians the means and the political will to build their own country, while reinforcing the democratic experience,” Deby added. According to Deby, “partners will be sought out to contribute financially, materially and intellectually,” to the process. The political situation has become increasingly tense in Chad following large scale defections from the armed forces, a series of strikes and an attempted coup in April. A spokesperson for a coalition of opposition parties contacted by IRIN said his group was not yet ready to respond, but was considering the proposal. Deby said that there would be no place for non-Chadians in the process, because “outsiders must not do what the Chadians must do, and can do.” The government has already put in place a team charged with preparing the dialogue with the political parties, according to government spokesperson . There will soon be a debate on the practical modalities of the political dialogue, the spokesperson added. The decision is Deby’s first overture to the opposition, since holding presidential elections on 3 May in the face of a boycott by the Chadian opposition, and appeals for a postponement by the international community. Since rumours began in 2004 that Deby was planning to change the constitution to run for a third presidential term, the political situation in Chad has been extremely fragile. Deby came to power in 1990 in a coup. Discontent over Deby’s maintaining power led to the creation of an armed rebellion, which on 13 April this year launched an attack on the capital N’djamena. Against this backdrop, Deby nonetheless went ahead with elections on 3 May. He was subsequently declared victor with over 67 percent of the vote. MN/NR/SS