Document #1017618
IRB – Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada (Author)
According to Mondes rebelles, the
Toubou or Tedas, are black nomads, also known as Goranes, who
inhabit the regions of Borkou, Ennedi and Tibesti or BET (1996.
197). According to Refugees International, Toubous can
also be found in the remote eastern areas of Niger, near the
borders of Niger, Chad and Nigeria (2 Apr. 1999). AFP states that
the BET district, situated 700 kilometres north of Nd'jamena, the
capital city of Chad, "has been a hotbed of rebellion since
independence from France in 1960 and long saw a territorial dispute
with Libya" (28 Mar. 1999).
The Toubou, described as "born-guerrillas,"
are historically a warrior people renowned for their capacity to
fight and for their endurance (Buijtenhuijs 1987, 90; AFP28 Mar.
1999). The Toubous have provided the bulk of the fighters of the
Front national pour la libération du Tchad (FROLINAT), and
its factions: Forces armées tchadiennes (FAT) and the Forces
armées du nord (FAN) (ibid.).
Chad: A Country Study states the
Deidre or spiritual leader wields, a lot o influence in society
(1990, 63).
He is selected by a group of electors
according to strict rules. The deidre exercises judicial
rather than executive power, arbitrating conflict and levying
sanctions based on a code of compensations. Since the beginning of
civil conflict in Chad, the deidre has come to occupy a more
important position. Up 1965 the Chadian government assumed direct
authority over the Tibesti Mountains, sending a military garrison
and administrators to Bardaï, the capital of Tibesti
Subprefecture (ibid.)
In September 1963 Muslims rioted in
Nd'jamena following the arrest of three Muslim leaders. Another
incident in the northern town of Baradaï led to the arrest of
the whole village. Several of them, including the Deidre, Oueddei
Kichidemi, of the Teda people, a Toubou group was subjected to
"abuse" (ibid. 19). The deidre went into exile in Libya and,
with the support of toubou students at the
Islamic University of Al Bayda, became a symbol of opposition to
the Chadian government. This role enhanced the position of the
deidre among the Toubou. After 1967 the deidre hoped to
rally the Toubou to the National Liberation Front of Chad (Front de
libération National du Tchad-FROLINAT). Moral authority
became military authority shortly thereafter when his son, Goukouni
Oueddei, became one of the leaders of the Second Liberation Army of
FROLINAT (ibid., 63).
In 1979, Goukouni Oueddei became the leader
of the Government of National Unity of Chad (GUNT) and in April
1982, he became of head of state, a position which he lost to
Hissen Habre in 1982 (Mondes rebelles 1996, 211). The GUNT
represented 11 of Chad's dissident factions, with most offices
"held by Commanders of the significant armed forces-President
Goukouny Weddeye of the FAP; Vice-President Wadal Kamougué
of the FAT; Defence Minister Hissène Habré of the
FAN, and Foreign Minister Ahmet Acyl of the Forces Armés du
Centre (FAC sometimes called Volcan Nouveau) (Africa
Contemporary Record 1980-1981, B18).
In October 1998, Yousouf Togoimi, a Toubou
former defense minister, the head of the armed opposition group,
Movement for Democracy and Justice in Chad (MDJS) launched a
rebellion in BET ( AFP 28 Mar. 1999; RFI 1 Apr. 1999).
In March 1999 the government admitted that
the BET or the Tibesti region is had become the scene of
anti-government, Toubou led-rebellion by Youssouf Togoimi's MDJS,
and government forces (12 Mar. 1999).
However, President Idriss Deby, later
reportedly dismissed allegations of a rebellion in Tibesti:
Let me tell you that there is no Toubou rebellion... it is rather Youssouf Togoini and his relatives who are in action, and their number ... has never exceeded 70 persons. Furthermore, they are even less than 70 today...We have brought the situation completely under control, and there is nothing to fear (RFI 5 Apr. 1999).
Reports on the treatment of the Toubou by
government since the start of the rebellion could not be found
among the sources consulted by the Research Directorate.
This Response was prepared after
researching publicly accessible information currently available to
the Research Directorate within time constraints. This Response is
not, and does not purport to be, conclusive as to the merit of any
particular claim to refugee status or asylum. Please see below the
list of additional sources consulted in researching this
Information Request.
References
Africa Contemporary Record.
Annual Survey and Documents. 1980-1981. Edited by Colin Legum. New
York: Africana Publishing Company.
Agence France Presse (AFP). 28 March
1998.herve Bar. "Chadian Army Claims Full Control of North, Plays
Down Rebellion" (NEXIS).
Buijtenhuijs, Robert. 1987. Le
Frolinat et les guerres civiles du Tchad 1977-1984). Paris:
Editions Karthala.
Chad: A Country Study. 1990.
Edited by Thomas Collelo. Washington, DC: Secretary of the
Army.
Mondes rebelles: Acteurs, conflits et violences
politiques. 1996. Vol. 1996. Edited by
Jean-Marc Balencie and Arnaud de la
Grange. Paris: Editions Michalon.
Radio France International (RFI) [Paris
in French]. 1 April 1999. "President Deby Says Tibesti Rebellion
"completely under dontrol." (BBC Summary /NEXIS 5 Apr. 99).
Refugees International
[Washington, DC]. 2 April 1999. "Alleged Massacres of Toubous in
Niger." (LEXIS/NEXIS).
_____. 12 March 1999. "Defence Ministry
Says 28 Killed in Clashes with Rebels." (BBC Summary/NEXIS 16
Mar.1999).
Political Handbook of the World
1998. 1998. Edited by Arthur S. Banks. Binghamton, NY: CSA
Publications.
Electronic sources: IRB Databases,
Internet, LEXIS/NEXIS, World News Connection (WNC).
Additional Sources Consulted
Africa Confidential [London].
January 1997 - May 1999. Vols. 37-38. Nos. 1-25.
Africa Research Bulletin: Political,
Social and Cultural Series [Oxford]. 1997-1998. Vols. 34-35.
Nos. 1-12.
Amnesty International. 1998.
Amnesty International Report 1998. New York: Amnesty
International USA.
Country Reports on Human Rights
Practices for 1998. 1999. United States Department of State.
Washington, DC: United States Government Printing Press
Keesing's Record of World
Events [Cambridge]. January 1998-January 1999. Monthly. Vols.
44-45.
Political Handbook of the World
1998. 1998. Edited by Arthur S. Banks. Binghamton, NY: CSA
Publications.