For general information concerning the Tama ethnic group, including reports of Tama affiliation with rebel groups, please consult TCD30542.E of 26 November 1998. Additional information concerning the situation of the Tama under the Déby government is scarce among the sources consulted by the Research Directorate. According to a Professor of Anthropology at the University of New Hampshire who specializes in Chadian ethnic groups, the Tama are geographically close to the Zaghawa ethnic group of President Déby; however, the Professor was unable to provide details of how this affected their situation other than to say that it was likely volatile and unpredictable, given the nature of Chadian politics (19 Apr. 1999).

According to the Website of a missionary information service which contains detailed information regarding the Tama: "During the civil war from 1979 - 1987 there was also much suffering and many deaths" and "in 1997, much of the population left the region due to a famine caused by a very poor rainy season one year succeeded by a drought the following year" (n.d.). The Website emphasizes the poverty and subsistence level existence that characterizes the Tama and states that:

In all of the Tama villages together in Chad there is a total of only nine government primary schools and six others which parents have started. Finding trained teachers is very difficult and often schools are left without teachers or with sub-standard teachers. There is only one lower secondary school, that in Guereda. Those interviewed during the linguistic study all said that it would be good to have initial schooling in Tama, with Arabic as second choice.

No further information on the situation of the Tama ethnic group under the Déby government could 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 find below the list of additional sources consulted in researching this Response.

Professor of Anthropology at the University of New Hampshire. 19 April 1999. Telephone interview.

"Tama Facts and Figures." n.d. [Internet] http://users.mildura.net.au/users/mjackson/Tama/Fact.html [Accessed 19 Apr. 1999]

Africa Confidential [London]. 1996-1999.

Africa Research Bulletin [London]. 1996-1999.

Unsuccessful attempts to contact an oral source.

Resource Centre country file on Chad. 1996-1999.

Resource Centre Amnesty International file on Chad. 1996-1999.

Electronic sources: IRB databases, Internet, LEXIS/NEXIS, REFWORLD, WNC.