Reports on the current relationship between members of the Kanembu ethnic group and the Chadian government could not be found among the sources consulted by the Research Directorate.

For information on the location, religion, language and the numerical importance of members of the Kanembu ethnic group, please see TCD30997.E of 2 February 1999.

It also respectively stated in Responses TCD32970.E of 14 October 1999 and TCD29952.E of 3 September 1998 that the Mouvement pour la démocratie et le développement (MDD), when found in 1991, "was largely composed of members from Kenembu (Kanembous) ethnic group" and that the Armed Forces for the Federal Republic (FARF) "comprised several southern groups of which the Kanembu are the majority." According to two articles from Reuters, Lol Mahamat Choua, who was standing for the Rally for Democracy and Progress (RDP) in the 1996 Chadian multi-party presidential election, enjoyed the support of members from the "main trading" Kanembu tribe (26 June 1996; ibid. 31 May 1996).

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 Information Request.

References

Reuters. 2 June 1996. Thalia Griffiths. "Big Turnout for Chadian Presidential Election." (NEXIS).

_____. 31 May 1996. "Fifteen Candidates for Chad Presidential Election." (NEXIS).

Additional Sources Consulted

Africa Confidential [London]. 1998-1999.

Africa Research Bulletin: Political, Social and Cultural Series [Oxford]. 1998-January 1999.

Amnesty International Reports. 1999.

L'autre Afrique [Paris]. 1998-October 1999.

Country Reports. 1999.

Jeune Afrique [Paris]. 1998-October 1999.

La Lettre hebdomadaire de la FIDH [Paris]. 1998-August 1999.

Keesing's Record of World Events [Cambridge]. 1998-September 1999.

Mondes rebelles. 1999.

NewAfrican [London]. 1998-September 1999.

Le nouvel Afrique-Asie [Paris]. 1998-September 1999.

Resource Centre country file. Chad. 1998 to present.

West Africa [London]. 1998-1999.

Electronic sources: IRB databases, LEXIS/NEXIS, World Network Connection (WNC), Internet sites including Minorities at Risk Project and FIDH Websites.

Oral sources: The Foundation for Respect of Law and Liberty (FORELLI) and the Association pour la promotion des libertés au Tchad (APLFT) Chadian human rights organizations.