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Chad

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The U.S. should support a political resolution to the root causes of the instability in eastern Chad and push for a regional approach to solving the problems in Darfur and Chad. 

Overview
Chad has been the site of a protracted civil war in which a number of often fragmented rebel movements continue to launch attacks on towns throughout the east. Due to ongoing violence between the Chadian government and rebel groups based in Sudan, 167,000 Chadians remain internally displaced in eastern Chad.  In addition, Chad is host to roughly 250,000 Sudanese refugees from neighboring Darfur.

Current Humanitarian Situation
After five years of living in camps, the humanitarian situation for the Darfuri refugees in eastern Chad is relatively stable.  With the continued violence in Darfur, most refugees will not be returning home anytime soon, and assistance must now shift to more sustainable, longer-term programs focused on healthcare, education, and livelihoods. 

Protection concerns in eastern Chad are exacerbated by the ongoing insecurity.  The Chadian military continues to clash with rebel groups along the border with Sudan and bandits act with complete impunity, often targeting humanitarian actors through car-jackings and lootings.  Children in the refugee camps remain vulnerable to recruitment by armed groups.  And the instability in eastern Chad continues to hamper the return of internally displaced Chadians. 
     
In March 2009, the UN peacekeeping mission in Chad (MINURCAT) - mandated to ensure security for refugees, internally displaced Chadians, and humanitarian workers - took over from the European Union led peacekeeping force (EUFOR).  While the transition was successful in general, MINURCAT is only at about half of its capacity, and lack of equipment such as helicopters continues to limit the force’s mobility over eastern Chad’s vast territory.
    
Action Needed

  •  The U.S. and other international donors should provide adequate three- to five-year funding for longer term early recovery projects, in order to fill immediate service and infrastructure gaps while contributing to long-term development.
  • Donors should increase funding for secondary education and skills training activities for refugee youth in order to make them less vulnerable to recruitment by armed groups.
  • The U.S. should support a political resolution to the root causes of the instability in eastern Chad and push for a regional approach to solving the problems in Darfur and Chad. 
Field Reports
  • Central African Republic: Fragile Peace Provides Opportunity
    01/15/2009
    Donor governments, international agencies, and national leaders should seize the current opportunity to break the cycle of violent conflict and sow the seeds for a steady recovery in the Central African Republic (CAR).
  • Tchad: Renforcer la mission de l’ONU pour une sécurité durable
    07/24/2008

    Malgré la présence d’une force militaire de l’Union européenne à l’est du Tchad, des mouvements rebelles, la violence intercommunautaire, des attaques transfrontalières et le banditisme sont endémiques. Les civils et le personnel humanitaire sont régulièrement attaqués et une insécurité continuelle entrave la distribution de l’aide humanitaire. Pour augmenter la stabilité au Tchad, le Conseil de sécurité des Nations Unies doit renforcer la mission de maintien de l’ordre de l’ONU (MINURCAT), augmenter les efforts pour la réforme du secteur de la justice et donner la possibilité au responsable civil de la mission de l’ONU de s’engager dans des efforts politiques en vue de la stabilisation et de la réconciliation.

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In Depth Reports
  • Last Line of Defense: How Peacekeepers Can Better Protect Civilians
    02/24/2010

    When violent conflict breaks out, the United States and other United Nations member states often call for the deployment of UN peacekeeping forces to create stability and protect people from harm. The UN Security Council has explicitly instructed peacekeepers to protect civilians under “imminent threat of violence” in most UN peacekeeping mandates since 1999. But there is no clarity as to what “protection” means in practice. Which circumstances require action and what level of force should be used? This has resulted in a lack of proper training, guidance and resources for peacekeepers to accomplish protection activities.
  • Greater Expectations: UN Peacekeeping & Civilian Protection
    07/29/2009
    The brutal reality of modern day conflict and the recognition of an international responsibility to protect civilians in times of crisis has made peacekeeping more important — and more controversial — than ever.
Advocacy Letters
Congressional Testimony
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Successes
In 2006, when Refugees International highlighted gaps in assistance to Darfuri refugees in Chad, the UN Refugee Agency and UNICEF improved their water and sanitation programs in Chad.  Refugees International also worked with members of Congress to generate $173 million for peacekeepers in Darfur and other parts of the world.