Chad
20.11.00
Urgent Interventions
Chad: forced recruitment of children in the armed forces
CHILD CONCERN
Case TCD 201100.CC
The International Secretariat of OMCT requests your URGENT intervention in the following situation in Chad.
Brief description of the situation
The International Secretariat of OMCT was informed by reliable sources of the forced recruitment of children in the armed forces placed in the North of the country. Children are allegedly put on the front line in order to detect mines and if reluctant they are reportedly killed. These children are mainly under thirteen years old and belong to the Zagava ethnic group.
According to the source, last September, Mahmoud AHMAT TOGOT, amongst others whose identities are unknown, allegedly died as a consequence of his wounds. He was trying to flee when the armed forces allegedly shot at him. The source also reported that Assadik TAHIR DJAROU, Moubarak TOM and BAKHIT HAMONOU have been forcibly recruited to the army.
According to the information received, the recruitment is carried out by the Fast Intervention Forces (F.I.R.) headed by General Mahamat DERO, belonging to the Déby President family and by the Units of the Presidential Guard (G.S.P.), headed by General Karim NASSOUR, son-in-law of the President. The two generals allegedly enjoy total impunity.
According to the information, these arrests preceding the forced recruitment, occur daily and take place at the sub-prefecture of Iriba, but also at the roadblocks checking movement in and from urban areas. Some arrests allegedly occurred at the roadblock of Ndjaména and some parents of those recruited, have been assaulted and some of them killed.
The International Secretariat of OMCT expresses its grave concern about the situation, and particularly about the physical and psychological integrity of the children and calls on the Chad Government to take all necessary measures to put an end to the unlawful and arbitrary deprivation of children’s liberty and to their forced recruitment in the armed forces, in accordance with the Convention on the Rights of the Child and taking into account the principles outlined in the Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Rights of the Child on the involvement of children in armed conflicts.
Actions requested:
Please write to the authorities in Tchad urging them to:
i. guarantee the safety, the physical and psychological integrity of all children and especially of Assadik TAHIR DJAROU, Moubarak TOM and BAKHIT HAMONOU;
ii. order a thorough and impartial investigation into the allegedly death of all children and especially of Mahmoud AHMAT TOGOT and into the arbitrary arrest and forced recruitment of children in order to avoid any reiteration and to identify and sanction those responsible;
iii. put an immediate end to the arrest and forced recruitment of all children and, and especially those of the Zagava ethnic group;
iv. guarantee the respect of human rights and the fundamental freedoms throughout the country in accordance with national laws and international human rights standards and in particularly the Convention on the Rights of the Child.
Addresses
Mr IDRISS DEBY, Président de la République
Présidence de la République, B.P. 74 N'Djamena Tchad
Fax : (235) 51 45 01; Tél. (235) 51 44 37; Telex 5201 KD/ 5307 KD
Mr NAGOUM YAMASSOUM, Premier Ministre
Primature N'Djamena - TCHAD
Fax (235) 52 20 89 Tél (235) 52 63 41 Telex 5351 KD
Le Général de Brigade ROUTOUANG YOMA GOLONG
Ministre de la Justice, Garde des Sceaux
Ministère de la Justice BP. 426 N'Djaména - Tchad Tél./Fax (235) 52 21 39
Mr Mahamat Saleh ANNADIF,
Ministre des Affaires Etrangères et de la Coopération
BP. 746 N'Djamena - Tchad Tél (235) 51 50 82 Telex 5238 KD
Le Général de Brigade MORNADJI
Chef d'Etat Major Général des Armées (CEMGA)
Camp des Martyrs BP. 916 N'Djaména - Tchad Tél/Fax : (235) 52 38 11
Diplomatic representatives of Chad accredited to your country.
Geneva, 20th November 2000
Kindly inform us of any action undertaken quoting the code of this appeal in your reply
Case TCD 201100.CC
The International Secretariat of OMCT requests your URGENT intervention in the following situation in Chad.
Brief description of the situation
The International Secretariat of OMCT was informed by reliable sources of the forced recruitment of children in the armed forces placed in the North of the country. Children are allegedly put on the front line in order to detect mines and if reluctant they are reportedly killed. These children are mainly under thirteen years old and belong to the Zagava ethnic group.
According to the source, last September, Mahmoud AHMAT TOGOT, amongst others whose identities are unknown, allegedly died as a consequence of his wounds. He was trying to flee when the armed forces allegedly shot at him. The source also reported that Assadik TAHIR DJAROU, Moubarak TOM and BAKHIT HAMONOU have been forcibly recruited to the army.
According to the information received, the recruitment is carried out by the Fast Intervention Forces (F.I.R.) headed by General Mahamat DERO, belonging to the Déby President family and by the Units of the Presidential Guard (G.S.P.), headed by General Karim NASSOUR, son-in-law of the President. The two generals allegedly enjoy total impunity.
According to the information, these arrests preceding the forced recruitment, occur daily and take place at the sub-prefecture of Iriba, but also at the roadblocks checking movement in and from urban areas. Some arrests allegedly occurred at the roadblock of Ndjaména and some parents of those recruited, have been assaulted and some of them killed.
The International Secretariat of OMCT expresses its grave concern about the situation, and particularly about the physical and psychological integrity of the children and calls on the Chad Government to take all necessary measures to put an end to the unlawful and arbitrary deprivation of children’s liberty and to their forced recruitment in the armed forces, in accordance with the Convention on the Rights of the Child and taking into account the principles outlined in the Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Rights of the Child on the involvement of children in armed conflicts.
Actions requested:
Please write to the authorities in Tchad urging them to:
i. guarantee the safety, the physical and psychological integrity of all children and especially of Assadik TAHIR DJAROU, Moubarak TOM and BAKHIT HAMONOU;
ii. order a thorough and impartial investigation into the allegedly death of all children and especially of Mahmoud AHMAT TOGOT and into the arbitrary arrest and forced recruitment of children in order to avoid any reiteration and to identify and sanction those responsible;
iii. put an immediate end to the arrest and forced recruitment of all children and, and especially those of the Zagava ethnic group;
iv. guarantee the respect of human rights and the fundamental freedoms throughout the country in accordance with national laws and international human rights standards and in particularly the Convention on the Rights of the Child.
Addresses
Mr IDRISS DEBY, Président de la République
Présidence de la République, B.P. 74 N'Djamena Tchad
Fax : (235) 51 45 01; Tél. (235) 51 44 37; Telex 5201 KD/ 5307 KD
Mr NAGOUM YAMASSOUM, Premier Ministre
Primature N'Djamena - TCHAD
Fax (235) 52 20 89 Tél (235) 52 63 41 Telex 5351 KD
Le Général de Brigade ROUTOUANG YOMA GOLONG
Ministre de la Justice, Garde des Sceaux
Ministère de la Justice BP. 426 N'Djaména - Tchad Tél./Fax (235) 52 21 39
Mr Mahamat Saleh ANNADIF,
Ministre des Affaires Etrangères et de la Coopération
BP. 746 N'Djamena - Tchad Tél (235) 51 50 82 Telex 5238 KD
Le Général de Brigade MORNADJI
Chef d'Etat Major Général des Armées (CEMGA)
Camp des Martyrs BP. 916 N'Djaména - Tchad Tél/Fax : (235) 52 38 11
Diplomatic representatives of Chad accredited to your country.
Geneva, 20th November 2000
Kindly inform us of any action undertaken quoting the code of this appeal in your reply