Niangara is a town in the Haut-Uele Province of the Democratic Republic of the Congo , lying on both sides of the Uele River . It is the headquarters of the Niangara Territory .
104-604: The town has a hospital operated by Médecins Sans Frontières . As of April 2010 the United Nations peacekeeping mission in Congo had a base in Niangara town. However, the peacekeepers had few troops and the roads in the area are poor, so they rarely leave the town. They have neither prevented nor responded to a series of attacks in the territory by the Lord's Resistance Army . In December 2010
208-524: A Sikh Light Infantry battalion and join the peace-keeping effort in the Congo. India made the decision to send its elite forces amidst rising concerns that Indian peace-keepers were getting caught in the cross-fire between DRC government troops and rebels. On 4 November 2008, a 200-fighter strong Mai Mai militia force launched a surprise attack on CNDP troops in Kiwanja, a CNDP-controlled town near Rutshuru , North Kivu. The Mai Mai were initially able to retake
312-642: A Transitional Council of military officers . That transitional council has replaced the Constitution with a new charter, granting Mahamat Déby the powers of the presidency and naming him head of the armed forces. On 23 May 2024, Mahamat Idriss Déby was sworn in as President of Chad . He had won the disputed 6 May election outright, with 61 per cent of the vote. Chad is a large landlocked country spanning north-central Africa . It covers an area of 1,284,000 square kilometres (496,000 sq mi), lying between latitudes 7° and 24°N , and 13° and 24°E , and
416-819: A United Nations peacekeeping force in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) which was established by the United Nations Security Council in resolutions 1279 (1999) and 1291 (2000) to monitor the peace process of the Second Congo War , though much of its focus subsequently turned to the Ituri conflict , the Kivu conflict and the Dongo conflict . The mission was known as the United Nations Mission in
520-452: A competitive presidential election . He won a second term five years later. Oil exploitation began in Chad in 2003, bringing with it hopes that Chad would, at last, have some chances of peace and prosperity. Instead, internal dissent worsened, and a new civil war broke out. Déby unilaterally modified the constitution to remove the two-term limit on the presidency; this caused an uproar among
624-450: A 2012 Pew Research survey, 48% of Muslim Chadians professed to be Sunni , 21% Shia , 4% Ahmadi and 23% non-denominational Muslim . Islam is expressed in diverse ways; for example, 55% of Muslim Chadians belong to Sufi orders . Its most common expression is the Tijaniyah , an order followed by the 35% of Chadian Muslims which incorporates some local African religious elements. In 2020,
728-689: A French military intervention ( Operation Épervier ). Hissène Habré was overthrown in turn in 1990 by his general Idriss Déby . With French support, a modernization of the Chad National Army was initiated in 1991. From 2003, the Darfur crisis in Sudan spilt over the border and destabilised the nation . Already poor, the nation and people struggled to accommodate the hundreds of thousands of Sudanese refugees who live in and around camps in eastern Chad. While many political parties participated in Chad's legislature,
832-508: A group of 600 women, children and elderly of the Mbororo people set up camp on the edge of town. They had been driven out of a nearby district by the army, and had come to the town to avoid being raped or killed in the bush. The Médecins sans Frontières doctors provided emergency care. In January 2011, the Mbororo disappeared from their camp, driven out by the army. This Democratic Republic of
936-436: A major agricultural activity that employed underage children. Chad's constitution provides for a strong executive branch headed by a president who dominates the political system. The president has the power to appoint the prime minister and the cabinet, and exercises considerable influence over appointments of judges, generals, provincial officials and heads of Chad's para-statal firms. In cases of grave and immediate threat,
1040-554: A major military camp, along with Virunga National Park for use as a base to launch attacks. This occurred after a peace treaty failed, with the resultant fighting displacing thousands. The park was taken due to its strategic location on a main road leading to the city of Goma . On 27 October 2008 riots began around the United Nations compound in Goma, and civilians pelted the building with rocks and threw Molotov cocktails , claiming that
1144-549: A national society, but for most Chadians the local or regional society remains the most important influence outside the immediate family. Nevertheless, Chad's people may be classified according to the geographical region in which they live. In the south live sedentary people such as the Sara , the nation's main ethnic group, whose essential social unit is the lineage. In the Sahel, sedentary peoples live side by side with nomadic ones, such as
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#17328688073791248-479: A one-party system. Tombalbaye's autocratic rule and insensitive mismanagement exacerbated inter-ethnic tensions. In 1965, Muslims in the north, led by the National Liberation Front of Chad ( French : Front de libération nationale du Tchad , FRONILAT), began a civil war . Tombalbaye was overthrown and killed in 1975, but the insurgency continued. In 1979 the rebel factions led by Hissène Habré took
1352-430: A poor human rights record , with frequent abuses such as arbitrary imprisonment, extrajudicial killings, and limits on civil liberties by both security forces and armed militias. In the 7th millennium BC , ecological conditions in the northern half of Chadian territory favored human settlement, and its population increased considerably. Some of the most important African archaeological sites are found in Chad, mainly in
1456-646: A significant uproar from both the Government of Guatemala and the Guatemalan public, who demanded an official inquiry into the engagement. On 25 April 2006, the UN Security Council adopted Resolution 1671 , authorising the temporary deployment of a European Union force to support MONUC during the period encompassing the general elections in the DR Congo, which began on 30 July 2006. The European Council approved
1560-519: A supplementary brigade for Katanga. Joint operations were conducted by the newly arrived integrated brigades of the Armed Forces of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (FARDC). UN troops were tasked with the support of the electoral process, contributing protection and transport. In Ituri over 15000 militiamen were disarmed. In October 2005, by Resolution 1635, the UN Security Council authorized
1664-468: A temporary increase of 300 military personnel to permit a deployment to Katanga. In late January, a group of 80 Guatemalan Special Forces from the Kaibiles were engaged in a four hour firefight with LRA rebels, ending with the deaths of eight Guatemalans and fifteen rebels. They are believed to have been conducting a raid on an LRA encampment to capture LRA Deputy Commander Vincent Otti . The incident caused
1768-520: A third of the population were slaves. French colonial expansion led to the creation of the Territoire Militaire des Pays et Protectorats du Tchad in 1900. By 1920, France had secured full control of the colony and incorporated it as part of French Equatorial Africa . French rule in Chad was characterised by an absence of policies to unify the territory and sluggish modernisation compared to other French colonies. The French primarily viewed
1872-514: A total of 10,415 peacekeepers were in the DRC, comprising infantry units, engineer units, helicopter units, logistic units, medical units and riverine units. Deploying the Ituri brigade and conducting cordon and search operations improved the security conditions in Ituri but, at the same time, the peacekeepers became the target of the militias. On 12 February 2004, a military observer was killed in Ituri. With
1976-696: A united response from Chadians of a kind never seen before and forced the Libyan army off Chadian soil. Habré consolidated his dictatorship through a power system that relied on corruption and violence with thousands of people estimated to have been killed under his rule. The president favoured his own Toubou ethnic group and discriminated against his former allies, the Zaghawa . His general, Idriss Déby , overthrew him in 1990. Attempts to prosecute Habré led to his placement under house arrest in Senegal in 2005; in 2013, Habré
2080-480: A variety of ancestor and place-oriented religions whose expression is highly specific. Christianity arrived in Chad with the French and American missionaries; as with Chadian Islam, it syncretises aspects of pre-Christian religious beliefs. Muslims are largely concentrated in northern and eastern Chad, and animists and Christians live primarily in southern Chad and Guéra . Many Muslims also reside in southern Chad but
2184-525: A vast cordon and search operation in Ituri was conducted by Nepalese, Pakistani and South African Infantry elements with the support of Indian attack helicopters, between 50 and 60 militiamen were killed. Senegalese General Babacar Gaye was appointed force commander in March 2005 after Spanish General Vincente Diaz de Villegas resigned for personal reasons. In May 2005, the UN Secretary General asked for
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#17328688073792288-568: A week prior – and the peacekeepers later said they had no idea the massacre was taking place until it was over. Lt. Col. H. S. Brar, commander of the Indian peacekeepers at Kiwanja summarized the failure as the result of "poor communication and staffing, inadequate equipment, intelligence breakdowns and spectacularly bad luck." In its report on the massacre, Human Rights Watch largely supported Brar's assessment but further observed that competing priorities from headquarters in Goma shifted focus to "assuring
2392-405: A year, starting in March and October, and can hold special sessions when called by the prime minister. Deputies elect a National Assembly president every two years. The president must sign or reject newly passed laws within 15 days. The National Assembly must approve the prime minister's plan of government and may force the prime minister to resign through a majority vote of no confidence. However, if
2496-521: Is also prohibited, but the practice is widespread and deeply rooted in tradition; 45% of Chadian women undergo the procedure, with the highest rates among Arabs , Hadjarai , and Ouaddaians (90% or more). Lower percentages were reported among the Sara (38%) and the Toubou (2%). Women lack equal opportunities in education and training, making it difficult for them to compete for the relatively few formal-sector jobs. Although property and inheritance laws based on
2600-539: Is based on French civil law and Chadian customary law where the latter does not interfere with public order or constitutional guarantees of equality. Despite the constitution's guarantee of judicial independence, the president names most key judicial officials. The legal system's highest jurisdictions, the Supreme Court and the Constitutional Council , have become fully operational since 2000. The Supreme Court
2704-462: Is currently one of the leading partners in a West African coalition in the fight against Boko Haram and other Islamist militants. Chad's army announced the death of Déby on 20 April 2021, following an incursion in the northern region by the FACT group, during which the president was killed amid fighting on the front lines. Déby's son, General Mahamat Idriss Déby , has been named interim president by
2808-653: Is found in the Lusaka Ceasefire Agreement on 17 July 1999 and the following United Nations Security Council Resolution 1258 of 6 August 1999, authorizing the deployment of a maximum of 90 officers. The first liaison officers arrived in the DRC on 3 September 1999. In November 1999 the number of liaison officers totaled 55, distributed in the capitals of the warring countries ( Rwanda , Uganda , Burundi , Zambia, Namibia , Zimbabwe , Ethiopia ) including 24 who were stationed in Kinshasa . In January 2000 they reached
2912-557: Is made up of a chief justice, named by the president, and 15 councillors, appointed for life by the president and the National Assembly. The Constitutional Court is headed by nine judges elected to nine-year terms. It has the power to review legislation, treaties and international agreements prior to their adoption. The National Assembly makes legislation. The body consists of 155 members elected for four-year terms who meet three times per year. The Assembly holds regular sessions twice
3016-505: Is the twentieth-largest country in the world. Chad is, by size, slightly smaller than Peru and slightly larger than South Africa. Chad is bounded to the north by Libya , to the east by Sudan , to the west by Niger , Nigeria and Cameroon , and to the south by the Central African Republic . The country's capital is 1,060 kilometres (660 mi) from the nearest seaport, Douala , Cameroon. Because of this distance from
3120-411: Is worsened by the fact that the parks are understaffed and that a number of wardens have been murdered by poachers. Chad's national statistical agency projected the country's 2015 population between 13,630,252 and 13,679,203, with 13,670,084 as its medium projection; based on the medium projection, 3,212,470 people lived in urban areas and 10,457,614 people lived in rural areas. The country's population
3224-522: Is young: an estimated 47% is under 15. The birth rate is estimated at 42.35 births per 1,000 people, and the mortality rate at 16.69. The life expectancy is 52 years. The agency assessed the population as at mid 2017 at 15,775,400, of whom just over 1.5 million were in N'Djaména. Chad's population is unevenly distributed. Density is 0.1/km (0.26/sq mi) in the Saharan Borkou-Ennedi-Tibesti Region but 52.4/km (136/sq mi) in
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3328-569: The ARDA estimated the vast majority of Muslims Chadians to be Sunni belonging to the Sufi brotherhood Tijaniyah. A small minority of the country's Muslims (5–10%) hold more fundamentalist practices, which, in some cases, may be associated with Saudi-oriented Salafi movements . Religion in Chad Roman Catholics represent the largest Christian denomination in the country. Most Protestants, including
3432-623: The Borkou-Ennedi-Tibesti Region ; some date to earlier than 2000 BC. For more than 2,000 years, the Chadian Basin has been inhabited by agricultural and sedentary people. The region became a crossroads of civilizations. The earliest of these was the legendary Sao , known from artifacts and oral histories. The Sao fell to the Kanem Empire , the first and longest-lasting of the empires that developed in Chad's Sahelian strip by
3536-562: The Congo River , which was again open to commercial traffic. In June 2002 the UN troops' total number was 3,804. Contingents from Ghana and Bolivia joined the force, of which more than a third of the soldiers were Uruguayan. More than one thousand soldiers were deployed in Kisangani. On 14 May 2002, a military observer died near Ikela following the explosion of a mine under his vehicle. On 30 July 2002,
3640-514: The Ennedi Plateau represents one of the last colonies known in the Sahara today. In Chad forest cover is around 3% of the total land area, equivalent to 4,313,000 hectares (ha) of forest in 2020, down from 6,730,000 hectares (ha) in 1990. In 2020, naturally regenerating forest covered 4,293,000 hectares (ha) and planted forest covered 19,800 hectares (ha). For the year 2015, 100% of the forest area
3744-516: The Food and Agriculture Organization to improve relations between farmers, agro-pastoralists and pastoralists in the Zakouma National Park (ZNP), Siniaka-Minia, and Aouk reserve in southeastern Chad to promote sustainable development. As part of the national conservation effort, more than 1.2 million trees have been replanted to check the advancement of the desert, which incidentally also helps
3848-964: The Kanuri word for "lake" ), is the remains of an immense lake that occupied 330,000 square kilometres (130,000 sq mi) of the Chad Basin 7,000 years ago. Although in the 21st century it covers only 17,806 square kilometres (6,875 sq mi), and its surface area is subject to heavy seasonal fluctuations, the lake is Africa's second largest wetland. Chad is home to six terrestrial ecoregions: East Sudanian savanna , Sahelian Acacia savanna , Lake Chad flooded savanna , East Saharan montane xeric woodlands , South Saharan steppe and woodlands , and Tibesti-Jebel Uweinat montane xeric woodlands . The region's tall grasses and extensive marshes make it favourable for birds, reptiles, and large mammals. Chad's major rivers—the Chari , Logone and their tributaries—flow through
3952-608: The Logone Occidental Region . In the capital, it is even higher. About half of the nation's population lives in the southern fifth of its territory, making this the most densely populated region. Urban life is concentrated in the capital, whose population is mostly engaged in commerce. The other major towns are Sarh , Moundou , Abéché and Doba , which are considerably smaller but growing rapidly in population and economic activity. Since 2003, 230,000 Sudanese refugees have fled to eastern Chad from war-ridden Darfur. With
4056-769: The National Assembly , power laid firmly in the hands of the Patriotic Salvation Movement during the presidency of Idriss Déby, whose rule was described as authoritarian . After President Déby was killed by FACT rebels in April 2021, the Transitional Military Council led by his son Mahamat Déby assumed control of the government and dissolved the Assembly. Chad remains plagued by political violence and recurrent attempted coups d'état . Chad ranks
4160-798: The Netherlands , Niger , Nigeria , Pakistan , Paraguay , Peru , Poland , Romania , Russia , Senegal , Serbia , South Africa , Sri Lanka , Sweden , Switzerland , Tanzania , Tunisia , Ukraine , the United Kingdom , the United States , Uruguay , Yemen and Zambia . In addition, the following nations have contributed with police personnel: Bangladesh, Benin, Brazil, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Chad , Djibouti , Egypt, France, Ghana, Guinea , Jordan, Madagascar , Mali, Niger, Nigeria, Romania, Russia, Senegal, Sweden, Switzerland, Togo , Tunisia, Turkey , Ukraine and Yemen. The initial UN presence in
4264-597: The Sahara desert in the north, an arid zone in the centre known as the Sahel and a more fertile Sudanian Savanna zone in the south. Lake Chad , after which the country is named, is the second-largest wetland in Africa. Chad's official languages are Arabic and French . It is home to over 200 different ethnic and linguistic groups . Islam (55.1%) and Christianity (41.1%) are the main religions practiced in Chad . Beginning in
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4368-475: The Tropic of Cancer . The Sahara gives way to a Sahelian belt in Chad's centre; precipitation there varies from 300 to 600 mm (11.8 to 23.6 in) per year. In the Sahel, a steppe of thorny bushes (mostly acacias ) gradually gives way to the south to East Sudanian savanna in Chad's Sudanese zone. Yearly rainfall in this belt is over 900 mm (35.4 in). Chad's animal and plant life correspond to
4472-459: The U.S. Department of Labor 's Findings on the Worst Forms of Child Labor in Chad reported that school attendance of children aged 5 to 14 was as low as 39%. This can also be related to the issue of child labor as the report also stated that 53% of children aged 5 to 14 were working, and that 30% of children aged 7 to 14 combined work and school. A more recent DOL report listed cattle herding as
4576-429: The 172,600 Chadians displaced by the civil war in the east, this has generated increased tensions among the region's communities. Polygamy is common, with 39% of women living in such unions. This is sanctioned by law, which automatically permits polygamy unless spouses specify that this is unacceptable upon marriage. Although violence against women is prohibited, domestic violence is common. Female genital mutilation
4680-483: The 2nd lowest in the Human Development Index , with 0.394 in 2021 placed 190th, and a least developed country facing the effects of being one of the poorest and most corrupt countries in the world. Most of its inhabitants live in poverty as subsistence herders and farmers . Since 2003 crude oil has become the country's primary source of export earnings, superseding the traditional cotton industry. Chad has
4784-485: The 7th millennium BC, human populations moved into the Chadian basin in great numbers. By the end of the 1st millennium AD, a series of states and empires had risen and fallen in Chad's Sahelian strip, each focused on controlling the trans-Saharan trade routes that passed through the region. France conquered the territory by 1920 and incorporated it as part of French Equatorial Africa . In 1960, Chad obtained independence under
4888-540: The Arabs, the country's second major ethnic group. The north is inhabited by nomads, mostly Toubous . Chad's official languages are Arabic and French , but over 100 languages are spoken. The Chadic branch of the Afroasiatic language family gets its name from Chad, and is represented by dozens of languages native to the country. Chad is also home to Central Sudanic , Maban , and several Niger-Congo languages. Due to
4992-597: The Christian presence in the north is minimal. The constitution provides for a secular state and guarantees religious freedom; different religious communities generally co-exist without problems. Chad is home to foreign missionaries representing both Christian and Islamic groups. Itinerant Muslim preachers, primarily from Sudan , Saudi Arabia , and Pakistan , also visit. Saudi Arabian funding generally supports social and educational projects and extensive mosque construction. Educators face considerable challenges due to
5096-502: The Congo location article is a stub . You can help Misplaced Pages by expanding it . United Nations peacekeeping mission in Congo The United Nations Organization Stabilization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo or MONUSCO (an acronym based on its French name Mission de l'Organisation des Nations Unies pour la stabilisation en République démocratique du Congo ) is
5200-579: The Democratic Republic of Congo or MONUC , an acronym of its French name Mission de l'Organisation des Nations Unies en République démocratique du Congo , until 2010 . The following nations (in alphabetical order) have contributed with military personnel: Bangladesh , Belgium , Benin , Bolivia , Bosnia and Herzegovina , Brazil , Burkina Faso , Cameroon , Canada , China , Czech Republic , Egypt , France , Ghana , Guatemala , India , Indonesia , Ireland , Ivory Coast , Jordan , Kenya , Malawi , Malaysia , Mali , Mongolia , Morocco , Nepal ,
5304-410: The Democratic Republic of the Congo, before the passing of United Nations Security Council Resolution (UNSCR) 1291, was a force of military observers to observe and report on the compliance on factions with the peace accords, a deployment authorised by the earlier UNSCR 1258 (1999). UNSCR 2556 (2020) provides the authority for the current MONUSCO mandate. About US$ 8.74 billion was spent to fund
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#17328688073795408-571: The East started. The four coordination centres and 22 bases in the western part of the country were shut down. Over one hundred observers were redeployed and Uruguayan contingents arrived in Bukavu , South Kivu and Lubero , North Kivu . Observer teams monitored serious combat and human rights violations in Ituri. In April 2003, 800 Uruguayan soldiers were deployed in Bunia , Ituri Province under Resolution 1484 . In
5512-434: The French code do not discriminate against women, local leaders adjudicate most inheritance cases in favour of men, according to traditional practice. The peoples of Chad carry significant ancestry from Eastern , Central , Western , and Northern Africa . Chad has more than 200 distinct ethnic groups, which create diverse social structures. The colonial administration and independent governments have attempted to impose
5616-645: The Interim Emergency Multinational Force (IEMF) in Bunia with a task to secure the airport and protect both internally displaced persons in camps and the civilians in the town. UNSCR 1493 authorized an increase of military personnel to 10,800, imposed an arms embargo, and authorized MONUC to use all necessary means to fulfill its mandate in the Ituri District and also in North and South Kivu, as it deemed
5720-655: The MONOU effort. In August 2008, an internal investigation led by the Indian Army and other MONOU officers revealed that about ten Indian peacekeepers may have been involved in abuse and exploitation in Congo. Earlier in May 2008, the vice chief of the Indian Army visited Congo to look into these allegations and by August 2008, the Indian Army had launched an official probe to look into these allegations. On 26 October 2008 Rally for Congolese Democracy (RCD) forces of Laurent Nkunda seized
5824-458: The MONUC peacekeeping effort during 1999 to 2010. As of October 2017 , the total strength of UN peacekeeping troops in DRC is approximately 18,300. More than thirty nations have contributed military and police personnel for peacekeeping effort, with India being the single largest contributor. The origin of this second United Nations military presence in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC)
5928-406: The National Assembly rejects the executive branch's programme twice in one year, the president may disband the Assembly and call for new legislative elections. In practice, the president exercises considerable influence over the National Assembly through his party, the Patriotic Salvation Movement (MPS), which holds a large majority. Until the legalisation of opposition parties in 1992, Déby's MPS
6032-526: The Nigeria-based "Winners' Chapel", are affiliated with various evangelical Christian groups. Members of the Baháʼí and Jehovah's Witnesses religious communities also are present in the country. Both faiths were introduced after independence in 1960 and therefore are considered to be "new" religions in the country. A small proportion of the population continues to practice indigenous religions. Animism includes
6136-480: The Security Council by Resolution 1565 , authorized a reinforcement of 5,900 military personnel and defined the mandate with the strategic military objectives of the MONUC force as: Following the UN resolution, the Indian Army announced that it would be sending an additional 850 troops and four combat helicopters to aid the MONUC peacekeeping effort. By 2005, the strength of UN peacekeeping forces in Congo reached more than 16,000 troops, split almost equally between
6240-402: The Senegalese Major General Mountaga Diallo was appointed as the commander of MONUSCO's military force. The mandate was to monitor the implementation of the Ceasefire Agreement and the redeployment of belligerent forces, to develop an action plan for the overall implementation of the Ceasefire Agreement, to work with the parties to obtain the release of all prisoners of war, military captives and
6344-420: The UN forces had done nothing to prevent the RCD advance. The Congolese national army also retreated under pressure from the rebel army in a "major retreat." Meanwhile, United Nations gunships and armoured vehicles were used in an effort to halt the advance of the rebels, who claimed to be within 7 miles (11 km) of Goma. Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General for DRC Alan Doss explained
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#17328688073796448-419: The United Nations to seek additional military help from major powers. In July 2003, India announced that it would be sending an additional 300 personnel and combat aircraft from the Indian Air Force to strengthen the UN peacekeeping effort in DRC. In September 2003, the Ituri brigade was in place, including soldiers from Uruguay, Bangladesh, Nepal, Pakistan, Indonesia, India and Morocco. In November 2003,
6552-420: The Western Brigade and the Eastern Division. In February 2005, nine Bangladeshi UN troops were killed during an ambush in Ituri. The actions of the Ituri and Kivu Brigades became more robust and the pressure rose on all armed groups. Thomas Lubanga Dyilo , the leader of the Union of Congolese Patriots , and other militia leaders were arrested by Congolese authorities and imprisoned in Makala , Kinshasa. Lubanga
6656-538: The additional provinces to be within MONUC's capabilities, The French Government had already shown interest in leading the operation. It soon broadened to a European Union (EU) -led mission with France as the framework nation providing the bulk of the personnel and complemented by contributions from both EU and non-EU nations. The total force consisted of about 1,800 personnel and was supported by French aircraft based at airfields in N'Djamena , Chad and Entebbe , Uganda. A small 80-man Swedish Special Forces (SSG) group
6760-444: The arrival of the Transitional Government of the Democratic Republic of the Congo , which included members of rebel movements, more than 900 Tunisian and Ghanaian UN troops contributed to the security of Kinshasa. It was decided that the troops present in the Kivus will be assembled under the unified command of a brigade. In March the Nigerian General Samaila Iliya took over the command of the force. In June 2004, Bukavu, South Kivu
6864-408: The capital, and all central authority in the country collapsed. Armed factions, many from the north's rebellion, contended for power. The disintegration of Chad caused the collapse of France's position in the country. Libya moved to fill the power vacuum and became involved in Chad's civil war . Libya's adventure ended in disaster in 1987; the French-supported president, Hissène Habré , evoked
6968-422: The civil society and opposition parties. In 2006 Déby won a third mandate in elections that the opposition boycotted. Ethnic violence in eastern Chad has increased; the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees has warned that a genocide like that in Darfur may yet occur in Chad. In 2006 and in 2008 rebel forces attempted to take the capital by force, but failed on both occasions. An agreement for
7072-463: The colony as an unimportant source of untrained labour and raw cotton; France introduced large-scale cotton production in 1929. The colonial administration in Chad was critically understaffed and had to rely on the dregs of the French civil service. Only the Sara of the south was governed effectively; French presence in the Islamic north and east was nominal. The educational system was affected by this neglect. After World War II , France granted Chad
7176-474: The country. Elephants , lions , buffalo , hippopotamuses , rhinoceroses , giraffes , antelopes , leopards , cheetahs , hyenas , and many species of snakes are found here, although most large carnivore populations have been drastically reduced since the early 20th century. Elephant poaching , particularly in the south of the country in areas such as Zakouma National Park , is a severe problem. The small group of surviving West African crocodiles in
7280-414: The country. The observers could only record the non-application of the Ceasefire, the violent fighting at Kisangani and in the Équateur and Katanga provinces as well as the presence of foreign troops in the DRC. The deployment of UN troops was impossible due to the security situation and the reluctance of the Congolese government. Even though the beginning of 2001 was still hampered by sporadic combat,
7384-400: The deployment of MONUC troops, in the eastern DRC. The site for the logistical base was planned to be Kindu , Maniema Province . In 2002, the 450 military observers, split in 95 teams, continued to monitor the Ceasefire along the ex-frontlines. The teams also investigated violations of the Ceasefire. Foreign troops continued to leave the country. The riverine units escorted the first ships on
7488-672: The different parties signed the Pretoria agreement and the nature of the mission of the peacekeepers changed. The military observers monitored the withdrawal of 20,000 Rwandan soldiers, but they also noted the rise of ethnic violence in Ituri Province . At the end of 2002 there were a total of 4,200 UN soldiers in the DRC. Through UNSCR 1445 , the Security Council authorized the increase of military personnel to 8,500. The principle of two independent intervention forces – civilian and military –
7592-421: The disengagement of forces. The contingent soldiers totaled 1,869. They came from South Africa, Uruguay, Morocco, Senegal and Tunisia. Guard units protected MONUC installations in Kinshasa , Kananga , Kisangani , Kalemie, Goma , and Mbandaka. A Uruguayan riverine unit and a South African air medical evacuation team were also deployed. The deployed troops were only to protect the sites against looting and theft,
7696-492: The end of 5 November, over 150 civilians had been killed in Kiwanja in what has since been dubbed the Kiwanja Massacre. A UN base was situated less than 1 mi (1.6 km) from Kiwanja and over 100 Indian peacekeepers were present at the time of the attacks but the forces lacked basic intelligence capabilities – no one in the base spoke the necessary languages, as their interpreter had been reassigned without replacement
7800-417: The end of the 1st millennium AD. Two other states in the region, Sultanate of Bagirmi and Wadai Empire , emerged in the 16th and 17th centuries. The power of Kanem and its successors was based on control of the trans-Saharan trade routes that passed through the region. These states, at least tacitly Muslim , never extended their control to the southern grasslands except to raid for slaves. In Kanem, about
7904-415: The force had neither the mandate nor the strength to protect the civilian population, or even to extract MONUC personnel. Following UNSCR 1355 , the military observers, within their capacities, could also contribute to the voluntary disarmament, demobilization, repatriation and reintegration process of the armed groups. With Security Council Resolution 1376 , the Security Council launched the third phase of
8008-400: The important role played by itinerant Arab traders and settled merchants in local communities, Chadian Arabic has become a lingua franca . Chad is a religiously diverse country. Various estimates, including from Pew Research Center in 2010, found that 52–58% of the population was Muslim, while 39–44% were Christian, with 22% being Catholic and a further 17% being Protestant. According to
8112-674: The launching of the EU military operation, EUFOR RD Congo , and appointed Lieutenant General Karlheinz Viereck (Germany) Operation Commander and Major General Christian Damay (France) EU Force Commander. The Operational Headquarters was the German-nominated Armed Forces Operational Command – Einsatzführungskommando – at Potsdam , Germany. The mission was tasked with: This mission came to an end on 30 November 2006. In May 2007, India announced that it would be sending an additional 70 Indian Air Force personnel to join
8216-529: The leadership of François Tombalbaye . Resentment towards his policies in the Muslim north culminated in the eruption of a long-lasting civil war in 1965. In 1979 the rebels conquered the capital and put an end to the South's hegemony. The rebel commanders then fought amongst themselves until Hissène Habré defeated his rivals. The Chadian–Libyan conflict erupted in 1978 by the Libyan invasion which stopped in 1987 with
8320-405: The local economy by way of financial return from acacia trees, which produce gum arabic , and also from fruit trees. Poaching is a serious problem in the country, particularly of elephants for the profitable ivory industry and a threat to lives of rangers even in the national parks such as Zakouma. Elephants are often massacred in herds in and around the parks by organized poaching. The problem
8424-563: The military observers could fulfill their mission in regards with the disengagement of forces and the withdrawal of some of the Rwandan and Ugandan forces . In March 2001, the first Uruguayan guard unit arrived in Kalemie . The force was deployed in four sectors at Kananga , Kisangani , Kalemie and Mbandaka . In July 2001, the force strength was of 2,366 soldiers, including 363 military observers distributed across 22 cities, and 28 teams monitoring
8528-472: The nation's dispersed population and a certain degree of reluctance on the part of parents to send their children to school. Although attendance is compulsory, only 68 percent of boys attend primary school, and more than half of the population is illiterate. Higher education is provided at the University of N'Djamena . At 33 percent, Chad has one of the lowest literacy rates of Sub-Saharan Africa . In 2013,
8632-505: The necessity of engaging the rebels, stating that "...[the UN] can't allow population centres to be threatened... [the UN] had to engage." Indian Army personnel were asked to deploy themselves from Goma to adjoining North Kivu province, after the Uruguayan battalion deployed in the region fled. However, after that several Uruguayan battalions were playing a crucial role in the buffer zone between
8736-407: The number of 79 and they were spread over the whole territory of DRC. Their mission was to liaise with all the warring factions, give a technical assistance and prepare the deployment of military observers. On 24 February 2000 with the resolution 1291, the UN Security Council authorized the deployment of a maximum of 5537 military personnel in the DRC, including 500 military observers. On 4 April 2000
8840-521: The president, in consultation with the National Assembly , may declare a state of emergency . The president is directly elected by popular vote for a five-year term; in 2005, constitutional term limits were removed, allowing a president to remain in power beyond the previous two-term limit. Most of Déby's key advisers are members of the Zaghawa ethnic group, although southern and opposition personalities are represented in government . Chad's legal system
8944-464: The restoration of harmony between Chad and Sudan, signed 15 January 2010, marked the end of a five-year war. The fix in relations led to the Chadian rebels from Sudan returning home, the opening of the border between the two countries after seven years of closure, and the deployment of a joint force to secure the border. In May 2013, security forces in Chad foiled a coup against President Idriss Déby that had been in preparation for several months. Chad
9048-428: The retreating government soldiers and the advancing rebels. On 29 October 2008, a French request for an EU reinforcement of 1,500 troops was refused by several countries and appeared unlikely to materialize; however, the UN forces stated they would act to prevent takeovers of population centres. In November 2008, India announced that it would be sending the 3rd battalion of the 3rd Gorkha Rifles regiment to replace
9152-795: The return of the remains, to facilitate humanitarian assistance and to assist the Facilitator of the National Dialogue. Acting under Chapter VII of the United Nations Charter , the UN Security Council authorized MONUC to take the necessary action, in the areas of deployment of its infantry battalions, to protect UN personnel, facilities, installations and equipment, ensure the security and freedom of movement of its personnel, and to protect civilians under imminent threat of physical violence. In December 2000 there were 224 military personnel deployed, including 148 observers in thirteen points around
9256-400: The same month an observer died in a mine explosion. In May 2003 two military observers were savagely killed by a militia. The withdrawal of 7,000 Ugandan troops in April 2003 led to a deteriorating security situation in the Ituri Province, endangering the peace process. The UN Secretary General Kofi Annan called for establishing and deploying a temporary multi-national force to the area until
9360-435: The sea and the country's largely desert climate, Chad is sometimes referred to as the "Dead Heart of Africa". The dominant physical structure is a wide basin bounded to the north and east by the Ennedi Plateau and Tibesti Mountains , which include Emi Koussi , a dormant volcano that reaches 3,414 metres (11,201 ft) above sea level. Lake Chad , after which the country is named (and which in turn takes its name from
9464-469: The security of humanitarian workers, a foreign journalist, and a group of military observers, rather than protecting the civilian population." Chad Chad , officially the Republic of Chad , is a landlocked country located at the crossroads of North and Central Africa . It is bordered by Libya to the north , Sudan to the east , the Central African Republic to the south , Cameroon to
9568-548: The southern savannas from the southeast into Lake Chad. Each year a tropical weather system known as the intertropical front crosses Chad from south to north, bringing a wet season that lasts from May to October in the south, and from June to September in the Sahel. Variations in local rainfall create three major geographical zones. The Sahara lies in the country's northern third. Yearly precipitations throughout this belt are under 50 millimetres (2.0 in); only occasional spontaneous palm groves survive, all of them south of
9672-406: The southwest , Nigeria to the southwest (at Lake Chad ), and Niger to the west . Chad has a population of 16 million, of which 1.6 million live in the capital and largest city of N'Djamena . With a total area of around 1,300,000 km (500,000 sq mi), Chad is the fifth-largest country in Africa and the twentieth largest nation by area in the world. Chad has several regions:
9776-624: The status of overseas territory and its inhabitants the right to elect representatives to the National Assembly and a Chadian assembly . The largest political party was the Chadian Progressive Party ( French : Parti Progressiste Tchadien , PPT), based in the southern half of the colony. Chad was granted independence on 11 August 1960 with the PPT's leader, François Tombalbaye , an ethnic Sara , as its first president . Two years later, Tombalbaye banned opposition parties and established
9880-517: The three climatic zones. In the Saharan region, the only flora is the date-palm groves of the oasis. Palms and acacia trees grow in the Sahelian region. The southern, or Sudanic, zone consists of broad grasslands or prairies suitable for grazing. As of 2002, there were at least 134 species of mammals, 509 species of birds (354 species of residents and 155 migrants), and over 1,600 species of plants throughout
9984-532: The town but a speedy counter-attack returned control to the CNDP less than 24-hours later. After the town was retaken, CNDP forces under the command of Bosco Ntaganda combed through Kiwanja, searching out boys and men – who they accused of collaborating with the Mai Mai – and executing them on the spot. Older members of the community, both men and women, were also murdered and a large number of women were raped and assaulted. By
10088-411: The weakened MONUC mission could be reinforced. In his second special report to the Security Council, the UN Secretary General proposed a reorientation of MONUC missions: to provide support to the transition and to maintain security in key areas of the country. Accordingly, he proposed the creation of a brigade in Ituri to support the peace process. On 30 May 2003, UNSCR 1493 authorized the deployment of
10192-609: Was accused of having ordered the killing of the peacekeepers in February 2005 and of orchestrating continuous insecurity in the area. On 10 February 2006, the International Criminal Court (ICC) issued an arrest warrant for Lubanga for the war crime of "conscripting and enlisting children under the age of fifteen years and using them to participate actively in hostilities." The Congolese national authorities transferred Lubanga to ICC custody on 17 March 2006. On 1 March 2005,
10296-448: Was also added. The operation called Operation Artemis was launched on 12 June and the IMEF completed its deployment in the following three weeks. The force was successful in stabilising the situation in Bunia and enforcing the UN presence in the DRC. In September 2003, responsibility for the security of the region was handed over to the MONUC mission. Growing military conflict in DRC caused
10400-399: Was also approved. MONUC was tasked to support the voluntary disarmament, demobilization, repatriation, reintegration and resettlement (DDRRR) process, without the use of force. Numerous DDRRR operations in collaboration with the civilian component were conducted in the beginning of 2003. Before the start of the transition, UN soldiers were deployed along the front lines. A vast redeployment to
10504-400: Was formally charged with war crimes committed during his rule. In May 2016, he was found guilty of human-rights abuses, including rape, sexual slavery, and ordering the killing of 40,000 people, and sentenced to life in prison. Déby attempted to reconcile the rebel groups and reintroduced multiparty politics. Chadians approved a new constitution by referendum , and in 1996, Déby easily won
10608-568: Was occupied by rebel general Laurent Nkunda . A military observer was killed. The 1,000 MONUC troops could only protect their own installations. Demonstrations were held all over the country and UN troops opened fire on looters in Kinshasa. MONUC soldiers were again targeted by Ituri militia at the end of 2004. Though the Secretary General had asked for an increase of 13,100 soldiers, in October 2004
10712-548: Was reported to be under public ownership . Chad had a 2018 Forest Landscape Integrity Index mean score of 6.18/10, ranking it 83rd globally out of 172 countries. Extensive deforestation has resulted in loss of trees such as acacias, baobab, dates and palm trees. This has also caused loss of natural habitat for wild animals; one of the main reasons for this is also hunting and livestock farming by increasing human settlements. Populations of animals like lions, leopards and rhino have fallen significantly. Efforts have been made by
10816-402: Was the sole legal party in Chad. Since then, 78 registered political parties have become active. In 2005, opposition parties and human rights organisations supported the boycott of the constitutional referendum that allowed Déby to stand for re-election for a third term amid reports of widespread irregularities in voter registration and government censorship of independent media outlets during
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