Key developments since May 2004: National implementation legislation
is in the approval process. Chad stated its objective to be “free of the
impact of mines and UXO before the end of 2010....” Despite the conflict
in Tibesti, Chad was chosen to compete for the UNDP Completion Initiative. In
October 2004, Mines Advisory Group took over supervision of clearance operations
and started a new project to clear arms caches and water points in the northern
regions. From May 2004 to April 2005, 244,227 square meters were cleared of
mines and 2.68 square kilometers were cleared through battle area clearance;
3,630 antipersonnel mines, 1,364 antivehicle mines and 67,513 UXO were
destroyed. An MRE campaign reached more than 41,307 people, and 990 community
volunteers were trained. Reported casualties increased significantly in 2004.
At the First Review Conference, Chad was identified as one of 24 States Parties
with the greatest needs and responsibility to provide adequate survivor
assistance.
Mine Ban Policy
The Republic of Chad signed the Mine Ban Treaty on 6 July 1998, ratified it
on 6 May 1999, and became a State Party on 1 November 1999. In 2004, Chad
drafted national implementation legislation, with assistance from the
International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC). As of April 2005, the bill had
been approved by the ministries concerned and was due to be considered by the
Council of Ministers before being presented to
parliament.[1 ]
As of 30 September 2005, Chad had not submitted its annual Article 7
transparency report, which was due 30 April
2005.[2 ]It has submitted four
previous reports.[3 ]
The Minister of Planning, Development and Cooperation, Mahamat Ali Hassan,
led the country’s delegation to the First Review Conference in Nairobi in
November-December 2004. He made a statement during the high level plenary
confirming that the legislative measures needed to legalize the Mine Ban Treaty
domestically were in the approval process. He also proposed the creation of an
African structure to fight against landmines and monitor implementation of the
treaty.[4 ]
Chad participated in the intersessional Standing Committee meetings in June
2005, but did not make any statements. Chad sponsored, but was absent from the
vote on 3 December 2004 on UN General Assembly Resolution 59/84 in support of
the Mine Ban Treaty. Chad has been absent from the vote on every annual pro-ban
UNGA resolution since 1996, except in 1999 when it voted in favor of the
resolution.
Chad is not a party to the Convention on Conventional Weapons.
On 3 November 2004, Chad attended the inaugural meeting in New York of the
Forum of Mine-Affected Countries (FOMAC), a group of high-level representatives
from mine-affected countries. FOMAC was formed to encourage cooperation
between mine-affected
countries.[5]
Production, Transfer, Use and Stockpiling
Chad is not known to have produced or exported antipersonnel mines.
Landmine Monitor found no evidence of use of antipersonnel mines in Chad in this
reporting period.
Chad completed destruction of its stockpile of 4,490 antipersonnel mines in
January 2003. It has not retained any mines for training purposes. After
completion of the destruction program, the National Demining Office (Haut
Commissariat National de Déminage, HCND) in August 2003 destroyed 207
PMA3 antipersonnel mines that had been newly discovered in a container abandoned
by the Libyan army.[6 ]
Landmine and ERW Problem
The mine problem in Chad is a result of decades of internal conflict and the
1973 Libyan invasion. Most of the known mined areas are located in the
Borkou-Ennedi-Tibesti region in the north, and in the Biltine and Ouaddai
regions in the east, with lesser-mined areas in the west and south. There is
also a serious problem of contamination with unexploded ordnance (UXO)
throughout the country, especially in the north and
east.[7 ]Areas such as the Wadi Doum
military base are also contaminated with abandoned missiles, munitions and other
explosive remnants of war
(ERW).[8 ]
An impact survey in 1999-2001 identified 249 mine-affected communities in 23
of the 28 departments surveyed, and a total contamination of more than 1,000
square kilometers; this did not include the Tibesti region, which is the most
affected area in the country. The survey found that mine contamination directly
interferes with the livelihood and safety of more than 280,000 Chadians,
blocking access to water, pasture and agricultural land, roads and
trails.[9 ]
A lack of comprehensive records, as well as the shifting of munitions due to
rainfall and drifting sands, make marking of the location of mines and UXO more
difficult.[10 ]According to the
Chief Technical Advisor at the National Demining Office (HCND), after the impact
survey “no technical survey has been implemented, so it is difficult to
know exactly the extent of areas really polluted.” In 2004, three
previously unrecorded minefields were discovered in Wadi
Doum.[11]
The Chadian border with the Darfur region of Sudan contains several mined
areas and many areas contaminated with UXO. According to HCND, the impact on
the civilian population is considerable, and has increased with inflows of
Sudanese refugees from the conflict in
Darfur.[12 ]In 2004, 200,000
Sudanese refugees arrived in the east of
Chad.[13 ]
Mine Action Program
An interministerial committee, founded in 2002 and chaired by the Prime
Minister with representatives from relevant ministries, has been the central
body responsible for policy formulation, resource allocation and a national mine
action strategy. The committee oversees the National Demining Office
(HCND).[14 ]HCND has three regional
offices located in Fada, Bardaï and Wadi Doum, and a logistical center in
Faya. Its role is to prioritize, coordinate and plan mine action activities,
and assure quality control.[15 ]Mine risk education is coordinated through HCND with support from
UNICEF.[16]
Mine action in Chad has been based on the Landmine Impact Survey (LIS)
conducted by Handicap International in December 1999-May 2001. HCND prioritizes
clearance and survey mainly according to impact scoring in the LIS, the
discovery of new minefields, and the arrival of refugees. Priorities are agreed
in consultation with local authorities. Selection of areas for survey is also
based on development
priorities.[17]
In 2004, mine action operations were implemented by HCND with the support of
the UN Development Programme (UNDP), the NGOs HELP and Mines Advisory Group
(MAG), and the Chadian Army. Some deminers resigned in 2004, as a result of
deminers not being assigned demining tasks and thus not being paid. There were
also some delays in paying salaries, mainly due to bureaucracy. The situation
had reportedly changed in 2005, following the reorganization of the
administration and finance departments of
HCND.[18 ]No MAG deminers were
affected by this situation in 2004 or
2005.[19 ]
The 2004 mine action plan identified as priorities for mine clearance and
battle area clearance the Wadi Doum region (where abandoned ordnance causes
casualties), areas neighboring Sudan (as a result of an inflow of Sudanese
refugees), and the Fada region (where high impact communities and development
projects have been identified).[20 ]Demining in the Fada region could not start in 2004 as planned because of
a lack of funding. In July 2005, two MAG teams started assessing the needs for
further mine clearance and battle area clearance in the Fada
region.[21 ]
MAG’s program in Chad is based on two separate projects in support of
the HCND: providing training, management and supervisory support to HCND
operations in northern Chad; clearing all known mines and ERW from water access
points (funded by the US Department of State). The UNOPS/UNDP project capacity
is comprised of two 26-man demining platoons and one 17-man EOD platoon, and is
managed by three MAG international
staff.[22]
Priorities of the 2005 mine action plan include continuing mine clearance
and battle area clearance in Wadi Doum, and creating new clearance capacity for
the Fada Region. Technical survey, depending on available funds, was to be
limited to high and medium impact communities, such as Fada, Moussoro, Salal and
Kouba Olanga. The 2005 plan also allows for possible survey and clearance
operations in the Tibesti region, if security
allows.[23 ]In the
Borkou-Ennedi-Tibesti region, Chad plans to support the national NGO Association
de Déminage Tchadien to develop survey and clearance teams, and to
mobilize the local population for mine risk education and data
collection.[24 ]
Despite the conflict in Tibesti, Chad was chosen to compete for the UNDP
Completion Initiative. This aims to accelerate mine action in countries where a
concerted effort and relatively modest investment will resolve the landmine and
UXO problem within five years. If Chad is selected, it is likely to secure
additional resources for mine action and improve efficiency by creating
economies of scale.[25 ]
As part of its National Strategic Plan to Fight Mines and UXO: 2002-2015,
HCND plans to implement a technical survey which will cover all high, medium and
low impact areas identified by the Landmine Impact Survey, to identify the
remaining tasks.[26 ]The strategic
plan was integrated into the National Strategy to Reduce Poverty: 2001-2015,
with the result that it will benefit from petroleum
revenues.[27 ]The Chad Poverty
Reduction Strategy Paper (PRSP) estimated that more than 57 billion FCFA (US$107
million) would be needed over 14 years to clear the country of mines and
UXO.[28]
HCND’s Information Management System for Mine Action (IMSMA) contains
information gathered during the LIS and later field missions. Updating of IMSMA
became a concern during 2004, and in January 2005 the IMSMA technical advisor
(seconded by Switzerland) left; this position had not been filled as of July
2005. In previous years, the IMSMA system in Chad was non-operational due to a
lack of qualified staff.[29 ]
National standard operating procedures for mine action, based on the
International Mine Action Standards (IMAS), have been developed. Quality
assurance is provided by the UNDP chief technical officer accompanied by a HCND
quality control team of three to five staff. Quality assurance is carried out
during clearance and at the end to certify the completion of a
task.[30]
Survey and Assessment
In December 2004, MAG, following an earlier assessment, started a project
aimed at clearing all known arms caches and water points from mines and UXO in
the regions of Borkou and Ennedi in northern Chad. Completion for this project
is scheduled for 2007. In phase 1, from December 2004 to March 2005, MAG
conducted a rapid assessment of the areas that had been reported during the 2001
LIS and identified water points and caches to be cleared of UXO under phase 2.
Phase 2, from March 2005 to February 2006, includes a technical survey of known
and suspected mine areas, as well as clearance of UXO found previously. The
third phase is planned to commence in March 2006, using mechanical and manual
demining techniques to clear the remaining water access and cache
impacts.[31 ]The costs are
estimated as phase 1 ($400,000), phase 2 ($1 million) and phase 3 (costs not
known).[32]
In phase 1, using information provided by the LIS, 150 suspected hazard
areas were surveyed, of which 59 had already been cleared and 59 were not part
of the LIS data. Ten other communities could not be surveyed for security or
logistical reasons, such as unusable
roads.[33 ]Most of the new areas
were in Bourkou province; operations in Bourkou started in June 2005 and were
scheduled for nine months.[34 ]As
well as survey, UXO were to be cleared from over 20 identified water points.
The remaining mined areas were to be marked until mine clearance operations
could start.[35 ]
After battle area clearance was completed in Wadi Doum in May 2005, two MAG
explosive ordnance disposal (EOD) teams were retrained in survey and marking.
From July, the teams started to evaluate the needs for mine clearance and battle
area clearance in the Fada region. They are also tasked to survey areas
inhabited by Sudanese refugees, in order to verify the clearance of all sites
and to clear any remaining UXO. After completion of these tasks, the teams will
start a technical survey of 2006
priorities.[36 ]
Mine/ERW Clearance
Under Article 5 of the Mine Ban Treaty, Chad’s deadline for
destruction of all antipersonnel mines in mined areas under its jurisdiction or
control is no later than 1 November 2009.
According to HCND’s Chief Technical Advisor, “without additional
funding, Chad will be unable to meet its obligations by November
2009.”[37 ]In connection with
the treaty’s First Review Conference, Chad described its objective to be
“free of the impact of mines and UXO before the end of the year 2010, and
the people and communities of Chad can return to a normal life.” This
means that “all the minefields identified in Chad have to be turned into
impact free areas, either by clearing the contaminated areas or by permanent
solid fencing.”[38 ]
According to a draft of Chad’s 2005 Article 7 report supplied to
Landmine Monitor, 244,227 square meters of land were cleared of mines and more
than 2.68 square kilometers were cleared through battle area clearance, and
returned to public use in the reporting period May 2004-April 2005. A total of
3,630 antipersonnel mines, 1,364 antitank mines, 67,507 UXO and six other bombs
were destroyed.[39 ]This represents
considerable increases on the results reported for 2003 (1,069,402 square meters
of mine clearance, 1,890,681 square meters of battle area
clearance).[40]
From the beginning of operations in September 2000 to 31 December 2004,
almost 5.55 square kilometers of land have been cleared and returned to
potentially productive use, and 13,015 antipersonnel mines, 5,060 antivehicle
mines, 102,008 items of UXO and 103 bombs have been destroyed, according to
official reports.[41]
Clearance operations were conducted by HCND demining platoons and battle
area clearance teams, under the supervision of international NGOs. In Wadi
Doum, HELP provided supervision until June 2004 and EOD capacity until October
2004 when it withdrew; MAG was selected via a tender process to take over
supervision of HCND clearance from October
2004.[42 ]HCND capacity as of
January 2005 consisted of three platoons for mine clearance, two teams for
battle area clearance, two for survey/marking and EOD, and two for mine risk
education.[43 ]
During 2004, clearance focused on the Wadi Doum area, where operations had
started in 2002. This was classified as high priority by the LIS, although
sparsely inhabited, due to the abandoned ordnance (including SAM missiles) in
and near a military base that is collected for sale, as well as causing
casualties. Mines were also being collected privately from the minefields
surrounding the base. According to HCND, operations in this area were necessary
“to prevent anyone from accessing live mines and UXO and, therefore, as a
measure to reinforce peace in the region and fight
terrorism.”[44 ]In total,
217,445 square meters of land were cleared of mines and more than 434,500 square
meters were reduced through battle area clearance in
2004.[45 ]Battle area clearance was
completed in this area in May 2005, and mine clearance is expected to be
completed by 2007.[46 ]
Also during 2004, on the border with Sudan from Ade to Bahai, and in the
town of Gouro, HCND and HELP conducted clearance operations from June to October
2004; 5,365 square meters were cleared and more than 2.5 square kilometers of
suspected area were reduced.[47 ]Until March 2005, the US assisted operations at both Wadi Doum and the
border with Sudan by providing a Medevac
plane.[48 ]From April to December
2005, HCND assumed this expenditure, estimated at
$250,000.[49 ]
The Chadian Army recruited 120 deminers in 2004 and training started in
January 2005, under a cooperation project with France. The French Army plans to
train deminers, to establish demining sections within the Chadian Army, and to
clear old battle areas and ammunitions depots. Although cooperation started in
2003, as of May 2005 the official agreement had not been
signed.[50 ]The Chadian Army
regularly conducts interventions on the main route between N’Djamena and
Faya Largeau, and on the north of Lake Chad; from 2001 to December 2004, it
cleared 14,957 UXO.[51 ]
During clearance operations in 2004, two EOD specialists and one deminer
were injured in two accidents. See Landmine/UXO Casualties section for
further details.
Mine Risk Education
No large-scale mine risk education (MRE) took place in Chad prior to April
2004, although the LIS in 1999-2001 reported that many people sustain injuries
from mines and UXO, and concluded that there was a need for a focused MRE
program to reduce casualties. In its preparations for the First Review
Conference, the government of Chad recognized that MRE needs to be
integrated into data gathering, task prioritization, mine clearance and the
development of community-based activities. To help achieve this, UNICEF
and UNDP agreed to develop the MRE capacities of
HCND.[52]
An MRE director was appointed by HCND at the beginning of
2004.[53 ]UNICEF provided a
consultant for April-May 2004, and in April 2005 a UNICEF MRE consultant was
funded for an initial six-month period. During this time, UNICEF sought to
strengthen the institutional capacity of the HCND, expand MRE coverage to all
the affected areas, in particular the north and east of Chad, and integrate MRE
in the school curriculum in the most affected areas. The UNICEF MRE budget for
2005 was $320,000, partially funded by Canada. The project is planned to last
from February 2005 to January
2007.[54]
From 27 April to 17 May 2005, the MRE campaign focused on villages and
refugee camps in the east of the country. From June to mid-July it focused on
the northeast. MRE trainers, trained by UNICEF, provided initial MRE to more
than 41,307 people. The teams used a lecture-based methodology, and also
distributed T-shirts, notebooks, leaflets and calendars. The teams sought to
appoint and train mine action volunteers in the camps and villages, who would
act as a focal point for mine issues, report mine/UXO casualties, and remind the
community of safety messages. More than 990 mine action volunteers were trained
in this period. The teams also provided MRE information to NGO and UN
humanitarian staff working in the refugee camps on the Sudan border,
particularly at new campsites. Activities were hampered by lack of resources,
in particular vehicles.[55 ]
In May 2005, an MRE assessment took place in the east of Chad, and another
in June 2005 in the north. These sought to determine the knowledge, attitudes
and practice (KAP) with regard to mines and UXO of Sudanese refugees in the
camps and of the local population in at-risk areas, and to obtain baseline data
for measuring impact. Initial findings suggested that most people remain
unaware of the dangers, especially children and women, or that they undertake
unsafe behavior. Many people stated that they moved UXO, often to hide them
from children who play with the items. Others reported tampering with UXO,
often with a view to selling
it.[56]
HCND, with UNICEF support, prepared an MRE plan for 2005, which focused on a
further MRE campaign in the refugee camps and high-risk areas, and a program to
integrate MRE into the national school curriculum. Integration of MRE into the
curriculum of schools in high-risk areas was ongoing as of June 2005. This
includes developing training materials for teachers and materials for children,
training teachers, and effective monitoring and support. The HCND has created
and produced new materials in preparation for the next
campaign.[57 ]
Funding and Assistance
As in the past, information on mine action funding for Chad is inconsistent
and incomplete. Landmine Monitor identified four donors providing a total of
$1,902,899 in mine action funding to Chad in 2004:
Canada: C$240,000 ($184,399) through UNICEF for
MRE;[58]
Switzerland: CHF354,375 ($262,500) through UNOPS for IMSMA and finance
advisors;[59]
US: $1,206,000, consisting of $950,000 from the State Department for air
evacuation support to deminers and new vehicles, and to MAG for survey, and
$256,000 from the Defense
Department.[61]
This represents a significant increase over the $1,188,334 in donor funding
reported by Landmine Monitor for 2003.
HCND reported that in 2004 a new project document was signed between the
government, UNDP and UNOPS, which includes an earlier decision on a common
budget for mine action, of $4 million divided equally between 2004 and 2005. As
of July 2005, UNDP had provided $1.5 million and the government had provided
$400,000.[62 ]The Department of
State reported providing $1 million to MAG in 2005 for a “targeted impact
specific technical survey” of weapons/UXO caches and the areas of water
blockage identified in the LIS.[63 ]HCND also reported the following contributions for 2004–2005,
although none of these governments have included these funding contributions in
their own reports:
Switzerland: $300,000 for battle area clearance of Sudanese refugee areas
and two EOD teams supervised by the NGO HELP, June-October
2004;[64]
Canada: $60,000 to UNICEF for MRE in the Sudanese refugee areas, and
$320,000 for MRE implementation and an MRE advisor for
2004-2005;[65]
In February 2005, a UNDP update on Chad reported that $2,073,095 guaranteed
for mine action activities in 2004 had been used, and stated that at the time of
the report no further financial resources were available for
2005.[67 ]
The National Strategic Plan to Fight Mines and UXO 2002-2015 provides an
estimate of $76 million for the total mine action budget, including victim
assistance. In January 2003, the government announced its decision to finance
50 percent of its National Strategic Plan. Chad has reported providing
$3,858,000 to mine action for the period
1999-2003.[68 ]The budget for 2005
is estimated at more than $6.7
million.[69 ]
Chad called for $6,831,716 through the UN Portfolio of Mine Action Projects
in 2005; funds received by July 2005 reached US$174,000 for mine victim
assistance and MRE.[70]
Landmine/ERW Casualties
In 2004, there were at least 32 new mine/ERW casualties in Chad; seven
people killed and 25 injured. HCND recorded 12 new casualties, including one
deminer and five children under the age of 12; all survived the explosion. Four
casualties were caused by antipersonnel mines, three by antivehicle mines, four
by UXO and one by an explosive
device.[71 ]No fatalities were
recorded by HCND. In an incident in June, three people were killed and six
others injured after their vehicle hit a landmine near Faya
Largeau.[72 ]Six children were
injured in three UXO incidents near the Sudanese border in early
2004.[73 ]Landmine Monitor was also
told of two other unconfirmed mine/ERW incidents in 2004, in which two people
were killed and one injured.[74 ]This represents an increase from the 18 mine/ERW casualties (12 killed and
six injured) reported in 2003.[75 ]However, there is no comprehensive nationwide data collection mechanism in
Chad. The HCND occasionally receives reports on new casualties from its
regional offices in Fada, Wadi Doum and Bardaï, but does not systematically
include the information in the existing
database.[76 ]
In March 2004, two EOD specialists were injured in an explosion while
collecting fuzes and detonators.[77 ]In June 2004, a deminer lost his right hand and left foot, and sustained
facial injuries, after stepping on a mine during clearance activities in Wadi
Doum.[78 ]
One casualty was reported in January 2005, when a child injured his hand
when an unidentified device exploded near a borehole in the town of
Birgosse.[79 ]
Animals are also regularly killed in minefields. In May 2005 a herd of
eight camels was killed after walking into a minefield in Wadi
Doum.[80 ]
The total number of mine/ERW casualties in Chad is not known. The Landmine
Impact Survey provides the most comprehensive information with a total of 1,688
casualties (825 killed and 863 injured) recorded from January 1998 up to May
2001. The data does not include any mine/ERW casualties from the Tibesti region
in the north. Landmine Monitor identified another 200 mine casualties (53
killed and 147 injured) in
2002.[81 ]
Survivor Assistance
At the First Review Conference in November-December 2004, Chad was
identified as one of 24 States Parties with significant numbers of mine
survivors, and with “the greatest responsibility to act, but also the
greatest needs and expectations for assistance” in providing adequate
services for the care, rehabilitation and reintegration of
survivors.[82 ]Chad did not
participate in the workshop on advancing landmine victim assistance in Africa,
31 May-2 June 2005, convened for the eleven African States Parties among the
list of 24.
One of the objectives of the National Strategic Plan to Fight Landmines and
UXO is to improve mine victim assistance. In 2004, a new director was recruited
for the survivor assistance department within
HCND.[83 ]The 2005 Portfolio of
Mine Action Projects includes eight proposals for victim assistance activities
in Chad, including the development of a five-year national plan for the
rehabilitation and disability sector to promote the socioeconomic reintegration
of mine survivors; however, it would appear that the project lacks funding for
implementation.[84]
Chad submitted the voluntary Form J attachment with its annual Article 7
Report in 2005, with information on victim assistance and other
issues.[85]
In Chad, medical care and rehabilitation services for mine casualties remain
rudimentary. All Chadian and French planes are obliged to transport landmine
casualties free of charge. The French army operates a surgical unit at the
military hospital in N’Djamena with the capacity to assist mine
casualties. The military hospital also provides continuing medical care for
mine survivors. Other hospitals and health centers reportedly do not have the
capacity to do so.[86 ]In 2004,
International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) provided medical supplies to two
hospitals for the treatment of
war-wounded.[87]
In December 2004, a team from the American National Guard, accompanied by
the HCND director for survivor assistance, carried out a two-week assessment
mission on survivor assistance in Chad, visiting several sites and meeting with
survivors from various locations. Clear plans had not yet been developed, but
would reportedly include surgical
support.[88 ]
The ICRC provides financial, material and technical support to the Kabalaye
Orthopedic and Rehabilitation Center (CARK) in the capital, N’Djamena.
The center is run by Secours Catholique pour le Développement (SECADEV),
a Catholic development organization. In 2004, the center assisted more than 300
people, provided 205 prostheses (96 for mine survivors) and 142 orthoses (four
for mine survivors), and distributed 916 crutches. The ICRC reimbursed the cost
of treatment for more than 100 people, including nine new mine survivors (six
military personnel and three civilians, including one
woman).[89 ]However, in recent
years, CARK has been going through internal difficulties and the quality of
physiotherapy treatments and follow-up is reportedly low, with limited
collaboration between the rehabilitation and orthopedic
departments.[90 ]
The Our Lady of Peace rehabilitation center (Maison Notre Dame de la Paix)
provides orthopedic and rehabilitation services in the town of Moundou, and
holds surgical missions twice a year in collaboration with a team of visiting
surgeons from France or Spain. There are also two related centers in Kelo and
Doba, providing rehabilitation services, orthopedic devices and socioeconomic
reintegration support to persons with disabilities. Follow-up is also available
in satellite centers in Laï, Batchoro, Maibombaye, Bendone and Mbikou on
the premises of Catholic missions. Our Lady of Peace is supported by an
agreement with the Ministry of Health, and is financed through various donations
and through payment for treatments. People pay between 10 and 15 percent of the
total cost of treatment. In 2004, 1,343 people were assisted at the center,
including war-wounded; no mine survivors were assisted. The center also
produced 308 prostheses, 550 crutches, 39 wheelchairs and 101 pairs of
orthopedic shoes.[91 ]
The organization Physiotherapists of the World
(Kinésithérapeutes du Monde, KDM) in Chad provides technical
support and training in physiotherapy and orthopedics at the Admido
Rehabilitation Center in the Middle Chari. The center, opened in 1999, does not
receive any outside funding, which has reduced its ability to provide
treatments. KDM recently started a community-based rehabilitation project with
the center, in the hope of increasing its activity level. Twelve people have
been trained for follow-up and identification of persons in need of
rehabilitation services in the surrounding villages. KDM also ran the “A
Physiotherapist for every Hospital in Chari” project between 2002 and
2004. Eight people undertook a one-year training program in physiotherapy and
six received further ongoing training and support for the establishment of
rehabilitation departments in local hospitals, including in Kourma, Sahr,
Danamaghi, Moissala and N’Djamena. However, the trainees lack official
recognition from the State. KDM is planning to develop a recognized
physiotherapy training program in Chad, in collaboration with the Ministry of
Health and the Ministry of Education, to improve the level of rehabilitation
services available and to increase the recognition of the physiotherapy
profession.[92 ]
The Association of Orthopedic and Rehabilitation Professionals in Chad
(Association des professionels en Orthopédie et en
Rééducation au Tchad, APORT) represents orthopedic technicians and
physiotherapists from around the country. There are 12 recognized
physiotherapists and seven orthopedic technicians in
Chad.[93 ]
The NGO EIRENE (International Christian Service for Peace) runs a
Reintegration of Persons with Disability project in Chad, with the second phase
due to end in 2005. Activities include supporting local associations of persons
with disabilities, lobbying the Chad government for the development of inclusive
measures in favor of persons with disabilities, improving their mobility, and
increasing socioeconomic integration through training
activities.[94]
The Chad National Fund to Support Professional Training has trained 156
people with disabilities between 2002 and 2005, including 30 people trained in
welding in 2004 and eight women trained in crafts in 2005. On the National Day
of Persons with Disabilities in February 2004, the Ministry of Social Action and
Family organized training for 30 women with disabilities on the transformation
of local products.[95 ]SECADEV also
has vocational training projects in Chad, but it is not known if landmine
survivors or persons with disabilities
participate.[96 ]
The Ministry of Social Action and Family is responsible for issues relating
to persons with disability in Chad. In 2000, under decree 580/MASF/2000, the
ministry created the special Direction for the Reintegration of Persons with
Disabilities, which is in the process of finalizing a National Action Plan. The
objective for the next two years is to create professional training centers to
facilitate the socioeconomic reintegration of persons living with disabilities.
A new law for the rights and the improvement of the quality of life of persons
with disabilities in the area of health, socioeconomic and cultural integration,
transport, housing and security is currently being studied.
Law 17/PR/01 protects the rights of persons living with disabilities in
Chad. Children with a disability, or whose parents have a disability, have
access to free education under law 327/PR/MEN/94.
The Association for Mutual Aid of Physically Disabled of Chad (Association
d'Entraide des Handicappés Physiques du Tchad - AEHPT) supports persons
with disabilities, mainly in N’Djamena. It is estimated that there are
about 100 associations of persons with disabilities in Chad. Many are members
of the National Union of Persons with Disabilities in Chad (UNAPHT). The
Ministry of Communication has allocated air time on the National Diffusion Radio
for a program to raise awareness on disability issues in the general population.
In November 2004, the diocese of Doba, in collaboration with the Our Lady of
Peace rehabilitation center (Maison Notre Dame de la Paix), organized a
three-day national conference on the situation of persons living with
disabilities in Chad. The participants recommended that national legislation in
favor of persons living with disabilities be developed, and that national and
international NGOs working in the field of rehabilitation establish a
coordination committee.[98]
On 7 February each year a National Day of Persons with Disabilities is
organized under decree 136/PR/MCFAS/94, to promote the development of persons
with disabilities and their reintegration into society. However, it is
acknowledged that persons with disabilities, including mine survivors, are
stigmatized both at the private and public
level.[99 ]
[1 ]Email to Landmine Monitor (HRW)
from Kathleen Lawand, Legal Advisor, Mines-Arms Unit, ICRC, Geneva, 29 April
2005.
[2 ]The National Demining Office
(Haut Commissariat National de Déminage, HCND) provided Landmine Monitor
with a Draft Article 7 report (for the period 1 May 2004 to 30 April 2005) on 2
July 2005, which is cited throughout this country report. As of 30 September
2005, the report had not been posted to the UN website, http://disarmament2.un.org/MineBan.nsf.
[3 ]Previous Article 7 reports were
submitted: 12 December 2001; 29 April 2002; 30 April 2003; 27 May 2004.
[4 ]Statement by Mahamat Ali
Hassan, Minister of Planning, Development and Cooperation, Nairobi Summit on a
Mine-Free World (First Review Conference), 3 December 2004, p. 4.
[5]United Nations,
“Countries stand united in the battle against landmines,” 4 November
2004, www.un.int/angola/press_release_landmines.htm.
[6 ]Article 7 Report, Form G, 27
May 2004 (1 May 2003-30 April 2004); email to Landmine Monitor (Marielle Hallez)
from Michel Destemberg, Senior Technical Advisor, UNOPS/HCND, 5 July 2004.
[7 ]“Country Profile:
Chad,” www.mineaction.org, accessed 27 July 2005.
[8 ]Email from Michel Destemberg,
UNOPS/HCND, 2 July 2005.
[9 ]See Landmine Monitor
Report 2004, pp. 290-291.
[10 ]“Country Profile:
Chad,” www.mineaction.org, accessed, 27 July 2005.
[11]Email from Michel
Destemberg, UNOPS/HCND, 2 July 2005.
[12 ]Chad, “Updated First
Review Conference Document - Communicating Elements To Implement Article
5,” 28 January 2005, p. 2.
[13 ]Email from Michel
Destemberg, UNOPS/HCND, 2 July 2005.
[14 ]Chad, “Updated First
Review Conference Document - Communicating Elements To Implement Article
5,” 28 January 2005, p. 6.
[15 ]See Landmine Monitor
Report 2004, p. 291.
[16]Chad, “Updated First
Review Conference Document - Communicating Elements To Implement Article
5,” 28 January 2005, p. 5.
[17]Email from Michel
Destemberg, Chief Technical Advisor, UNOPS/HCND, 2 July 2005; telephone
interview with Michel Destemberg, 1 August 2005.
[18 ]Email from Michel
Destemberg, Chief Technical Advisor, UNOPS/HCND, 2 July 2005; telephone
interview with Michel Destemberg, 1 August 2005; see also Landmine Monitor
Report 2004, p. 295.
[19 ]Email from Tim Carstairs,
Policy Director, MAG, 14 September 2005.
[20 ]Draft Article 7 report (for
the period 1 May 2004 to 30 April 2005), Form J, sent by HCND to the Landmine
Monitor, 2 July 2005.
[21 ]Draft Article 7 report (for
the period 1 May 2004 to 30 April 2005), Form J, sent by HCND to the Landmine
Monitor, 2 July 2005; telephone interview with Michel Destemberg, UNOPS/HCND, 1
August 2005.
[22]Email from Tim Carstairs,
MAG, 14 September 2005.
[23 ]Chad, “Updated First
Review Conference Document - Communicating Elements To Implement Article
5,” 28 January 2005, p. 4; telephone interview with Michel Destemberg,
UNOPS/HCND, 1 August 2005.
[24 ]UNMAS, “Portfolio of
Mine Action Projects 2005: Chad,” www.mineaction.org, accessed 28 July
2005; telephone interview with Michel Destemberg, UNOPS/HCND, 1 August 2005.
[25 ]Email from Michel
Destemberg, UNOPS/HCND, 2 July 2005.
[26 ]UNMAS, “UN Portfolio
of Mine Action Projects 2005: Chad,” www.mineaction.org, accessed on 28 July
2005; telephone interview with Michel Destemberg, Chief Technical Advisor,
UNOPS/HCND, 1 August 2005. For development of the 2002-2015 strategy, see
Landmine Monitor Report 2004, pp. 291-292.
[27 ]Chad, “Updated First
Review Conference Document - Communicating Elements To Implement Article
5,” 28 January 2005, p. 6.
[28]Chad National Poverty
Reduction Strategy Paper (PRSP), June 2003, p. 106.
[29 ]Emails from Michel
Destemberg, UNOPS/HCND, 5 July 2004 and 2 July 2005; interview with Michel
Verrault, Senior Technical Advisor at HCND, UNDP/UNOPS, 14 January 2003.
[30]Email from Michel
Destemberg, UNOPS/HCND, 2 July 2005; telephone interview with Michel Destemberg,
1 August 2005.
[31 ]Draft Article 7 report (for
the period 1 May 2004 to 30 April 2005), Form J, sent by the HCND to the
Landmine Monitor, 2 July 2005; email from Tim Carstairs, MAG, 14 September
2005.
[32]Meeting with Didier Leonard,
Technical Operations Manager, MAG, N’Djamena, 23 May 2005.
[33 ]“General Survey
results,” MAG, 23 May 2005; email from Didier Leonard, MAG,
N’Djamena, 3 August 2005.
[34 ]Meeting with Didier Leonard,
MAG, N’Djamena, 23 May 2005.
[35 ]Telephone interview with
Michel Destemberg, UNOPS/HCND, 1 August 2005.
[36 ]Email from Michel
Destemberg, UNOPS/HCND, 2 July 2005.
[37 ]Email from Michel
Destemberg, UNOPS/HCND, 2 July 2005.
[38 ]Chad, “Updated First
Review Conference Document - Communicating Elements To Implement Article
5,” 28 January 2005, pp. 2-3.
[39 ]Draft Article 7 report (for
the period 1 May 2004 to 30 April 2005), Form J, sent by the HCND to the
Landmine Monitor, 2 July 2005.
[40]See Landmine Monitor
Report 2004, pp. 292-293.
[41]Chad, “Updated First
Review Conference Document - Communicating Elements To Implement Article
5,” 28 January 2005, p. 3.
[42 ]Draft Article 7 report (for
the period 1 May 2004 to 30 April 2005), Form J, sent by the HCND to the
Landmine Monitor, 2 July 2005.
[43 ]Chad, “Updated First
Review Conference Document - Communicating Elements To Implement Article
5,” 28 January 2005, p. 5.
[44 ]Email from Michel
Destemberg, Chief Technical Advisor, UNOPS/HCND, 2 July 2005.
[45 ]“Travaux - Bilans
Decembre 2004,” HCND.
[46 ]Chad, “Updated First
Review Conference Document - Communicating Elements To Implement Article
5,” 28 January 2005, p.7.
[47 ]Email from Michel
Destemberg, UNOPS/HCND, 3 August 2005; Chad, “Updated First Review
Conference Document - Communicating Elements Of Plans To Implement Article
5,” 28 January 2005, www.mineaction.org, accessed 22 August
2005.
[48 ]“Chantiers December
2004,” HCND.
[49 ]Draft Article 7 report (for
the period 1 May 2004 to 30 April 2005), Form J, sent by the HCND to the
Landmine Monitor, 2 July 2005; telephone interview with Michel Destemberg,
UNOPS/HCND, 1 August 2005.
[50 ]Interview with Lt. Col.
Philippe Marquez, French Military Cooperation, N’Djamena, 23 May 2005.
[51 ]HCND, “Travaux -
Bilans Decembre 2004.”
[52]Chad, “Updated First
Review Conference Document - Communicating Elements To Implement Article
5,” 28 January 2005, p 5.
[53 ]Chad, “Updated First
Review Conference Document - Communicating Elements To Implement Article
5,” 28 January 2005, p 5.
[54]UNICEF, “Plan
Stratégique Pour La ERM 2005 au Tchad,” N’Djamena, p. 5.
[55 ]Information provided to
Landmine Monitor by Valentina Crini, UNICEF, and Amrichtene Alnadjib, MRE
Director, HCND, N’Djamena, 29 May 2005.
[56]Information provided to
Landmine Monitor by Valentina Crini, UNICEF, and Amrichtene Alnadjib,
HCND, N’Djamena, 29 May 2005.
[57 ]UNICEF, “Plan
Stratégique pour la ERM 2005 en Tchad,” N’Djamena, p. 4.
[58]Emails from Elvan Isikozlu,
Mine Action Team, Foreign Affairs Canada, June-August 2005. Average exchange
rate for 2004: UD$1 = C$1.3017, used throughout this report. US Federal Reserve,
“List of Exchange Rates (Annual),” 3 January 2005.
[59]Email from Janine Voigt,
Diplomatic Collaborator, Switzerland Ministry of Foreign Affairs, 1 July 2005.
Rate of exchange for 2004 according to fixed rate specified by donor: $1 =
CH1.35, used throughout this report.
[60]UNDP Mine Action, Funding
Mine Action, Funding Update by Donors, www.undp.org/, accessed 22 August 2005. This
funding was not reported by the UK.
[61]Email from Angela L.
Jeffries, Financial Management Specialist, US Department of State, Bureau of
Political-Military Affairs, 20 July 2005.
[62 ]Telephone interview with
Michel Destemberg, UNOPS/HCND, 1 August 2005.
[63 ]Email from H. Murphey McCloy
Jr., Senior Demining Advisor, Bureau of Political-Military Affairs, US
Department of State, 13 September 2005. This may duplicate funding to MAG
reported for 2004.
[64]Email from Michel
Destemberg, UNOPS/HCND, 2 July 2005
[65]Email from Michel
Destemberg, UNOPS/HCND, 2 July 2005; telephone interview with Michel Destemberg,
1 August 2005.
[66]HCND, “Chantiers
December 2004.”
[67 ]MASG Newsletter, February
2005, UNDP update: Chad.
[68 ]See Landmine Monitor
Report 2004, p.295.
[69 ]Chad, “Updated First
Review Conference Document - Communicating Elements To Implement Article
5,” 28 January 2005, pp. 6-7.
[70]UNMAS, “Portfolio of
Mine Action Projects 2005: Chad,” www.mineaction.org, accessed 28 July
2005.
[71 ]Data provided to Landmine
Monitor (HI) by Kali Mahamat Salli, Director, Survivor Assistance, HCND,
N’Djamena, 26 May 2005.
[72 ]US Department of State,
“Country Reports on Human Rights Practices - 2004: Chad,” Bureau of
Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor, Washington DC, 28 February 2005.
[73 ]See Landmine Monitor
Report 2004, p. 296.
[74 ]Informal discussions during
field visit to Chad by Landmine Monitor (HI), 16 to 26 May 2005.
[75 ]For details, see Landmine
Monitor Report 2004, p. 296.
[76 ]Interview with Saleh Hissein
Hassan Halaki, Coordinator, HCND, N’Djamena, 18 May 2005; interview with
Michel Destemberg, UNOPS/HCND, N’Djamena, 20 May 2005.
[77 ]HCND, “Investigation
Commission Report,” N’Djamena, 10 March 2004.
[78 ]Interview with Michel
Destemberg, UNOPS/HCND, N’Djamena, 25 June 2004.
[79 ]Interview with MAG staff
during Landmine Monitor (HI) field visit, 17 to 26 May 2005.
[80 ]Interview with Saleh Hissein
Hassan Halaki, HCND, N’Djamena, 18 May 2005; interview with Michel
Destemberg, UNOPS/HCND, N’Djamena, 20 May 2005.
[81 ]For more details, see
Landmine Monitor Report 2004, p. 296.
[82 ]United Nations, Final
Report, First Review Conference of the States Parties to the Convention on the
Prohibition of the Use, Stockpiling, Production and Transfer of Anti-Personnel
Mines and on Their Destruction, Nairobi, 29 November–3 December 2004,
APLC/CONF/2004/5, 9 February 2005, p. 33.
[83 ]Interview with Saleh Hissein
Hassan Halaki, HCND, N’Djamena, 18 May 2005; Interview with Michel
Destemberg, UNOPS/HCND, N’Djamena, 20 May 2005; Draft Article 7 report
(for the period 1 May 2004 to 30 April 2005), Form J, sent by HCND to the
Landmine Monitor, 2 July 2005.
[84]UNMAS, “Portfolio of
Mine Action Projects 2005,” pp. 112-123, www.mineaction.org.
[85]Draft Article 7 report (for
the period 1 May 2004 to 30 April 2005), Form J, sent by HCND to the Landmine
Monitor, 2 July 2005.
[86 ]See Landmine Monitor
Report 2004, pp. 296-297; see also U.S. Department of State, “To Walk
the Earth in Safety,” Bureau of Political-Military Affairs, Washington DC,
5th edition, August 2004, p. 15.
[87]ICRC, “Annual Report
2004,” Geneva, June 2005, p. 137.
[88 ]Interview with Saleh Hissein
Hassan Halaki, HCND, N’Djamena, 18 May 2005; interview with Michel
Destemberg, UNOPS/HCND, N’Djamena, 20 May 2005 and 26 May 2005; interview
with Kali Mahamat Salli, Director, Survivor Assistance, HCND, May 25 2005; email
from Claude Tardif, Head of Physical Rehabilitation Programs, ICRC, 15 July
2005; Draft Article 7 report (for the period 1 May 2004 to 30 April 2005), Form
J, sent by HCND to the Landmine Monitor, 2 July 2005.
[89 ]ICRC Physical Rehabilitation
Program, “Annual Report 2004,” Geneva, July 2005, pp. 17-18, 44;
Kabalaye Orthopedic and Rehabilitation Center, “2004 Production
Statistics.”
[90 ]“Chad Program: Current
Situation and Ambitions” (Programme Tchad: État des lieux et
ambitions), Aux Coins du Monde, No. 40, Summer 2005, p. 3, available in
French at www.kines-du-monde.org/Journal/AUXCOINSDUMONDEN40.pdf, accessed 5
July 2005.
[91 ]Response to Landmine Monitor
Survivor Assistance Questionnaire by Father Michel Guimbaud, 4 July 2005
“Assessment of the 25 years of the Our Lady of Peace Rehabilitation
Center” (“Bilan des 25 années de la Maison Notre-Dame de
Paix”), report by Michel Guimbaud, 24 March 2004.
[92 ]Email from Nadège
Régent, KDM, 18 July 2005; Report on “Conference on the Situation
of Persons with Disabilities in Chad,” (Colloque sur la situation des
personnes handicapées au Tchad), Doba , 9-11 November 2004, pp. 30-39;
see also www.kines-du-monde.org,
accessed 5 July 2005.
[93 ]Report on “Conference
on the Situation of Persons with Disabilities in Chad,” (Colloque sur la
situation des personnes handicapées au Tchad), Doba, 9-11 November 2004,
p. 33; interview with Djastoide Lonira, Director, APORT, N’Djamena, 25 May
2005; email from Claude Tardif, ICRC, 15 July 2005.
[94]“Support for Persons
with Disabilities: Integration of Persons with Disabilities in Chad,”
(SAPH: Integration von Menschen mit Körperbehinderung im Tschad), www.eirene.org/programme/sued/sued.saph/,
accessed 28 July 2005.
[95 ]Interview with
Mbaïtoubam Saklah Djimadoungar, Director, Reintegration of Persons with
Disabilities, Ministry of Social Action and Family, N’Djamena, 24 May
2005; “The Implementation of the Decade of Persons with Disabilities in
Chad” (La mise en œuvre de la décennie de la personne
handicapée au Tchad), report by Mbaïtoubam Saklah Djimadoungar,
Ministry of Social Action and Family, 2 April 2005.
[96 ]Interview with Marc
Beremadji Madengar and Yanyara Djimadoumadji Elie, SECADEV, N’Djamena, 25
May 2005.
[97]Unless otherwise stated the
information in this section is from an interview with Mbaïtoubam Saklah
Djimadoungar, Ministry of Social Action and Family, N’Djamena, 24 May
2005; and “The Implementation of the Decade of Persons with Disabilities
in Chad” (La mise en œuvre de la décennie de la personne
handicapée au Tchad), report by Mbaïtoubam Saklah Djimadoungar,
Ministry of Social Action and Family, 2 April 2005.
[98]Report on “Conference
on the Situation of Persons with Disabilities in Chad,” (Colloque sur la
situation des personnes handicapées au Tchad), Doba, 9-11 November 2004.
[99 ]See Landmine Monitor
Report 2004, p. 298.