An opposition group in Chad announced Thursday, August 18 during a press conference to maintain its demonstration scheduled for Friday and calls for "
civil disobedience
" while denouncing the "
illegal nature
" of the ban on the gathering by the ruling junta.
Wakit Tamma, a collective of opposition parties and civil society associations, had called for demonstrations on August 19 against the Transitional Military Council (CMT), led by Mahamat Idriss Déby Itno, son of the late President Idriss Déby, in undivided power for more than 30 years, killed while going to the front against rebels in April 2021.
"Civil disobedience"
Wakit Tamma wants to demonstrate on the eve of the opening in N'Djamena of the National Inclusive Dialogue between the civil and armed opposition and the ruling junta.
A dialogue that should lead to “
free and democratic elections
” and the handing over of power to civilians.
Wakit Tamma will not participate in the dialogue, which she considers "
biased
".
On Wednesday, the Minister of Public Security had banned the demonstration, considering that the organizers of the march did not "
respect the legal deadline for filing
".
“
Beyond the illegal nature of the decision of the Minister of Public Security, which violates the international human rights instruments that Chad has ratified, Wakit Tamma and his partners have decided to maintain the march of August 19, 2022 and to launch civil disobedience throughout the national territory
,” Wakit Tamma coordinator Max Laolngar told a press conference.
“
When arbitrariness becomes the rule and injustice currency, civil disobedience is a sacred right for all people
,” he continued.
“
They want to defy the law, they will draw the consequences of their actions
,” threatened the Minister of Communication and government spokesman, Abderamane Koulamallah.
Read alsoNational dialogue: an important rebel leader returns to Chad after years of exile
Opposition demonstrations are regularly banned by the authorities.
In April 2021, a few days after Mahamat Idriss Déby came to power, six people were killed in N'Djamena, the capital, and in southern Chad, according to the authorities, nine according to a local NGO, during demonstrations banned by the authorities, organized by the opposition and civil society.
