US embassy cable - 05NDJAMENA1077

UNCLAS  NDJAMENA 001077 
 
SIPDIS 
 
 
DEPARTMENT FOR AF, AF/C, DRL, INR, LONDON AND PARIS FOR 
AFRICA-WATCHERS 
INFO AF/PD (DWHITMAN) 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PGOV, OIIP, KPAO, PHUM, CD, Human RIghts 
SUBJECT: ERODING PRESS FREEDOMS IN CHAD 
SENSITIVE 
REF: NDJAMENA 864, 946 
 
1.  (SBU) Summary:  Press freedoms continue to erode in 
Chad.  Of particular concern is the recent arrest of three 
journalists from the independent press. Two are now free, 
but remain under threat of further prosecution, while a 
third is still in custody.  Independent media, including 
newspapers and radio, continue to voice strong critiques of 
the Deby regime.  The Ambassador has met with the Minister 
of Communication and the Minister of Justice to express USG 
concerns about the situation.  The Ambassador also held a 
press conference to discuss the importance of press 
freedoms. End Summary 
 
----------------- 
UPDATE ON ARRESTS 
----------------- 
 
2.  (SBU)  Al-Hadj Djarma and Samory Ngaradoumb, both from 
the independent L'Observateur, were arrested on June 16th 
and June 21st respectively. They were brought to trial on 
defamation charges, based on the publication of an "open 
letter" from the Kreda ethnic group, and two subsequent 
editorials, that criticized the regime's treatment of the 
Kreda people.  Both journalists were freed on July 7th. 
However, multiple sources suggest that they will be brought 
back to court later this month on civil charges.  The third 
journalist, Michael Didama of Le Temps, was arrested on 
June 22nd and remains in custody, charged with incitement to 
violence, and false attribution of a gruesome photo 
depicting dead bodies that Le Temps claims is from a 
massacre in Eastern Chad. 
 
---------------------------------- 
VISIT TO MINISTRY OF COMMUNICATION 
---------------------------------- 
 
3.  (SBU)  The Ambassador paid a visit to the Minister of 
Communication (MOC) on June 27th in order to express USG 
concern over the matter.  In a wide-ranging and open 
dialogue that lasted over an hour, the Ambassador and the 
MOC discussed the particulars of the three cases, the need 
for press freedoms in a nascent democracy such as Chad, and 
ways in which the USG has helped to promote an open and 
professional press corps in Chad.  The Ambassador 
highlighted the wealth of press programs undertaken by 
Embassy N'Djamena, including recent journalism training 
programs, and an equipment give-away to 35 different media 
outlets.  He expressed the mission's willingness to help 
Chad develop a professional press.  He also cautioned the 
MOC against provoking a larger crisis in trying to stop 
journalists from printing their stories, reminding the MOC 
that such actions will draw attention in the USG and the 
international community will be very preoccupied with the 
arrests.  The Ambassador encouraged the MOC to find a 
solution to the problem as soon as possible, and expressed 
his hope that the three journalists would be released 
without delay. 
 
 
--------------------- 
MOC COMMENTS/REACTION 
--------------------- 
 
4.  (SBU)  The MOC expressed his thanks to the Ambassador, 
calling the USG a good partner in helping Chad's 
journalists with material and financial aid, as well as 
training.  He spoke at length of what he called a "cultural 
problem" among journalists, saying that they did not know 
how to handle sensitive information. The MOC stated that 
all three journalists were arrested for "incitement to 
rebellion", and often referred to the "lack of 
professionalism" among Chadian media.  He expressed the 
view, also found in the government media, that Al-Hadj 
Djarma of L'Observateur is not a real journalist, and 
"often says things in the wrong way."  He charged that the 
photo of the massacre published by Le Temps was taken from 
the internet and actually depicts a massacre in Sudan.  The 
MOC also stated that he has personally lobbied for the 
release of the journalists, that the matter is no longer in 
his hands, and that he will be happy to see them released. 
 
He requested USG assistance in developing a "code of good 
conduct" for Chadian journalists. 
 
---------------------------- 
VISIT TO MINISTRY OF JUSTICE 
---------------------------- 
 
5.  (SBU)  The Ambassador paid a visit to the Minister of 
Justice (MOJ) on July 6th to discuss the arrests, and 
several other matters.  The Ambassador again expressed USG 
concerns over the three journalists, and journalistic 
freedoms in Chad.  The Ambassador complimented the MOJ on a 
recent speech that the MOJ gave in which he spoke about the 
importance of respect for human rights, including the right 
of free expression.  The Ambassador expressed the hope that 
Chad can avoid a situation in which the world views it as a 
country that does not respect the liberty of the press.  He 
reminded the MOJ that the journalist still in detention, 
Michael Didama, was a participant in the Embassy's 
International Visitors program in 2002, when he spent three 
weeks in the U.S. studying investigative journalism.  The 
PAO, also present at the meeting, informed the MOJ that the 
Public Affairs Section is conducting a three-week training 
session for 15 Chadian journalists in Yaounde in late July. 
Both of these programs illustrate the mission's commitment 
to training Chadian journalists, and encouraging them to be 
more professional.  The Ambassador also took the 
opportunity to discuss the 2005 trafficking in persons 
(TIP) report with the MOJ, mentioning in particular the 
problems of child cattle herders, involuntary domestics, 
and childhood prostitution.  In addition, the Ambassador 
gave the MOJ an update on the Embassy's program to support 
the Chadian judicial system. 
 
--------------------- 
MOJ COMMENTS/REACTION 
--------------------- 
 
6.  (SBU)  The MOJ thanked the Ambassador for the judicial 
assistance program, and expressed his wish that the program 
move ahead as quickly as possible, due to the great 
operational difficulties faced by judges in Chad.  He 
expressed his "personal concern" with the problems 
discussed in the TIP report, and assured the Ambassador 
that he is working on solutions to improve childhood 
welfare in Chad.  On the arrests of journalists, the MOJ 
stated that "liberty of the press in an option, and we have 
opted for this liberty."  He said that press freedoms are 
improving in Chad, but that "personal attacks cannot make a 
free press prosper."  The MOJ emphasized the importance of 
dialogue, saying that he will always seek to avoid 
violence, and calling arrest "a kind of violence."  He 
expressed the hope that in the coming years, these types of 
arrests will no longer occur in Chad. 
 
 
------------------------------------------ 
PRESS CONFERENCE/MEDIA ASSISTANCE PROGRAMS 
------------------------------------------ 
 
7.  (SBU)  On July 1st, the Ambassador held a press 
conference to discuss the Embassy's democracy building 
programs in Chad, including judicial support, civics 
education, the "Right to Know" radio broadcasts, girls' 
scholarships, and oil revenue transparency.  He also 
discussed the importance of press freedom with the media, 
stating that the press should be free to express itself, 
and also free of fear of arrest and harassment.  The press 
conference was followed by a ceremony to mark the hand-over 
of approximately $60,000 of equipment to 35 separate media 
outlets, including private and public radio, television, 
and print media.  The equipment included cameras, fax 
machines, generators, computers, tape recorders and 
motorbikes.  The events received wide coverage in the 
media: radio FM Libert played excerpts of the Ambassador's 
remarks, while at least two newspapers published lengthy 
accounts of the press conference and detailed lists of the 
material the Embassy has provided to the media. 
 
------- 
COMMENT 
------- 
8.  (SBU)  Chad has enjoyed -- and for the most part 
continues to enjoy -- a boisterously free-wheeling press. 
Worries about the recent referendum lifting presidential 
term limits, President Deby's health, tensions on Chad's 
eastern border with Sudan, and other pressures are 
nonetheless making the regime even jumpier.  Despite the 
release of two of the three journalists jailed for criminal 
charges, its willingness to put up with criticism is 
wearing thin.  International press organizations are taking 
notice.  Reporters Without Borders and the Committee to 
Protect Journalists have already sent strongly worded 
protests. 
 
 
NNNN