Amine Abba Sidick was Chad's Foreign Minister when Idriss Déby Itno was killed. Since the dissolution of the government, he is no longer a minister, but explains how to do business ...

Chad: "We need civil power through the ballot box, but let's give the CMT time"

Audio 06:32

Mahamat Idriss Deby Itno, son of President Idriss Deby Itno, here on Tuesday, April 20, 2021, heads the Transitional Military Council (CMT).

Text by: David Baché

13 mins

Amine Abba Sidick was Chad's Foreign Minister when Idriss Déby Itno was killed.

Since the dissolution of the government, he is no longer a minister, but explains day-to-day business.

Before that, this figure in Chadian political life had been Chad's ambassador to France and director of the civilian cabinet to the presidency.

Amine Abba Sidick sees the transition period as a process leading to the establishment of elected civil power.

Until then, he calls for support for the Transitional Military Council.

Publicity

RFI: To begin with, your reaction to the violence this morning.

Demonstrations at the call of the opposition, a murderous repression: could we not avoid that

Amine Abba Sidick:

We have a security situation that must be preserved.

Marshal of Chad has just been killed.

The security situation is very fluid, and really, this is not the time for demonstrations.

Letting the opposition express itself, demonstrate, without repressing… that's the game of democracy, isn't it

Can you guarantee me that all those who demonstrate is only to demonstrate?

We do not know.

Is everyone a peaceful protester?

On this Transitional Military Council which took power, for 18 months announced, headed by General Mahamat Idriss Déby, son of Idriss Déby Itno.

This is not what the Chadian Constitution provided for.

How do you position yourself vis-à-vis this CMT

I care about the security and peace of my country.

The reality is there.

It is the CMT which ensures the security of this country, it must be helped.

You are a former minister of Marshal Idriss Déby Itno.

You are also a politician, a diplomat, a civilian.

Doesn't the takeover of power by a group of soldiers frighten you?

You know, there are the principles and there is the reality on the ground.

I have known this country, I am a man of a certain age and experience.

We must actually move towards the principles, but the reality is there, and it is safe.

►Also read: In Chad, the opposition calls for demonstrations, unrest in Ndjamena and in the provinces

For you, this is a necessary moment ...

It is a necessary moment and now the principles must serve as a horizon.

And what is this horizon?

The horizon is that in the meantime, we need a political consensus, peaceful and free elections, so that a civil power through the ballot box arrives, but not on the spot.

We can't claim that right away anyway!

The opposition talks about dynastic succession, from father to son.

Which is not the prerogative of a democracy ... Aren't you afraid that those who have taken power will want to keep it?

But those who say that, what do they have in return?

It's just principles.

They don't even know the reality!

Immediately, today, we are going to put a civil power?

Be serious !

It always takes a process!

The Transitional Military Council rejected the offer of a ceasefire by the Fact rebels.

Wasn't this an opportunity to seize to avoid a civil war?

I understand humanly the attitude of the CMT towards the FACT, which is the author of the death of President Idriss Déby.

The ashes are still hot.

The soldier on the ground still has rage in his heart.

Let us give the CMT time to examine this file.

Precisely, on the death of Idriss Déby Itno, you say you want to put an end to the rumors ...

Some people get lost in conjecture on this subject.

The President behaved like a soldier, and he died like a soldier in these battles.

And what is curious is that it is those who are not in his camp who are speculating.

Everyone around him testified that he died in the fighting.

So an assassination plotted by relatives, within the army, his clan or his family, is in your opinion to be excluded

I have no proof.

Why not believe those around him who have always been his followers?

The CMT asks Niger for a sort of right of pursuit on its territory against the rebels of the Fact.

Do you agree with this request

I think Niger has already reacted favorably.

He is on the side of the Chadian authorities.

There are bilateral agreements, and within the G5 we have conventions, we have agreements, and therefore Niger is required to apply them in all fraternity.

But this is not the vocation of the G5 Sahel, which theoretically acts in the field of the fight against terrorism, not to support this or that regime ...

When there are people who leave from another country, who come to attack, it is the duty of the G5 to look into it, because the security of the G5 Sahel States is at stake.

And don't forget that Chad is the security barrier of the G5 Sahel.

The Prime Minister of the Chadian Transition has been appointed: Albert Pahimi Padacké.

Is it a good choice

He is a reasonable choice, he is a moderate man.

I think it is a good choice.

Many see him as a civil guarantee for the new military regime, in the same way that he had been a “

false opposition candidate

” against Idriss Déby Itno during the last presidential election, he who had already been his Prime Minister ...

You say "a lot", but have you done a survey, are they the most numerous?

No, I do not think so.

Personally, what is close to my heart is stabilization, peace and security in this country.

Are you in favor, as the opposition demands, of a national dialogue?

I think you have to open up to everyone to have a dialogue, and I think you have to give time to time to do that.

And if we start now, we can achieve this within eighteen months, as set by the CMT.

When we see the repression of demonstrations, violent, murderous, is the CMT able to organize such a dialogue, in a truly inclusive way?

CMT's action should not be judged by the demonstrations this morning.

The country has just been attacked by people from outside.

Do you think it's really reasonable to leave protests right now, in this context?

Chad: "We need civil power through the ballot box, but let's give the CMT time"

Chad: "We need civil power through the ballot box, but let's give the CMT time"

You may like

Trends 24h

Latest