Protests in Chad: calm returns to Ndjamena after a morning of violence
On May 8, some demonstrators in Ndjamena brandished anti-French slogans.
AFP - DJIMET WICHE
Text by: RFI Follow
3 min
In Chad, after a morning of violence, calm seems to have returned to the capital, Ndjamena.
Citizen coordination Wakit Tama called for marches across the country, to protest against the transitional authorities established after the death of Idriss Deby, almost three weeks ago, namely the Transitional Military Council, headed by General Mahamat Idriss Déby, son of the former president, and against the government he appointed by decree.
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From our special correspondent in Ndjamena,
David Baché
with the technical means of
Julien Boileau
The authorities officially banned this demonstration.
They also indicated, Friday, May 7, that they would show "
good will
" and that they would not oppose the marches as long as they were peaceful.
This Saturday morning, the walkers, having dared to go out, were however violently repressed.
By late morning, the tension seems to have subsided.
Since the end of the morning, from what we could see, while driving, the city was calm.
The security forces are widely deployed in the streets, we meet imposing patrols in their vehicles.
Police and military are also stationed in many places.
It must be said that the walkers who had dared to go out this Saturday morning were very quickly and very violently repressed.
It must also be said that the march, initially planned, having thus been prevented, well the demonstrators organize scattered gatherings in their neighborhoods, which makes it difficult to have an immediate global vision.
The police fired on the first comers
This morning, the demonstration organized by Wakit Tama was to start from the Fest Africa area, in the 6th arrondissement, but the police fired on the first comers, while the place was still quite empty.
Live ammunition and point blank range, according to participants.
The citizen coordination gives an assessment, at midday, of a dozen injured including three serious.
One of them is currently being operated on at the Njjamena referral hospital.
The Wakit Tama coalition also counts fifteen arrests.
Asked by RFI, the Ministry of Public Security has not yet wished to communicate.
A press release is being drafted.
Other gatherings were reported by the executives of Wakit Tama, in the districts of Wallia, Atrone or even on the side of the University of King Faisal.
The police would have violently dispersed the marchers there.
RFI journalists also received tear gas in the legs, their driver was beaten by the police.
They were briefly stopped by police and soldiers and their equipment seized.
The material was recovered but the recordings were erased.
Read also: Chad: deterioration of the situation around rallies against the authorities
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