UNITED NATION
SOCIAL FORUM
DEMOCRATIC GOVERNANCE, HUMAN
RIGHTS AND THE EQUITABLE
DEVELOPMENT OF NATURAL RESOURCES
GENEVA 1-4 OCTOBER 2012
Me. DELPHINE KEMNELOUM DJIRAIBE
Public Interest Law Center
CHAD
DEMOCRATIC GOVERNANCE
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To build democratic governance, the biggest
challenge is to develop institutions and processes
that are more responsive to the needs of ordinary
citizens including the poor. Democratic governance
should promote development at the same time.
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Such processes must encourage:
participation
accountability
effectiveness at all levels.
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WHO CONTROLS POWER
CONTROLS OIL MONEY
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Without democratic governance, sustainable
people-centered development is not possible.
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Chad exemplifies how a lack of democratic
governance can drastically undermine
opportunities for sustainable development and
elevate poverty. Chad’s oil wealth has deepened
the gap between rich and poor and exacerbated
armed conflicts over power: “who controls
power controls oil money.”
REPUBLIC OF CHAD
REPUBLIC OF CHAD
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Population: about 11 million 52% of women
11 august 1960: independence from France
1975: assassination of the first president of the
republic of Chad
1979: Civil war in N’djamena the capital city
1982: Hissen Habre’s dictatorship regime
1990: Idriss Deby’s so called democratic regime
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1993: National Sovereign Conference
1996: Constitutional referendum
2005: Amendment to the constitution to remove the limitation
term
2007: Political agreement to strengthen democratic process
2006: Rebels group attack on N’djamena
2008: Second rebel group attack on N’djamena.
President Idriss Deby who took power by “coup d’etat” has legitimate himself
by rigged and contested elections and is in power since 1990 (22 years)
CHAD IS AN OIL PRODUCING
COUNTRY SINCE 2003
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Since 2000 the World Bank has approved the Chad
Cameroon pipeline known as the Chad Cameroon
project (1070 length of pipeline, estimated 1.5 million
of barrels).
The objective of the project is to help Chad elevate its
poverty and start sustainable development.
The project was completed a head of the planed time
and oil revenue started flowing since 2003.
As soon as the government start getting the oil revenue,
the all governance of the country has begun to crumple.
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The government has changed the law governing the
management of the oil revenue to include the security
sector among the priority sectors ( education, health ,
agriculture and infrastructure).
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The constitution has also been changed to allow
President Deby to run for presidency without
limitation. It has been a starting point for the
exacerbation of armed conflict, massive violation of
human rights. Including, unlawful arrest, violation of
freedom of press and of opinion, rampant corruption
and insecurity.
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As result majority of the population has become poorer
than they were before the exploitation of oil.
THE ROLE OF CIVIL SOCIETY
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The civil society in Chad has played a key role
by helping redesigning the project to include
control measures and mainly to be a watchdog
in order to alert the World Bank and the
government of Chad on the risk of the failure of
the project.
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Despite their warnings they were not listening
and the project has turned to a disaster for the
Chadian population.
SOME EXAMPLES
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In 2007, military and security spending totaled
161.49 billion FCFA compare to 38.55 billion
FCFA for the 4 priority areas combined
(education, health, agriculture and livestock).
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Military spending of the Chadian State increased
from 35.39 billions FCFA in 2004 to 275.71
billions in 2008, corresponding to an increase
of 240.31 billions FCFA within four years.
BUDGET OVERVIEW SINCE
THE OIL PRODUCTION
YEAR
2004
2005
BUDGET
199 906 793 171
296 483 229 806
OIL REVENUES
% OF OIL
REVENUES
82 810 741 000
38,67%
125 522 382 675
42,34%
2006
579 946 624 253
383 507 000 000
64,94%
2007
767 083 187 852
559 869 000 000
73,21%
2008
1 044 972 877 395
704 529 000 000
72,88%
2009
560 066 666 736
486 700 000 000
56,88%
2010
1 034 381 000 000
591 475 000 000
57,18%
2011
1 572 482 233 000
939 861 230 000
59,76%
2012
1 366 624 000 000
664 870 000 000
48,65%
CURRENT SITUATION
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Socio-political and security crisis is occurring
now in Chad and may impact negatively the
precarious peace expensively acquired.
Poor governance including the non fairly
redistribution of national wealth (oil revenue);
misused of public fund, confiscation of the
country's wealth in favor of the ruling minority,
the unaffordable cost of living ... are evils that
undermine the country’s peace.
Union leaders, journalists and civil servants are
prosecuted and sentenced to prison and heavy
fine after unfair trial for acts of strike and / or
for relaying information about it.
CONCLUSION
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This is an opportunity to call for international
solidarity to act for the protection of the
Chadian population and to consolidate peace.
Thank You for your kind attention.