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Chad |
SOCIAL CONDITIONS
Redefining their role
In October 2002, the Association of Niger’s Traditional Chiefs (ACTN) visited the Association of Chad’s Traditional Chiefs (ACTT) in N’Djamena. The delegates met with the political authorities, and those in charge of the United Nations Childrens Emergency Fund (UNICEF). A conference-debate took place in the Study and Training Centre For Development (CEFOD), which attracted intellectuals, students, womens associations, young people and local leaders in N’Djamena. The meeting clarified the traditional chiefs’ new wishes.
Conflict prevention
Vis à vis the political authorities, it was a question of drafting laws which must clearly redefine the new role of the traditional chiefs in a world undergoing profound changes. Current laws restrict the traditional chiefs to being supplementary administrators, subordinate to the political administrators. However, in Niger, traditional chiefs are fully involved in conflict prevention, especially in mediating in disagreements between farmers and nomadic livestock breeders.
The traditional chiefs want to take an active part in mediating in the frequently bloody cross-border quarrels which very often involve disputes over farmland and grazing rights. The chiefs justify their role in these conflicts by the fact that the politicians have never succeeded in controlling these crises which frequently result in fatalities. On the contrary, they exacerbate them because they don’t understand the customs and traditions of the local people involved. The heads of cantons (small territorial districts) and the sultans can be a force for change in these conflicts. The reason being because of family ties and the vassalage system which takes no account of international frontiers.
The Chadian authorities took good note of what’s happening in Niger, and plan to study as soon as possible the traditional chiefs’ real role. They invited traditional chiefs in Sudan and Chad to the 4th session of the mixed sub-commission on security matters concerning Sudan (Western Darfour State) and Chad (Departments of Biltine, Assongha, Wadday, Sila and Ennedi), 30-31 October 2002. It should be pointed out for a number of years, armed gangs, smugglers and poachers have been troubling these frontier areas, preventing the free circulation of people and goods, and in general, causing havoc for cross-border trade and the comings and goings of ordinary citizens.
Social role
Traditional chiefs from both Chad and Niger also have had «very profitable» discussions with senior UNICEF officials in Chad. The ACTTs secretary-general, Mr. Ali Mahamoudi Malick, says: «Traditional chiefs in Niger and Chad, are well-placed for passing information on to local communities. Local chiefs know their people and their needs and desires». For this reason, the chiefs intend to sign a draft partnership agreement with UNICEF‘s office in N’Djamena.
That will make it possible for public awareness campaigns dealing with such subjects as vaccination, girls’ schooling, malaria, marriage and early pregnancies, to be carried out throughout Chad. Elhadj Tahirou Ali, the ACCT‘s treasurer insists: «Both UNICEF and the relevant countries are challenged to tackle these issues, because as far as children are concerned, it’s a matter of childrens’ survival, also protecting them and assuring their development».
This new attitude is clearly at odds with the negative reactions during the last five years by the traditional authorities, vis à vis health issues (preventing HIV/AIDS and Sexually Transmitted Diseases) and the political changes sweeping across Africa, resulting from the arrival of democracy in many countries. (Traditional chiefs are afraid of losing their traditional prerogatives).
Questions
However, at CEFOD‘s conference-debate, the traditional chiefs did not really convince participants about the new role they want to play.
Some participants were convinced the traditional rulers are playing a double game, and not too well, either —declaring they want to come into the present day and age, but at the same time, hiding their real design which is to get their hands on the cash provided by international organizations and other backers. The fact is, in recent years, health issues, environmental protection, education and especially enduring human development and good governance have became world-wide concerns. Donor nations and organisations are fully prepared to inject enormous funding in projects concerned with these issues. The fact that the traditional chiefs are also involved in these matters, makes many people believe the chiefs want to get hold of all the finance provided, as presently there’s a great lack of economic resources in rural areas.
Traditional chiefs have lost a great deal of their power and prerogatives. Why? Some delegates at the CEFOD conference-debate put it down to the fact that most traditional chiefs of cantons, sultanates and nomadic tribes are intellectuals, university lecturers or experienced economists. Take for example, Ali Mahamoudi Malik, who is chief of Abu-Charib canton in the sub-prefecture of Am-zoer (northern Chad) He’s a geographer, teaching and researching at N’Djamena University. One wonders how such an intellectual can continue to consider people living in his area as «subjects» and not as «fellow citizens» having both rights and obligations.
Be that as it may, I’m convinced the traditional chiefs’ new attitude is not completely opportunism, but is mostly a desire to adjust themselves to the modern age.
That’s why CEFOD‘s final declaration insisted especially on such issues as women’s and young peoples’ development. Issues which are of importance for traditional chiefs in their changing roles. However, it’s up to the chiefs to show they are sincere in their aspirations so as to dissipate any suspicion regarding the new role they say they intend to play.
- Missé Nanando, Chad, December 2002 — © Reproduction authorised, with usual acknowledgment