Chad military government allows opposition leader Succes Masra back

Chad's military government and one of its main opponents, Succès Masra, signed an agreement on Tuesday for his return after a year in forced exile following a bloody protest, Congolese mediation announced in Kinshasa.

The "agreement in principle" was signed in Kinshasa "between the transition government (...) and the political party Les Transformateurs" to "allow the return to Chad" of its president Succès Masra, announced the president of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Félix Tshisekedi, in a press release.

The latter is the "facilitator" of the Economic Community of Central African States (ECCAS) for the "Transition Process" in Chad.

Nothing has been said about the content of the agreement or the date of Mr. Masra's return.

Like several other opposition leaders, he was forced to flee his country a few days after General Mahamat Idriss Déby Itno's government violently repressed opposition demonstrations on October 20, 2022.

Between 50, according to the authorities, and at least 300 people, according to NGOs and the opposition, had perished, almost all of them young men and teenagers killed by police and military bullets in N'Djamena, according to these national and international NGOs.

Large-scale raids then took at least 600 young people, including 80 children, to a sinister prison in the middle of the desert, where most of them were sentenced to prison terms in a mass trial without lawyers, before being pardoned by Mahamat Déby.

The then 37-year-old general was proclaimed president by the army on April 20, 2021, on the death of his father Idriss Déby Itno, who was killed by rebels on his way to the front after 30 years of ruling Chad with an iron fist.

- A step towards justice" -

Headed by a junta of 15 generals, Mahamat Déby immediately promised "free" elections after an 18-month transition, which he extended for a further two years 18 months later.

A referendum is scheduled for December 17 on a new constitution that is supposed to pave the way for elections.

The agreement, which also provides for the return of "all those who had to leave Chadian territory", was signed by Messrs Tshisekedi, Masra and Abderaman Koulamallah, Chad's Minister of Reconciliation.

"A matter of hours, of days", Mr. Masra simply told the press about the date of his return, adding: "Each has taken a step towards the other" and "I believe that the Chadian people are taking a step towards justice and equality".

"There can be no peace without a true democracy that allows the free expression of universal suffrage", commented Mr. Koulamallah, praising the "courage" of Mr. Masra, "a free man".

On October 8, at least 72 young members or sympathizers of the Transformers, who were preparing the announced return of Mr. Masra, were arrested in N'Djamena and have since been held incommunicado, according to the international NGO Human Rights Watch (HRW), which accuses the military authorities of continuing to "limit political dissent".

"There can be no peace without a true democracy that allows the free expression of universal suffrage", commented Mr. Koulamallah, praising the "courage" of Mr. Masra, "a free man".

On October 8, at least 72 young members or sympathizers of the Transformers, who were preparing the announced return of Mr. Masra, were arrested in N'Djamena and have since been held incommunicado, according to the international NGO Human Rights Watch (HRW), which accuses the military authorities of continuing to "limit political dissent".