Chad

In late January 2008, an ongoing civil conflict between the Chadian government and several rebel groups exploded into violent confrontation in Chad’s capital, N'Djamena. As a result, thousands of Chadians fled into neighboring Cameroon and Nigeria. This was the third coup attempt against the Chadian government in as many years. The Sudanese government, which is responsible for genocide in Darfur, supports Chadian rebels because it wants to end the Chadian government’s support for rebels in Darfur and block the deployment of a United Nations peacekeeping mission to eastern Chad. At the same time, the Chadian government is among the world’s most corrupt, and Chad’s stunningly destitute population has been consistently disenfranchised. Instability and proxy conflicts will continue unless the international community takes two significant actions. First, the international community must impose a cost on the Sudanese government for trying to impose regime change in Chad. Second, international diplomacy must push for dramatic internal political reforms in Chad that will prevent future conflict.