Cablegate: Deby's Liberation Day Speech Highlights Efforts for Peace,

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E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV PREL PREF PHUM SU CD
SUBJECT: DEBY'S LIBERATION DAY SPEECH HIGHLIGHTS EFFORTS FOR PEACE,
ELECTIONS, AND SOCIAL REFORM

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SUMMARY
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1. President Deby's annual "Liberation and Democracy Day" speech
this year featured the GOC's efforts for peace with Sudan and to
reconcile Chad rebels on the international plane, and political and
social reforms on the national plane, including support for
elections and efforts against child labor, "social violence,"
treatment of women, and corruption. Deby told an audience in the
southern city of Sarh December 28 that he was resolved to end the
internecine war with Chad rebel groups based in Sudan, and to pursue
peace talks with Sudan because he wanted Chad to have a different
future than "war, aggression, poverty, and uncertainty." The
presence of CAR President Bozize at the event underscored Deby's
irenic message that Chad seeks peaceful and fraternal relations with
its neighbors.

2. Deby's remarks also addressed a range of domestic political and
social reform and development issues. Deby said that he was
personally resolved on free and fair elections in 2010 and he
pledged to continue the GOC campaign to eliminate official
corruption from Chad. Deby came down especially hard on child
labor, saying that the GOC was determined to stamp out in all its
forms, labeling it a form of "human trafficking." He exhorted
Chadians instead to put and keep their children in school. Deby
proised that the GOC would address the problem of "soial
violence," in families, schools, and communiies, and he said that
greater respect for the role ofwomen in society was at the root of
resolvin the problem of "social violence." Ambassador Nigo
attended the event. END SUMMARY.

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CHAD-SUDAN DTENTE
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3. Deby told an audience in the southern city of Sarh December 28
that he was resolved to end the internecine struggle with Chad rebel
groups based in Sudan because he wanted Chad to have different
future than "war, aggression, poverty, and uncertainty." "That is
why we deploy so much effort to increased actions to enable us to
live in peace inside our borders and to deal peacefully with all our
neighbors," Deby declared. Addressing relations with Sudan, Deby
said that "despite the burdens imposed on us by the Darfur crisis,
we resumed talks with Sudan." The presence of CAR President Bozize
at the event underscored Deby's irenic message that Chad not only
seeks but also can maintain peaceful and fraternal relations with
its neighbors.

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OUTREACH TO CHAD REBELS
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4. Deby called on Chad rebels still unreconciled to the GOC to lay
down their weapons and said that they had a peaceful alternative.
Deby told his audience that "war is not the solution," and reached
out to rebels, saying that "Today, conditions are more ripe for
everyone to satisfy their ambitions through the ballot box." Deby
appealed to Chad rebels to "stop, stop, stop plunging Chadian
families into mourning and destroying our country." He told the
rebels more sternly that their armed rebellion had no future and
accused them of "putting the breaks on the country's development."

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ELECTIONS/CORRUPTION
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5. Deby told the crowd that his government - and he personally --
were resolved on free and fair legislative and local elections in
2010 and he urged Chadians to participate actively in the election
process. He said that the August 13 Accord would continue to be the
guide to the GOC's political reform direction.

6. Deby also pledged to continue the ongoing GOC campaign to
eliminate official corruption from Chadian national life. He said:
"Unfortunately, there is a category of actors, in both the public
and private sectors, who put a brake on our nation's advance toward

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modernity. These individuals take too much liberty with public
goods. From now on, such liberties will be severely punished.
Those responsible for the social abuse of dipping into public goods,
the corrupters and the corrupted, will be treated as such.
Kickbacks and bribes must cease at all levels of the public
administration. Public officials cannot take money from citizens
for any reason. I hope I am clear on this."

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CHILD LABOR AND EDUCATION
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7. Deby's remarks also addressed domestic reform and development
issues. He said that the GOC was determined to stamp out all forms
of "child labor," which he labeled a form of "human trafficking, and
promised that violators would be punished. He exhorted Chadians
instead to put and keep their children in school, as necessary to
the development of the nation. The "Liberation Day" parade,
traditionally mostly and very strikingly military in character, this
year was mostly civilian, and included nearly two hours of school
children marching by under the banners of their schools, quite
evidently to underline and reinforce Deby's remarks on education and
child-labor.

8. Deby on traditional child-labor practices in Chad, especially
the widely prevalent custom of "apprenticed child herders" (enfants
bouviers): "This shameful practice must immediately cease. The
employers, parents, herders, and intermediaries should be punished.
These children should be in school. The law of the Republic must be
respected in all its rigor."

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"SOCIAL VIOLENCE"
AND RESPECT FOR WOMEN
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9. Deby said that the GOC was determined to stamp out all forms of
"child labor," which he labeled a form of "human trafficking," and
promised that violators would be punished. He exhorted Chadians
instead to put and keep their children in school, as necessary to
the development of the nation. Deby also highlighted that it was a
GOC priority to address the problem of "social violence," including
within families, in schools, and between communities. He said that
greater respect for the role of women in family, social, and
political life was at the root of resolving the problem of social
violence."

10. Minimize considered.

NIGRO

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