SUMMARY
CSNPD (Committee of National Revival for Peace and Democracy) was one of the almost countless number of Chadian rebel groups opposing the regime of Idriss Deby during the 1990s. Deby himself had come into power in December 1990 after a bloody conflict against the President Hissèn Habré who had been ruling the country through a brutal regime since 1982. There is an immense ethnic diversity within the country, and these divisions have been exacerbated by a tradition of factionalism. Historically, there has been animosity between the mainly Muslim north and the more Christian and animist south. This animosity was further reinforced by a negligent French colonial administration and even if the political situation has evolved to surpass the simplified north-south dichotomy, this division remains at the core of the conflict and can still be used by opportunistic politicians.
CSNPD first emerged in February 1992 when they attacked a police station in Chadian capital N’Djamena, an incident during which 13 people died. The group was led by Moise Kette - a former Officer in the Chadian army – and aimed to introduce a federal political system in Chad. Furthermore, the group opposed the presence of the Republican Guard and Muslim fundamentalist mercenaries in the southern part of the country. CSNPD’s stronghold lied in the southern part of Chad, mainly in southern Logone Oriental Region. However, most of its military bases were located in the north of the Central African Republic where CSNPD’s presence was openly tolerated until May 1994 when the group was banned from the territory. The use of Central African Republic territory for rear bases was the only foreign support received by CSNPD. Such a low degree of external involvement was a relatively rare phenomenon in Chad at the time, as most other armed groups were directly or indirectly supported by foreign states.
The expulsion from the Central African Republic occurred during a critical time for CSNPD. In February 1994, the group singed a first peace agreement with the government of Chad, an agreement mediated by the Central African Republic. After the conclusion of the accord, Moise Kette continued to insist on the organization of a referendum on federalism in Chad – a condition not foreseen in the agreement. As a consequence, the agreement was never fully implemented, and violence continued. Under increased pressure – notably the deprivation of its rear bases – CSNPD agreed on 11 august 1994 on a new peace agreement, again mediated by the Central African Republic. This agreement led to frictions within CSNPD, culminating in the creation of FARF (Armed Forces of the Federal Repbulic) by former CSNPD member Laokein Barde who continued the armed struggle.
As part of the second agreement, CSNPD was allowed to become a regular political party and Moise Kette received a post in the government. Kette himself was dismissed from the government in 1996, only to re-join it shortly afterwards again as security advisor. Kette held this position until March 2000, when he was once more removed from office. As a reaction, Moise Kette attempted to re-activate CSNPD, but was shot to death by government forces in September 2000.
CSNPD has been involved in the state-based and one-sided categories of UCDP organised violence.
