General information
Part of Conflict: Chad: Government
Date of first stated goals of incompatibility: 2006-10-22
Comment on date of first stated goal of incompatibility: On 22 October did the rebel groups CDR (Conseil Démocratique Révolutionnaire), FUCD (Front Uni pour le Changement Démocratique) and UFDP (Union des Forces Democratiques pour le Progrés) decided to unify under the name of UFDD (Union des Forces pour la Démocratie et le Développement). They also said that they should stress Chad’s unity and to organise a forum gathering armed groups, political parties and civil society towards democratic elections. UFDD have also in later statement said that they are bent on removing the president from power before the end of the year of 2006.
Date of first use of armed force: 2006-10-23
Comment on date of first use of armed force: The first use of armed force of the rebel group UFDD and the Chad government took place 3 October 2006. This was an attack by UFDD on the town of Am Timan in eastern Chad were the Chadian army were present.
First Battle Related Death: 2006-10-23
Comment on First Battle Related Death: The first battle-related death between the government of Chad and UFDD occurred on 3 October 2006. This was an attack by UFDD on the town of Am Timan in eastern Chad were the Chadian army were present. This attack killed at least 31 persons including both government and UFDD soldiers as well as civilians.
Date when dyad reached 25 battle releated deaths: 2006-10-23
Comment on date when dyad reached 25 battle related deaths: The dyad between the government of Chad and UFDD reached the threshold of 25 battle-related deaths the same day as the first use of armed forces, in an attack 3 October 2006. This was an attack by UFDD on the town of Am Timan in eastern Chad were the Chadian army were present. This attack killed at least 31 persons including both government and UFDD soldiers as well as civilians.
Conflict issues
Conflict Goal Issues: Union des Forces pour la Démocratie et le Développement, Union Force for Democracy and Development, (UFDD) was a rebel coalition alliance comprised of the three Chadian rebel groups UFDP, FUCD, and elements of CDR. The rebel group was established in 2006, with the explicit aim of ousting President Idriss Déby from power and unify the country through national dialogue and democratic elections. As UFDD was established from several different rebel groups with widely varying ethnic backgrounds, no unifying characteristic was seen in the group. UFDD was instead unified by its common goal of ousting Déby from power, rather than religious, ethnic, or ideological commonalities. During 2006, UFDD stated three conflict goal issues, stating its intentions to oust Idriss Déby from power, establish proper democracy in Chad and hold elections: “The UFDD pledges to ‘work for the holding of an inclusive national forum which will decide on the mechanism of the transition towards democratic, free, transparent and fair elections’.”
As the conflict progressed, emphasis was shifted from ousting Déby himself from power to oust the entire Chadian government and state structure. Issues of establishing democracy and holding elections was, however, continuously restated throughout the conflict. UFDD also raised several new issues, such as accusing the government of corruption and protecting the civil-, human-, cultural-, and religious rights of the Chadian people, particularly those not part of the Zaghawa ethnic group that was favored by Déby’s government. The group also intended on improving relations with its former colonizer France, and the planned drawing of a new constitution following the ousting of Déby. Finally, UFDD also stated its intentions to protect natural resource revenues and ensure they benefit the communities from which they stem and reestablish rule of law over the country.
The main conflict goal issues of UFDD were the establishment of proper Chadian democracy and the facilitating of elections. These issues were continuously raised throughout the conflict and were stated with heavy emphasis. The issue of ousting the executive and the head of the executive should also be considered as a joined main conflict goal issue as, whilst the specific issue coded was not continuous, the ousting of the executive was.
Conflict Dynamics Issues: During 2006, UFDD stated two conflict goal issues, accusing a recently formed government-supported non-Arab militia of creating “Terrible ethnic confrontations between Arab and non-Arab communities”, indicating issues of collective targeting by the government against Arab civilians people. UFDD also indicated calls for withdrawal of military support from the French government to Déby’s government, as it publicly criticized partial French oversight and attacked a French plane on one occasion.
In the following year, both issues were restated, although collective targeting motivated by ethnicity was more focused on rebel and militia groups “by hatred, attack[ing] Chadian tribes and ethnic groups”, whilst withdrawal of foreign military support was still aimed at France. UFDD also stated its opposition to the proposed Eufor Chad-RCA force that the UN and EU were planning to deploy in Chad, calling for withdrawal of military forces. The group also called for the removal of French foreign influence and political support over and to the government, and called upon the international community to instead pressure the Chadian government to assist UFDD, and accused the Chadian government of “carrying out an organized massacre of helpless people in the east of Chad”, alleging atrocities. Issues of atrocities against civilians, withdrawal of political support from the Chadian government and use of foreign influence to pressure the Chadian government to assist the group in the establishment of democracy.
The main conflict dynamics issues of UFDD were accusations of ethnically motivated atrocities and massacres conducted by the government and the various calls for foreign, particularly French, influence and support to decrease from the government and instead be directed at the motives of the group.
Conflict Resolution Issues: During the first year of the group’s existence, UFDD stated one conflict resolution issue, calling for the establishment of a national conference following the ousting of Déby which would guide the country towards democracy, calling for national dialogue. This issue was continuously raised throughout the conflict and, in 2007, was joined by calls for government adherence to a signed peace agreement. Naturally, the main conflict resolution issue of UFDD was the issue of national dialogue as it was heavily emphasized throughout the conflict.
Type of conflict issues: Conflict Goal Issues: Civil rights, Constitutional issues, Corruption, CPS: Democracy, Cultural rights, Foreign policy reform, Hold elections, Human rights, Oust full executive, Oust head of the executive, Religious rights, Revenues from natural resources, Rule of law
Conflict Dynamics Issues: Atrocities and abuses, Collective targeting: ethnic, DFI: Removal of foreign influence, DFI: Withdrawal of military intervention/foreign forces, DFI: Withdrawal of military support, DFI: Withdrawal of political support, IFI: Use of foreign influence
Conflict Resolution Issues: National dialogue, Peace agreement implementation
Annual information
This section contains annual information systematically collected by the UCDP.
2006
| Estimated Fatalities | |
|---|---|
| High | 1092 |
| Best | 339 |
| Low | 339 |
Secondary Warring Support:
Side A (Government of Chad): n/a
Side B (UFDD): n/a
2007
| Estimated Fatalities | |
|---|---|
| High | 380 |
| Best | 69 |
| Low | 69 |
Secondary Warring Support:
Side A (Government of Chad): n/a
Side B (UFDD): n/a
Peace agreements
Name of peace agreement: Accord de Paix le Gouverment de la Republique du Tchad et les Mouvements Ci-Apres: UFDD, RFC, CNT, UFDDF ("Sirte Agreement")
Date when warring parties signed the agreement: 2007-10-25
Comment of peace agreement: Partial peace agreement
On 25 October 2007 the government of Chad and UFDD together with three other rebel factions signed a definitive peace agreement in Syrte.
The agreement called for an immediate ceasefire and the integration of rebel forces into the ranks of the Defense and Security Forces and paramilitary formations. The integration would be applied in conjunction with disarmament. The rebels agreed to stay in their current position while waiting to integrate into the Chadian army. Libya, Chad, and Sudan would collaborate to provide for the necessary expenses until the reintegration into the Chadian Forces, or their demobilization or disarmament within a period of three months from the date of signature of the agreement.
Regarding the incompatibility, the agreements first provision was full respect for the Constitution of the Republic. It also provided for the setting up of a committee to decide on the integration of members of the rebel groups into all levels of Chadian state structures. The signatories were allowed to set up political parties.
The agreement also provided for a general amnesty for the signatory movements and the release of the prisoners of both parties. The mediators Libya and Sudan were the guarantors of the agreement and would oversee the implementation.
Signatories: Signatures
- For the Republic of Chad: Addam Younismi
- For the Union of Forces for Democracy and Development: Mahamat Nouri
- For the Rally of Forces for Change: Tidjani Erdimi
- For the National Chadian Concord: Hassan Saleh Al-Djinédi
- For the Union of Forces for Democracy and Basic Development: Abdelwahed Aboud
- For the Great Socialist People’s Libyan Arab Jamahiriya: Mouammar Kadhafi,
- For the Republic of Sudan: Omar Hassan El-Bachir,
- For the Community of Cen-Sad States
Comment of signatories: Comprehensive Peace Agreement signed in Syrte, Libya on 25 October 2007.
Third parties: Libya, Sudan, CEN-SAD
Comment of third parties role in peace agreement: Sudan and CEN-SAD acted as mediators and Libya helped facilitate the agreement, including by hosting the dialogue.
The agreement was signed in the presence of the presidents of Sudan and Libya.
Ended: True
Date agreement ended: 2007-11-25
Comment of Duration: The agreement lasted for a month, on 23 November 2007 Mahamat Nouri criticized the government for not implementing the peace agreement. Two days later fighting between the two sides broke out both parties accusing the other of the violation. Both sides also claimed defeating the other.
Full-text peace agreement
2019
| Estimated Fatalities | |
|---|---|
| High | 0 |
| Best | 0 |
| Low | 0 |
Secondary Warring Support:
Side A (Government of Chad): n/a
Side B (UFDD): n/a
Dyad Archive
This section contains annual information no longer systematically collected by the UCDP.
2006 Dyad Archive
Comment on Yearly Battle Related Deaths: The large difference in the high and best estimate is due to differing rebel and government accounts of losses in battles. Own losses are placed in the best category whilst claims of losses on the other side is put as a high estimate.
Comment on Active: On 22 October the rebel groups CDR (Conseil Démocratique Révolutionnaire), FUCD (Front Uni pour le Changement Démocratique) and UFDP (Union des Forces Democratiques pour le Progrés) decided to unify under the name of UFDD (Union des Forces pour la Démocratie et le Développement). They stated that they would stress Chad’s unity and organise a forum gathering armed groups, political parties and civil society to work towards democratic elections. The UFDD have also in later statements said that they are bent on removing the president from power before the end of 2006. In the following months the UFDD was involved in numerous severe clashes with the government. On 24 of December the FUCD leader signed a peace agreement with president Déby, but the UFDD did not recognize this agreement as being valid. Instead they stated that they would continue to fight against Déby and also decided to form a coalition with RAFD. The aim of this coalition was to unite the two rebel groups forces under a central command.
Negotiations: NO
Comment on Negotiations: There were no negotiations between the UFDD and the government during 2006. However, FUCD had negotiations when they were part of UFDD but these negotiations and the following peace agreement were not seen as valid among the other parts of UFDD. This resulted in a FUCD breakaway from UFDD when they signed the agreement with the government.
Victory: NO
Terminated: NO
2007 Dyad Archive
Comment on Yearly Battle Related Deaths: The difference between the best and high estimate is due to varying figures given to most of the battles taking place during the year. This is a low estimate and unconfirmed reports stated that “hundreds†had died and some even “thousandsâ€. However, scarcity of reliable sources means that these figures are not part of the UCDP coding.
Comment on Active: UFDD was active in 2007 due to fighting taking place mostly in the eastern part of Chad. The most violent months were January-February and November-December. One reason for the relatively calm period between this two more violent in the beginning and the end of the year was that negotiation took place leading to a peace agreement signed in Libya in the end of October. However, one month after UFDD had signed this agreement they took up weapons again due to lack of implementation of the agreement.
Negotiations: YES
Comment on Negotiations: Negotiations between the Government of Chad and UFDD (and three other rebel groups) started in Sirtre, Libya in July. These negotiations led to the signing of an agreement in Sirtre 25 October. The agreement calls for an immediate cease-fire, a general amnesty both for civilian and military members of the movements signing the agreement, participation in the management of State affairs and integration of the rebel movements’ troops into the army. However, this agreement held just for a month then fighting erupted again and one reason the rebels stated for taking up arms again was lack of implementation of the agreement.
Victory: NO
Terminated: YES
Type of termination: Other
Date of termination: 2007-12-31
Comment on Termination: In early January 2008 UFDD and two of the other main rebel gropus in Chad formed an alliance called National Alliance. Therefore the dyad of UFDD is coded as terminated.
Comment on Termination Date: As the National Alliance was formed early January 2008 last December 2007 is coded as the date of termination for UFDD.
2019 Dyad Archive
Terminated: NO
