June 27, 2019
Human rights organisations have become indispensable actors in Chad
ChadHuman rights defendersLocal justiceNews
Though they admit having had some reservations about HROs in the past, neighbourhood leaders, police chiefs, and other provincial authorities now recognise that there is a convergence between their mission and that of HROs, namely in ensuring the safety of people and their property. Some described HROs as “a compass that guides us in our mission”, while others highlighted their “remarkable work”. They hope to see an intensification of the activities of HROs and the strengthening and improvement of their collaboration with them.
The work of judges and court clerks is simplified by the work of HROs. They observe that people who have contact with HROs before starting legal proceedings are better prepared for hearings. They have a better understanding of their rights, are better able to navigate the procedures, are equipped with complaints and petitions that are of higher quality, and are better able to answer the questions they are asked. One court clerk who was interviewed, nonetheless, warned against the practices of some members of HROs, who sometimes push people to initiate proceedings that they are unwilling to undertake, or who are not impartial.
Prosecutors say that the work of HROs compliments their own:
“In my opinion, the presence of HROs in the field is an advantage for judges. The judge is confined to an office; it’s the human rights defender who provides them with more information about misconduct. The judge considers that before initiating public prosecution. It’s thanks to human rights defenders that we learn about the horrible practices that occur in remote parts of Chad.”
Some prosecutors, nonetheless, urge HROs to be prudent and to verify their information, because claims can sometimes be erroneous.
As for the members of HROs who were interviewed, they say that, although relations with the authorities in some regions remain antagonistic, an improvement and an openness to dialogue has nonetheless been observed. They express frustration that a lack of understanding of their role continues to cause conflict with some authorities and creates confusion among the people. They intend to intensify their activities to combat this problem and to increase the number of people they help, but they are also very aware that all such activities will be limited by their budgetary constraints.
These interviews were carried out by the Collectif des Associations de Défense des Droits de l’Homme au Tchad, with technical support from ASF, and funded by the European Union and the Embassy of France in Chad.
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Photographs © CADH & Saturnin Asnan Non-Doum for the CADH and ASF