Humanitarian space and security situation in Eastern Chad

The objective of this study was to establish a reliable and objective assessment of the security situation for the population and aid organisations in Eastern Chad – by gathering and analysing information from all the stakeholders present in the region (United Nations, NGOs, donors, the Chadian government, national security bodies, local communities, local authorities, etc.) – and to analyse the consequences of the withdrawal of MINURCAT planned for 31 December 2010, in order to help decision-makers of all kinds in their reflections.

The study essentially focused on the following points:

• Analysis of the use of armed escorts: What type of incidents are communities and aid actors in danger of? What is the quality of the response by the DIS, the gendarmerie, the Chadian national army, the joint Chad-Sudan force? What other solutions exist to improve the security of humanitarian space in Eastern Chad? How is the situation going to change after 31 December, the official date of MINURCAT’s departure? What has MINURCAT achieved? What lessons can be drawn from the practice of using escorts?
• Analysis of contributions to improve the judicial system in Eastern Chad: What progress has been made on justice by the civil component of MINURCAT? How can the state of impunity which continues to prevail despite the efforts of the DIS, the gendarmerie and the joint force on the Chad-Sudan border be brought to an end?
• Analysis of the direct or indirect impact of the security situation and the way it is managed on the population. What will be the economic and environmental consequences of the security situation and the mechanisms in place to manage it?

To carry out this study, Groupe URD worked with a Political Science PhD student from the Centre d’Études et de Recherches Administratives, Politiques et Sociales (CNRS, University of Lille 2), connected to the École Doctorale en Science Juridiques, Politiques et de Gestion.

A field trip has complemented the documentary analysis. After a few days spent in N’Djamena to meet the principal stakeholders, field visits were planned in the principal areas where activities are taking place.