Metro

Death toll in Chadian protests estimated at 128

Published

2 years ago

February 24, 2023

The death toll in last year’s bloody nationwide protests in Chad have been estimated to be around 128, the National Human Rights Commission (CNDH), said in a report submitted to the government on Thursday.

The deadly violence was sparked by a government crackdown on opposition protests against the extension of the transitional government.

The protests began on October 20, 2022, when opposition parties organised demonstrations against the continuation in power for two more years of the transitional president, General Mahamat Idriss Déby Itno

The peaceful demonstration in the capital N’Djamena, was to turn an orgy of blood when government forces shot many of the protesters, sparking off a series of attacks that spread to other cities of the country.

The authorities had initially announced that around fifty people had died, mainly young people shot dead in the capital by the forces of order, before re-evaluating the figure at 73 deaths.

But independent investigators have put the overall death toll at over 128.

“The official figures are different from those obtained after the investigations of the National Human Rights Commission,” says the CNDH.

“Our work mainly concerned the towns most affected by the repression, notably those of N’Djamena, Moundou, Doba, Koumra and Sarh. The figure could be more,” it added.

According to the investigators, 943 people were arrested, 435 detained, and 12 disappeared without trace.

“The CNDH attributes the main responsibility for all these human rights violations to agents invested with state authority, namely the FDS (security forces), who clearly failed in their tasks in the chain of events,” the report notes.

“On a day which has come to be known as Black Thursday, 621 people were arrested and taken to Koro Toro, a high-security prison in the middle of the desert 600 km north of N’Djamena. They were then tried in a mass trial, without lawyers or independent media, after a month and a half in detention.”

“Four lifeless bodies arrived in Koro-Toro, having died en route, and eight died as a result of ill-treatment” in this prison, the CNDH said.

Related Topics:#CHAD Death Toll Featured Protest

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Metro

Zambia: Expert warns of food security threat due to climate change

Published

4 hours ago

December 22, 2024

Isaac Dachen

A prominent Zambian climate-smart agriculture expert, Oliver Bulaya, has warned of a collapse of the county’s agricultural sector with a potential threat to food security due to the worsening impact of climate change.

Bulaya, who bared his mind in an interview with Zambia Monitor on Friday, warned that ignoring the crisis could lead to severe disruptions in the country’s food supply and economy.

“Unless concerted efforts are made, the country will continue facing dire consequences from climate change,” the expert noted.

He lamented a growing trend of farmers relocating to regions experiencing above-normal rainfall, such as the northern block, as they struggle with losses caused by climate variability.

Bulaya emphasized that the once-reliable rainfall areas like North-Western Zambia are now experiencing lower precipitation, as seen during the 2023/2024 farming season and cautioned that poor farming practices, which had already strained the Southern region, could lead to similar challenges in other parts of the country if proactive measures were not implemented.

Metro

Outrage over murder of Nigerian beaten to death by South Africans inside estate security office

Published

9 hours ago

December 22, 2024

Isaac Dachen

The Nigerian community, under the auspices of Nigerian Citizens Association in South Africa (NICASA), has raised the alarm over the murder of a 37-year-old Nigerian, Julius Chukwunta, who was beaten to death by four South Africans inside an estate.

According to the association, Chukwunta, a native of Aninri Local Government Area in Enugu State, was reportedly attacked on Saturday, December 7, while driving to his residence in Midrand Protea Estate.

In a statement issued on Saturday by the President-General of NICASA, Dr Frank Onyekwelu, Chukwunta was blocked by the four men while approaching his residence.

Onyekwelu stated that information available to the association noted that after attempting to pass through, Chukwunta was met with resistance by the assailants, prompting him to seek help at the security office of the estate.

“At that moment, the four men allegedly attacked him, leaving him severely injured with a head wound,” the PG said.

“His female companion, who was sitting in the car, rushed to the security office and discovered him bleeding on the ground.

“In spite of attempts to call for help, the security office and residents did not assist in calling the police or an ambulance.

“After an hour, Chukwunta’s partner contacted her father, who, along with other family members, took him to Tembisa General Hospital.

“Chukwunta was placed on life support but later succumbed to his injuries and died at the Tembisa General Hospital on December 10, 2024.”

Onyekwelu also confirmed that the case was reported to the police by Chukwunta’s partner at the Midrand Police Station and was registered under file number 262/12/2024.

The NICASA President said the four suspects, aged 20, 24, 27, and 28, were arrested, and the case was presented in Alexandra Magistrate Court on December 13, 2024, where they were charged with murder.

“The court proceedings on December 18, 2024, saw three of the suspects granted bail of R10,000 each, while the fourth had not yet applied for bail. The case was adjourned to February 3, 2025.”

Onyekwelu however, expressed disappointment at the proceedings, wondering why three of the suspects were released on bail and vowed that the Nigerian community would continue to demand justice for Chukwunta and support his family.

He emphasised that the community would not rest until justice was served and the value of Nigerian lives was upheld in South Africa.