15 Dec 2023 | 07:06 PM UTC
Chad: Constitutional referendum to occur nationwide on Dec. 17. Heightened security, disruptions, and protest likely
Increased security, disruptions, and protests likely across Chad on Dec. 17 amid constitutional referendum. Avoid large crowds.
Demonstrations, heightened security, and associated transport disruptions are likely in Chad on Dec. 17, when the nation will hold a referendum on adopting a new constitution. The vote is slated to take place between the hours of 06:00-18:00 and coincides with the country's transition back to a civilian government. The vote will take place against serious opposition to the proposed constitution. Political parties and civil society groups have called their supporters to boycott the referendum.
Authorities will almost certainly deploy a heavy police presence near polling stations and any protests or rallies that may materialize. Clashes between activists and security forces cannot be ruled out, particularly if demonstrators are overly disruptive or ignore police orders to disperse. Protest sites in Chad may include public squares such as N'Djamena's Place de la Nation, city centers, polling stations, opposition party offices, and government buildings. Security forces may close roads around planned protest sites to prevent demonstrators from gathering. Localized transport and business disruptions are likely.
If operating in Chad, exercise increased personal vigilance through the Dec. 17 referendum. Avoid all demonstrations due to the possibility of political violence. Keep away from areas where security personnel appear to be deploying. If clashes break out nearby, take shelter in a safe, non-governmental building. Heed the instructions of local security personnel and allow additional travel time near gatherings.
Chad's political and security environment remains unstable following the April 20, 2021, death of longtime President Idriss Deby Itno. The appointment of the late president's son, Mahamat Deby Itno, as the head of the now-suspended Transitional Military Council (TMC), along with an initial 18-month transition period, the suspension of the constitution, and the National Assembly, sparked nationwide protests against the transitional government in 2022.
On October 20, 2022, opposition activists staged nationwide demonstrations that ended with at least 50 people dead and nearly 300 injured. Several hundred individuals were subsequently arrested in the aftermath of the protests. Moreover, according to opposition party officials associated with Les Transformateurs, on Oct. 8, 2023, nearly 200 party activists were arrested by security services as a preemptive move prior to Masra's return from self-imposed exile. The government has largely suppressed opposition groups from peacefully demonstrating, and security forces have been accused of human rights abuses associated with the use of excessive force against protesters.
