ChadTimes

Chad, Africa Sunday, March 15, 2015 1 pages

five cents
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PovertyintheRepublicofChad
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OverhalfofChadspopulationsitsinpovertyduetothe
harshgeographicalconditions.Althoughthesouthernparts
ofChadaretropical,thenorthernpartsaremostlydeserts
withinadequatesupplyofportablewater,which,leads
farmersstuckwithlittletonocropproduction.Thisisabig
dealbecause80%ofChadspopulationreliesonits
3
livelihoodonsubsistencefarmingandlivestockraising.

OnceagainChadisstuckinaloop,subsistencefarmingis
theproductionofcropswithalowdemandbutifChad
relies80%oflivelihoodonlivestockraisingmostofthese
cropsarewastedfeedingthoseanimalsTheimproperwater
disposalandpoorfarmingespeciallyinruralareas
contributegreatlytoallofthispovertyinChad

In1960ChadgaineditsindependencefromFrance.Since
independence,civilwarandprolongeddroughtshave
devastatedmuchofthecountry,creatingseriousproblems,
includingseverefoodshortages.Francehelpedwiththese
problemsbut,sinceChadbecomingindependentfrom
Francetheylostalltheirsupportthattheycouldgotofor
help.Foreigncountries,especiallyFrance,havehelpedin
severalways,oneofwhichispreventingLibyafrom
expandingintoChadfromthenorth.Internalgrowthhas
slowed,andChadhasbecomeincreasinglydependenton
importsoffood,fuel,andotherproducts.Theonlyway
Chadcouldgobacktobeingastablecountryisiftheyare
ruledbyfranceagain.Alltheevidenceistheretoprove
thatwithFrance,Chadisabletosustainthemselves.
Chadisoneofthemostcorruptcountriesintheworld
.1
Chadsrecenthistoryhasbeencharacterisedbyinsecurity,
endemiccorruption,humanrightsabusesandadeeply
entrenchedpatronagesystemwhichpermeatesallsectors
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ofsociety.
Therecentexploitationofoilisconsideredto
havefuelledtheresurgenceofarmedconflictand
corruption,asoilrevenueshavebeenmisusedby
governmenttostrengthenitsarmedforcesandrewardits
cronies,whichcontributestotheunderminingofthe
countrysgovernancesystem.Incountrieswithhighlevels
ofcorruption,forexample,

averageincomeisaboutthreetimeslowerthaninless
corruptcountries.
WithallofthisgoingoninChad,withthembeingnot
onlyoneofthepoorestcountriesintheworldbutalsoone
ofthemostcorruptaswell.Theirbestchanceatgetting
backontheirfeetwouldbetobecomeruledbyfrance
againandgivethemtotalcontrolovereverything.Research
showsthatwhenFrancewasrulingChadthattheywere
protectingandcaringforChadwithfoodandtheresources
tosurvive.Oncetheybecameindependentitwentdownhill
fromthere.IfnotbeingruledagainbyFrancetheyshould
haveoneoftheiralliescomeinandhelpthemtodevelop
tobeastrongcountryorhelpthembackontotheirfeet.
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Wecan'tletBokoHaramtakeoverorthatwilladd
anotherdilemmatoChadslist.Atthesametimewe
should'venevergottenintothiswarinthefirstplace.
Chadalreadyhassomanyinternalconflicts,withthe
highratepovertyandthecorruptionthatthisisthelast
thingweneedtospendingourmoneyon.TheRepublic
ofChadneedstocometogetheranddiscusswhetheror
notweshouldcontinuetofightinthiswarandendanger
ourpeopleandifitreallyisworthfightingfor.
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ChadsetsuptodefendthemselvesfromBoko
Haram
ThefightagainstBokoHaram
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ThepeopleofNigeriahaveaskedforthehelpfromtheir
alliesChad,Cameroon,andNigertofightagainstBoko
Haramastheyaretryingtoforcetheirowntypeofstrict
IslamicreligioninNigeria.Thisterroristgrouphas
takenthelivesofabouttwothousandcasualtiesinBaga,
Nigeriaovertime.Nigeriaanditsalliesneedtocontinue
tofightagainstBokoHaramasthererulestheyaretrying
toforceareunjustandnotright.
Chadsdecisiontosend
soldierscomestwoweeksafterBokoHaramseizeda
militarybaseinNigeria,justacrossLakeChad,the
shallow,desertencroachedbodyofwaterthatseparates
thetwocountries.Thecaptureofthatbase,inthetown
ofBaga,sawhundredsofcivilianskilledandmorethan
3,700buildingsburneddown.Someunverifiablerefugee
1
accountssaidabout2,000died.

Chadsmilitaryneedstocomebackfightinghard
againstBokoHaramsincetheyalreadysteppedfoot
insideofChad.NigeriabasedBokoHaramfightershave
carriedouttheirfirstattackinsideChad,killingasmany
as10peopleinanearlymorningstrikeonavillageand
militarycampontheshoresofLakeChad,asecurity
2
sourcehassaid.

BokoHaramtakesoverthesouthsideofLakeChad

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