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afrol.com, 15 November - Protests are mounting against the imprisonment of a former senior public servant, Garonde Djarama, for an article he had published in a Chadian weekly newspaper. He had criticized the Government for not reacting strongly enough against the racist killings of sub-Saharan Africans in Libya. The renown media watchdog Reporters sans frontieres (RSF) sent a protest letter to Mr. Mahmad Alhabo, Chadian Minister of Justice, asking the Minister to do everything in his power to ensure that Garonde Djarama is released. RSF reminded the Minister that in a document issued in January 2000, the Special Rapporteur on the protection and promotion of the right to freedom of expression and of opinion declared that "imprisonment as a sentence for the peaceful expression of an opinion constitutes a severe human rights violation". According to the information gathered by RSF, Garonde Djarama was charged with libel and arrested on 9 November. The case against him is expected to come up on 20 November, and he could be sentenced to up to two years' imprisonment. Two days before, on 7 November, the article by Garonde Djarama had been published in the "Opinions" section of the Chadian weekly N'Djamena Hebdo, signed with the full name of the author. The article criticized the slack reaction of Chadian authorities to the racist attacks against Chad nationals in Libya. According to trade unions, at least 500 sub-Saharans were reported killed and many more injured during the attacks on migrant workers in Libya in September and October this year. Several Chadians were among the victims. Equally, the director and publisher of the N'Djamena Hebdo, Begoto Oulator Nicolas, faces charges against him for publishing the opinion of Garonde Djarama. Oulatar Begoto Nicolas was summoned by the police on 8 November and interrogated about the article, before being released the same evening. Also Begoto Nicolas is charged with libel, and will be tried together with Garonde Djarama, RSF says. He also could face up to two years' imprisonment for publishing the article. The Chadian Constitution provides for freedom of speech and of the press. However, the Government is reported to have restricted this right in practice on several occasions. Last year, the Government threatened journalists several times with legal retaliation for publication of antigovernment articles. The cases against Oulatar Begoto Nicolas and Garonde Djarama, however mark a turning point in a trend towards improved press freedom. The Government has not prosecuted private print journalists for libel since 1998. This was seen as part of a general improvement of the human rights situation in Chad as the country was looking for funding of its efforts to export its large oil riches. This year, Chad finally got access to the funding it needed to finance the billion dollar project of the construction of the Chad-Cameroon pipeline. The pipeline will be Chad's access to the world market and oil exports are expected to rise living standards significantly. One of the principal conditions for obtaining funds had been the bettering of the human rights situation in Chad, and significant improvements had been noted the last years. The construction works on the pipeline began in October.
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