Dead heart of Africa

 

 

Welcome to Chad. It is the 21st largest country in the world and is listed by some western observers as one of the top 10 failed states. It once had the second-largest lake in Africa, Lake Chad, which is now more of an apology of a lake. Currently, Chad is in the midst of terrible civil strife. Ethnic violence is sweeping through eastern Chad, making locals flee in masses. Reports say entire villages have been razed in areas bordering the western Sudan region of Darfur, where close to 200,000 people have been killed in more than three years of war. “People are dying of hunger. They have no jobs. The country is facing major economic problems but the government doesn’t seem interested in solving them,” says Sheiza Ebrokie, an African journalist. Aid workers of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) have reported seeing masses of people fleeing with belongings and donkeys carrying bags of food supplies.

These workers say the latest attacks were carried out by gun-toting Arab tribesmen against African villagers, armed with just bows, arrows and swords. It is possible that some of these attackers crossed over from Sudan. The ethnic configuration in Chad and Darfur are similar and experts do not overlook the chances of Sudan having a hand in Chad’s problems. But there’s more to it.

Chad was named the most corrupt African nation in 2006. Idriss Déby has been ruling Chad for 16 years and in this time, the average lifespan of people has come down from 43.7 years to 42.6 years. According to the 2005 report of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), there are just three physicians for every 300,000 people. Yet, the country draws attention – for its oil fields. No one worries about the war though. There’s no point blaming others, Chad might do well to do some serious introspection. Perhaps the world could, and should, help.