The former president of Chad has died of COVID-19. Hissene Habre was serving time in prison for crime against humanity during his rule from 1982 to 1990. The regime was supported by both the US and France. The reason why he was important to both countries was that Chad was fighting a war against Libya. The Ronald Reagan administration was seeking Qaddafi's removal and using Chad was a means of carrying out that objective. Chad was fighting Libya for control of the Aouzou Strip. France and the US had interest due to the area having being rich in uranium deposits. The Chadian-Libyan conflict became another part of Cold War conflict. As the US got more aggressive with Libya, its diplomatic ties to the Soviet Union grew. Although Chad retained control of the Aouzou Strip and won the war, Habre's rule did not survive. He was deposed by Idriss Deby in 1990. The controversy around his trial was that he was the first former head of state to be convicted for human rights abuse in another nation. His trial was in Senegal not Chad. Before, there were other attempts to have him stand trial. No French or American officials have been brought to justice for their role in the Chadian-Libyan conflict. Habre leaves behind a legacy of oppression, support for neocolonial imperial interests, and war crimes.
No comments:
Post a Comment