APA – Ndjamena (Chad) The constitutional referendum on the form of the state is scheduled for December 17, 2023.
The referendum campaign, which began on November 25, is entering its home stretch. On December 17, more than eight million Chadians will be called upon to vote for or against the draft constitution for a decentralized unitary state.
Against a backdrop of NO and boycott supporters accusing the government of having cooked the books, the European Union delegation in Chad and the Embassies of the United Kingdom, the United States, Germany, France and the Netherlands have reacted.
In a joint statement, they call for transparency in the process and fair access to the media and public spaces for all players involved.
“This constitutional referendum must be a transparent, pluralist, inclusive and, above all, peaceful process. This is why we call on the Chadian authorities to do everything necessary in the coming days to ensure that the end of the referendum campaign is managed in a free atmosphere and with all the necessary opportunities for all stakeholders to express their opinions, including fair access to the media and public spaces,” they plead.
This concern follows the dispersal of a caravan of NO supporters by the forces of law and order on December 7 in Ndjamena. The incident led to disciplinary sanctions being taken by the police hierarchy. According to the Direction Générale de la Police Nationale, “at this time of year, this act is contrary to the missions assigned to the internal security forces, in particular the security coverage of the referendum campaign.”
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