The Union of Christian Executives of Chad (UCCT) is accusing the state of denominational drift and calls on Mahamat Idriss Deby Itno to reaffirm secularism and protect Christian communities.
In an explosive open letter, the UCCT challenged President Mahamat Deby Itno on the secular nature of the state and called for an end to religious discrimination.
The six-page letter, signed by seven leaders of the organisations that make up the UCCT on September 11, was leaked to the press on September 26.
In this open letter, the signatories highlight several facts: the pervasiveness of a single denomination in public institutions, the construction of Muslim places of worship in state buildings, the organisation of the hajj by the government, and the appointment of members to the Higher Council for Islamic Affairs. They also note a
series of incidents targeting the Catholic Church including the desecration of places of worship, attacks on priests and bishops, acts of vandalism, and difficulties for Christians in acquiring land, particularly in the north and east of the country.
According to the UCCT, these practices accentuate a “confessionalisation” of the republic, in contradiction with the spirit of neutrality advocated by the constitution.
Regarding the management of community conflicts (farmers-herders), the UCCT denounces a lack of impartiality.
The organisation cites as an example the case of the Mandakaou incident, where the state filed a civil suit. “This obvious difference in treatment, depending on whether the victims are from the (Christian) south or the (Muslim)
north, creates a deep sense of injustice and contempt, contrary to the republican spirit,” the signatories write.
Access to public office and decision-making bodies, as well as trade by Christians, the land grabbing of farmers, the deportation of children from the south to the north, and the pastoral code currently being drafted are just some of the other issues the UCCT criticizes.
The Union of Christian Executives calls on the president to fully restore republican secularism, guarantee the protection of Christian communities, and put an end to religious discrimination.
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