Chadian opposition leader urges reconciliation

Chadian opposition leader Succès Masra has met with Transitional President Mahamat Deby as part of the national reconciliation programme initiated by the military-led government.

They held talks on Monday at the presidency alongside an envoy of Democratic Republic of Congo President Felix Tshisekedi, who facilitated an agreement between both parties last month in Kinshasa.

“It was the first meeting which will be followed by others to enable us respect the agreement,” Mr Masra told the BBC, adding that more proposals will be submitted to “make the transition acceptable to everyone, to land softly with elections where each and every one can present their societal projects to Chadians”.

His meeting with the military leader came barely a day after he urged his supporters at a grand rally to embrace reconciliation with the transitional government, and not seek revenge over the violent repression of protests in October 2022.

“We are people who intend to bring the country to a better destination for all Chadians, and in order to achieve that we must distinguish between justice and revenge,” Mr Masra said in an interview with the BBC.

The leader of the Transformers party also expressed his desire for Chad to be “part of modernity and democracy, without which the future of this country cannot be guaranteed”.

Mr Masra’s message of appeasement comes ahead of a referendum on 17 December, where Chadians are expected to vote the country’s new constitution. The referendum is meant to pave the way for the organisation of elections, ending the military transition and returning the country to civilian rule.

But some members of the opposition have called for a boycott of the referendum, while also criticising government’s announcement of amnesty for those involved in the violent episodes on 20 October last year which left about 50 people dead according to authorities.